Seems everyone’s talking resolutions and words . . . hopes and dreams for the new year. I relish hearing about other people’s desires for the next 12 months. Meanwhile, I hung up my “Confidence” quote near my desk and positioned the “Confidence” ornament my friend Shari gave me from the rear view mirror of my Subaru Forester. Yes, that’s one Christmas decoration that wasn’t packed away until next December.
Dr. Seuss always motivates me with a pithy quote that puts a smile on my face and “want to” in my heart. Learning to not toss away my confidence will take smarts ( aka “brains”) and effort (aka “feet in my shoes”) and movement ( aka “steering myself in the right direction”).
And as the oh-so-wise Dr. Seuss points out, oftentimes the choice to be confident or unsure will be mine and mine alone. The battle will be won or lost out of sight — and within my mind.
In Your Words: If you and I were staring at a map that you’d posted on your wall, and you had one pin marking “Current Location” and one pin marking “Where I’m headed” — what would those two locations be? I’d love to know! And yes, those locations could be actual places — or figurative. What’s it going to take to get you there?
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Ooh, that is a cool question, Beth, and I can think of quite a few answers… 🙂 But I think the one I’ll go with at the moment is Current Location: Intimidated to Where I’m Headed: Calm, Cool, Collected…and confident in Christ. (Alliteration totally accidental.) It’s funny, actually, because I don’t consider myself a very intimidated person, in general. But I’ve had a lot of on-the-road thinking time lately and it hit me the other day that this sorta foreign feeling I’ve been experiencing lately is exactly that: intimidation. But like you said, the battle will be won or lost in my head. Knowing that is so huge! Thanks for the reminder.
Have a great weekend, Beth!
Melissa, I so totally know where you’re coming from.
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Most excellent alliteration, Melissa!
🙂
And I understand the whole “intimidated” feeling … I’ve traveled that road recently. Some days I’m still traveling it. Want to do the journey together: you, me & Pat?
Yes, I’m in. 🙂 Our own little, figurative road trip. 🙂
Agreed!
Current location? Suburban Fredericton, NB, Canada. Place on a map??
AHHHHHHH!! Well, I haven’t seen my BFF in 41/2, so most likely I’d pin San Francisco. But then again, she could come here…and then I could go back to Arizona/New Mexico (I made it one place…) and hike and around and do more research!!
*years…4 1/2 years
Yes! Come back to visit me and your fry bread taco thingies. 🙂
I’m starting to think about MAYBE next Fall coming back your way and spending more time in Flag and Feenicks. And more time at Bosque Redondo then over to Belen, outside ABQ.
Gotta couch?I’d be happy to share with Chloe and Pascal…
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I would like to add Colorado Springs to your trip itinerary, Jennifer!
Sure!!
I agree! We’ve got a guest room which, most of the time, is free of boy toys. 🙂
Hmmmm, me thinks a plan be a’ brewing!
While you’re at it, swing on over to Minnesota! It could be a Progressive Trip! 🙂
You know I love this question. I am here: at peace & unpublished. I’m headed: at peace & published. How will I get there? I’ll keep putting in the work, learning, growing & trusting in this belief it WILL happen.
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You are the question guru, Wendy … I need to zip over to your Friday blog and see what question you’ve posed today!
I’d say I was standing in a garden of fresh budding flowers and my destination is to the river of living of water that never runs dry and tenderly waters me to bloom into something more beautiful than I could ever dream or imagine. 🙂
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What a refreshing, life-giving answer, Jessica.
Just the kind I would imagine from you.
You come up with some of the best posts, Beth!
I’m with M-Tagg…here at a little intimidated going from unpublished to contracted and having a deadline to trusting Him to give me the creativity to complete my tasks.
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Praying for you, Pat … and knowing God will enable you for this journey. He is the one who planned it for you all along.
In 2013 I’m leaving the Town Of Passive Me and heading toward the town of Confident With God. Want to come along?
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Yes!
