intentionality – Not Quite Ordinary

Just Because

Posted on September 30, 2024 by Ann B. Hibbard

Once upon a time, I wrote a post about marriage every Monday. I found this one today and thought I’d honor that old Marriage Monday tradition this week.

My husband is the king of “just because” moments – those little moments when there’s no real reason to celebrate, give a gift, or do something out of the ordinary. He just acts out of love.

I’m not so great at those moments. I tend to be more of a planner and need a reason or an occasion to motivate me to action. That’s an area I want to grow, though. I want to be more about the “just because” actions.

So, why are those moments so important? Because they show that we’re thinking of each other. They are tangible proof that our relationship goes beyond just the normal facts of married life. Our marriage is not just about going through the daily routine, parenting our kids, and putting up with each other. It’s about being a picture of Christ’s relationship with us.

And, let me tell you, my friends. There are many things the Lord does in our lives “just because.”

Just because they help us bring glory to Him.
Just because they fill us with joy.
Just because they teach us to know Him better.
Just because they bounce through our lives to impact others, drawing them into the kingdom.

Yes, marriage is a picture of all of that.

Suddenly, those little “just because” moments become far more important, don’t they? Those moments in which we are wide open in our love for our spouses. Those moments in which we display that love before the world. Those moments that are not about bragging but are about being true and real and honest.

I love seeing husbands and wives sitting close together, holding hands in public, or fully engaged in delightful conversation. I love seeing them drawn together like a magnet. There’s little more beautiful than the sight of a husband’s face lighting up when he sees his wife or a wife’s expression when she’s about to explode with pride for her husband.

Those are “just because” moments that shine.

Creating a marriage that reflects Christ, thus fulfilling marriage’s true purpose, is not an easy task. But, it can start with something as simple as being intentional about “just because” moments.

How can you be intentional this week?

Thoughts from Life

If I Could Only…

Posted on September 9, 2024 by Ann B. Hibbard

I’ve waited months for a morning like this. Crisp. Cool. The sun shining from a clear blue sky, washed clean by recent rains. Long before that sun had even risen, we were settled on the front porch with our little tabletop fire pit, enjoying our morning reading in the fresh air. I even had a jacket on! What a glorious feeling!

I’m not a summer fan. The heat and I just don’t get along well, and summer is something I tolerate only because I do like living in Arkansas. And I know that so many of the people around me love the warmth of summer. So, I rejoice for them. But I keep waiting. Anticipating. Telling myself that I’ll feel more alive when the cool comes.

And this morning, I have the hint of it. Not the permanence. Tomorrow morning will be a good ten degrees warmer. We’ll probably still be on the porch, but I doubt I’ll need that jacket. And we still have 90s in the forecast.

But, the cold is coming, and this morning reminds me that it’s not interminably far away.

And yet, even with the taste of it, I’m struggling. The motivation I hoped for is elusive, and the energy to tackle my Monday is running low. It’s as if the wonderful, glorious, cool weather isn’t really a magic switch that turns on my motivation or my ability to be diligent with what’s in front of me. Who knew?

Yes, go ahead and chuckle. Laugh at me outright, if you like. It’s a legitimate response. Because we all know that, while certain things we love can fuel us, they are not the source of who we are and what we are capable of. Yes, I may be more comfortable when the temperatures are cooler, but hot weather doesn’t stop me from being who I am.

So often, however, we put all of our eggs in the basket of “if I could only…” If I could only live somewhere with cooler temperatures year-round, I’d be more motivated. If I could only get that day away once a month. If I could only be with the right kind of people. If I could only have this specific job. If I could only…

We get so caught up in the fact that we aren’t where we’d love to be in this moment that we fail to be all-in right where we are. We get through the work week more focused on looking forward to days off than putting our all into the tasks at hand. We anticipate time with the people we think we really want to be with instead of pouring our attention into ministering to the people before us right now. We reminisce about the times when things were “just right.” We spend so much of our energy either remembering or anticipating the “if I could only…” moments.

What we don’t realize is that we end up hamstringing ourselves. When we finally do get what we love, even that is tainted because we have neglected diligence while waiting to get there.

The beauty of our existence is not found in the “if I could only…” moments. It’s found in how we live each and every day. It’s found in our ability to find beauty and motivation in the moment at hand. It’s not always easy. There are bad days. There are uncomfortable days. There are miserable circumstances. There are challenging people.

