Fire Challenge #2 Commitment

 Good morning and happy Friday!

 I haven't forgotten about my weekly challenge report that was due yesterday, but I did get a little sidetracked, which is no surprise to me at all. This week's Fire Challenge is the Commitment Fire! I set my goal last week, and now it's time to expand that into a vision, make tracks toward it, and burn all my fears and limitations that have been holding me back. Well, I've already been doing those steps, so I feel I'm already ahead, but I will share more about how Brooke from Girl in the Woods presents this crucial step. (visit Girl in the Woods)  The video for this step is called "Lost proof yourself" and the activity involved is to go exploring somewhere out of your comfort zone, starting at a "bullseye" point and working your way outward. In essence, let's get out of our comfort zones! 

As usual, get outside, explore and take in all of the beauty that nature provides and this week is about adding more reps to the exercise plan. Instead of 5 of everything, now it is 10. I'm still skipping the skips, but that's okay! Oh, skipping used to be so much fun...

When I said I got sidetracked, it involved a different kind of exploring, a longer held vision, and a lot of different kinds of exercise. I spent the day cleaning in the basement, and when I tell you I went exploring, expanding, and got out of my comfort zone, you just better take my word for it. I do not like the basement at all, but part of my commitment is realizing I need to attack certain projects so that my vision can become a reality. 

This is not the initial goal I had written down, but it is an important step along the path to reaching it, for sure. I haven't had a fire just yet, but tonight seems like a beautiful night to have one since we've had some recent rain. I will be writing down and tossing into the flames, the following things:

negative people (well, not actual people-just names), excuses, past failures, mistakes-past and present, harmful people, anything and anyone that holds me back...

I'm going to tear it off and burn it, friends, and I hope that you will join me in throwing off anything that is hindering you from your goals, dreams, and visions. The time is now for MORE exercise, MORE vision, and MORE progress, not less. Let's GOOOOOO!!!!

Another thing I took from Brooke's video is a quote she stated, "Different is better than better."  As Brooke pointed out, it takes awhile to just be okay with being who you are. At 53, she wears an Indiana Jones style hat with a feather, long braids and long earrings. It took her awhile to accept her own different style and that it wasn't going to blend in with everyone else. We can struggle with this at all ages. Be okay with different, and just be. My style may blend in, but I don't always feel like I fit in, and it's tough to feel like an outsider and not think there's something wrong with us. When the difference is on the inside, I think it's a little harder to convince ourselves that we're okay being who we are. This challenge is for me to grow to accept myself more as well as accomplish my big audacious goal. 

The Scripture for this Commitment challenge is Psalms 27:13 I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. 

The land of the living is everywhere, and with the way I've been feeling, I just know I've been in survival mode way too long. I need to recommit to the Lord's land of the living, because my living has been pretty disappointing. The goodness of the Lord is inside–in the cobweb-laden basement and in me! And it is outside–everywhere the breeze touches. Nature thrives, and I want to learn from nature that I too am His creation, and I am to thrive everywhere, not just survive. 

 Found today in my notes: "Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. We could all use a little more love to build each other up." 

1 Corinthians 8:1-3 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that "We all possess knowledge." But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. But whoever loves God is known by God.