🙂
I could answer this in oh, so many ways. Let’s see, I believe this year will take me from Colorado to Hawaii (to visit, not to live), and also from anticipating to completing. The road will require diligence and lots of trust in God to get there. 🙂
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Love both of these destinations, Jeanne. But I especially love the “completion” destination.
😉
Fun question, I have no idea. Well, current location…here. Destination….over there. LOL! Guess I have more planning to do for next year. I dont’ have a specific destination, but some goals.
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LOL … but I completely understand, Michelle.
I’ll go with Michelle’s answer. 🙂 Oh, and Hershey, Pennsylvania. Bet you can guess why. My goals are all dipped in chocolate.
Love the figurative connotations here! 🙂
I’m headed from BUSY AND STRESSED OUT ALL THE TIME to TAKING TIME TO REST ON SUNDAYS AND SPEND TIME DAILY WITH THE LORD.
Yep. I’m thinking that’s going to have a lot to do with my word for 2013: rejoice. 😉
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Oooh … what a wonderful, life-giving application of “rejoice,” Lindsay.
GLAD to hear you have plans to slow down, Lindsay!
Haven’t heard that sort of question before. I like your answer Michelle Lin.. * Grin*
Hmm.. let’s see. Current Location : a bit on the island of fear . Destination : The land of trust in God…today!
🙂
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Excellent perspective, Ganise: one step at a time = a journey.
I love that quote, pic, & it’s a great question. A lot of HR interviewers ask where we see ourselves in five years. I’d like to say published and working on sequels. Still traveling, teaching, enjoying the well-being of my friends and grandchildren.
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Dee,
You know I thought of you while I wrote this post, right?
Oh, the places you go, oh the people you see …
🙂
I am so blessed by knowing you!
Beth, I love how you have decided to keep your confidence quote and special ornament close by as focused reminders. What a great question! The first pin would be on my heart. The second pin in Jesus hand, ever moving where He is leading and opening doors.
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Beautiful, Donna.
Absolutely beautiful.
And so like you …
Oooh…that answer cut deep, Donna, causing me to ponder. Is that really my focus, followed by action…or just my lofty thought? Search my heart…show me where I am, Jesus.
Love your blog posts – and your questions, Beth!
This year I have a few destinations I’d like to arrive at. Right now, in Twinland, we’ve been stuck in “Un-Pottytrained” and I can’t wait until we move into “Pottytrained.” As a writer, a wife, a mother, a friend, I have many places I’d like to move to – but right now I’m letting God drive the car and I’m having fun relaxing next to Him.
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Ah, Gabrielle, twinland is so fun, isn’t it? (You know I’m a twin, right? I would love to see a photo of your twins!)
Cheering you on your journeys!
I’m still camped out in my Faith tent over on the shores of Hope.
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A great location, Cynthia.
I’m still finding my sea legs for this new-ish journey of empty nesting. (Year two and holding steady.) Needing to find structure, but remain flexible. Same song as full time motherhood, I guess, but on an unfamiliar stage. I’ve dubbed this my New Middle School phase…with all the awkwardness and uncertainty that comes with being in between the old and the new. But in far greater hope I remember that I survived those years the first time around without the benefit of life experience and deep faith. I hear Jesus beckoning with a call that is also a promise, “Let us go over to the other side.” So I need to continue embracing all of this with honesty, trust, and patience knowing that I have those new morning mercies to cling to and a Savior that knows the way.
Perhaps my word this year is Perseverance.
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Lovely word picture, Bernadette … and I love how Jesus is calling you to “… go over to the other side.”
Hmm–current location is in the land of disbelief and my direction is to the land of belief that yes someday I might actually write a book worthy to be published!
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I’m in agreement with that belief!
🙂
Right now I’m in a state of panic but I’m heading toward a state of grace! Seriously, I’m wanting to learn this year to get away from a semi-rigid legalism and give others (and myself) a wee bit of a break.
I know it sounds like I’m heading South to get North, but somehow in this convoluted journey, I hope to gain a completed novel. Just like you told me once, “Romans 5:2: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand – out in the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise. (The Message)”
Hugs!
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Ah, one of my favorite verses, Angie … it gives me spiritual breathing space …