But, all of these people and circumstances are just as much held in the hands of our loving Father as our favorite moments and relationships. They are all opportunities for His Spirit to shine through us. They are all opportunities to grow into who He created us to be.

Living in that fullness does not depend on our circumstances. Don’t get me wrong, circumstances do have an impact. There are times that are easier than others. But, our obedience and diligence in the moments we don’t like so much is just as important as our enjoyment of the “if I could only…” moments.

This morning, despite the delicious coolness that is making me so happy, I’m struggling. I realize how much energy I’ve wasted in recent months thinking about all the things that would be better “if only.” All the ways I have not been all-in with what God has put right in front of me.

I want to change that. But, it’s going to take effort. Discipline. Work. I won’t always want to put in the work, just like I don’t want to this morning. But I must. If I desire to enjoy the glorious moments, I have to seek the beauty of the not-so-glorious. If I want to be energized when all is going like I want it to go, I have to be diligent even when I feel like I’m trudging through the sludge of life.

“If I could only…” must become “in this moment, I can.” Because I was put in this moment by a Creator who knew how He wanted to work through His child. Right here. Right now. In the hard and in the easy. In the delightful and in the drudgery.

In this moment, I can. So I will. And when the glorious moments come, I will then, too, relishing them fully.

Thoughts from Life, Thoughts from Prayer, What Works for Me

Intentional

Posted on January 4, 2017 by Ann B. Hibbard

Word of the Year?

Have you ever noticed the people who choose “word” for their year? That word becomes their focus – the thing around which their goals and growth center. Perhaps this is something you do.

Maybe you are among those who actively choose their words. These people spend time in thought and prayer, trying to determine a direction and a focus. I’ve never done that before. I know me – it would be too forced. I second guess myself too much, and this approach would stress me out. Better for me to work on my routine and focus on productivity than to try to choose a focus.

For the longest time, I thought that was the only approach to choosing a word or focus for the year. But, more recently I’ve noticed a different pattern among some of my friends, so I avoided it. These are the people whose words have chosen them. A lesson or idea or thought just keeps presenting itself until they finally latch onto it, determined to see where the Holy Spirit is leading.

And now I know how that feels.

Intentionality Everywhere

Everywhere I’ve turned lately, intentional has been on the tip of my tongue. I cannot describe my sense of direction, urgency of action, or areas of growth without using that word or some variation of it.

When I think of my routine and productivity (or lack thereof!), I realize that I’m so often just floating through life. I bounce from this to that, randomly walking through my to-do list, focusing on whatever seems to pop up next. I have been convicted of the need to be intentional with every moment of my day – whether in work, play, or rest.
When I think of my reading goals, I see that I have stacks of books with no plan for reading them. I’ll get around to it, eventually. I know I won’t. Not without being intentional.
When I see the resources I have acquired for this project or that, only to never get them done due to lack of whatever, I feel the frustration and discouragement rise. If I want to ever make progress, I have to make time. Intentionally.
When my brain fills with the larger ideas I have for writing, I jot down notes only to forget what I was thinking. I desire to do more – to actually write a book. But, all I ever get around to are random blog posts about whatever happens to pop into my head at the time. I will never truly become what I want to become as a writer unless I intentionally make and work toward goals.

But the biggest area is my spiritual life. I know I’m growing. I see it. But, there are many ways in which my spiritual growth is just as haphazard as my growth in other areas. I’m random, and I don’t always follow through, turning thoughts and convictions into actions. I have to become intentional about spiritual growth by making a plan for action as soon as the Holy Spirit nudges my thoughts.

Staying Open

I know how my brain works, and I know that it’s not a good idea for me to say that 2017 will be my intentional year because I’ll become more fixated on the word than the general sensitivity to what the Holy Spirit needs to do in and through me. Maybe I’ll be a slow learner, and it will be with me for several years (like rest and sabbath have been focus thoughts for two or three years!). Maybe I’ll establish a habit and pattern of intentionality in a few months, and it will be time to push forward again. I do not want to miss the Lord’s direction just because I am stuck on a word. But, for now, intentionality is my overarching focus as this year begins. Already I have seen it impact my time and energy. I’m ready to see where the Lord takes me from here!