Because YOLO

Philippians 4:4-9

I wonder if Drake knew what he was starting, in back 2011 when he told us, “You already know though - you only live once ‒ that’s the motto…YOLO,” Did he know scores of young (and not-so-young) people would adopt this as their anthem, pledging their loyalty to questionable decision making…?

“Wanna see me do a hand stand while driving this motorcycle? YOLO, dude!"

“I dare you to head butt that wall as hard as you can – haha, YOLO!!”

Some folks online refer to YOLO as the “Carpe Diem for stupid people” because it provides license to live recklessly.  Life is short and you only live once – so seize the day, live it up!  A guy in California Tweeted that he was drunk driving at 120 mph at 1am - #YOLO -  and then he lost control of his car, crashed it and killed himself with four other people.  In the Christian community, YOLO is often actively discouraged because of its hedonistic connotations.  Fast cars, money, sex, drugs, rock & roll…

We’re days away from starting a new year.  This is my very most favorite time of the year.  Not the actual Christmas season (I know - *gasp* - but stick with me people, my favorite holiday is Easter, ok?).  It’s the few days leading up to another new year - I love it!  Not because of the resolutions; I’m actually not that resolution-y.  Because it’s a time when I can look back over the past year, at what God brought me to and through.  Whether that’s my Grandpa’s funeral on my birthday (yes, really), or getting a puppy (I love you, Malachi!), or eating grapes in Barcelona on New Year’s Eve (it’s a thing, I swear).  I can look back on a relatively small span of time and see the strength, the love, the mercy that my God showed me as I traversed life in the palm of His hand.

So like I said, I don’t do resolutions. I didn’t lose ten pounds last year or the year before that (ok fine, let’s keep it real – I gained 20lbs instead, but whatever).  I didn’t make it to the gym every single day and I ate cereal out of the box for dinner more than once in 2014.  I already know chances are good that in 2015 I will drink more Sprite than water and I will probably not run a half marathon (again) next year either.  That’s ok, though, because YOLO, right?

Here’s the thing.  I actually like YOLO.  A lot.  Not because it gives me the freedom to eat the dough before I make the cookies…because YOLO is a commitment to seizing the opportunity to live passionately.  As Christians, what are we the most passionate about?

Jesus.

So, when I look back over 2014, seeing all the ways God has walked with me, guided me, stood with me…I know, that I can enter 2015 with the confidence and the passion of my First Love.  When I see an unbelieving friend having a hard day, I find the courage to ask her if we can pray together – because, YOLO.  I can lead a Bible study for the first time, that includes new and pre-Christians, because YOLO.  I can financially support a ministry I believe in, because YOLO.  I can give selflessly to people who don’t understand “No, you do not owe me one” – because YOLO. 

It’s true; we only live once.  As Christians, we know that once happens to be forever, but while we’re here, on this earth, coexisting with countless people whose YOLO has an expiration date – shouldn’t we make this life a good one? I, for one, plan to seize the day – everyday.  I want to do everything I can in this life to live passionately for my Savior.  I want to close my eyes and take the leap into His arms in 2015, shrieking “YOLOOOOOO!” Because although my “once” may be eternal, my time on this earth is not.  I want to let God work through me whichever way He will, every single moment that I’m here – because YOLO. 

“Desire that your life count for something great! Long for your life to have eternal significance. Want this! Don’t coast through life without a passion.” John Piper

(I know some of you will just love my quote selection's author, lol - look past that! xx) 

 

 

 Love y'all...

 



She’s Chasing What, Now…?

Once upon a time, a long time ago…I blogged. I liked it, and I was good at it. Or so people told me.  But, in all honesty, life was kicking my butt at around the same time and I came to find myself in a box.  It’s a good thing my income didn’t depend on my ability to write, or I wouldn’t be here today!  There were times I’d resolve to blog – I would sit down with my laptop and literally grunt with effort to squeeze something out.  It wasn’t fun. I wasn’t good at it.

So I quit.

Over the last several months, I’ve come to realize that after a couple of false starts, that phase of my life really is (thankfully) over.  2014 was the seventh year of what had the hardest season of my life so far. But I’ve realized – seven is the holy number. The number of completion.  My ordeal is over and I can step into 2015 with the strength and wisdom I’ve gained.

It seemed only fitting to return to blogging, since that desire still remained.  I’m not the same person I was before, so my first step was to change my blog’s name. Not unlike many folks in the Bible, now that I think about it! The name part, not the blog part.  Chasing Rainbows came to me, but I wasn’t sure. I sat on it for some time…thinking…mulling it over, deciding how I felt.  When it first came to my mind, it made me chuckle.  Will people assume I’m writing a homosexual dating blog…? I tried the name out on a couple of people and decided that although humorous, my reason for hesitating wasn’t as obvious as I’d thought.

Not just clip art, people - this is really from here!

So, please say hello to my new blog – it’s pretty descriptive, I think.  She’s Chasing Rainbows. All day every day, both literally and figuratively.  The last time I actively blogged, I was living in Central California, where I’d moved to take some time to heal – “yoga for my soul”, I called it.  This time, you’ll find me living on an island in Portugal, where unique weather patterns mean literally every day you can find a rainbow somewhere in the sky.

There’s more, though.  As I realized 2014 was my year of completion, as I realized I’ve “made it through” and 2015 will quite literally be a new chapter, I relished God’s faithfulness. And I was reminded what the sign of his faithfulness and promises is to us: the rainbow. I don’t consider it coincidence that my valley season ended on an island in the middle of nowhere, overflowing with rainbows – a message to me, His daughter.

He is good. He is faithful.  And I will chase after Him, His blessings and His promises for all of my days.  I hope you’ll join me here, in my little re-vamped corner of the blog-o-sphere as I document the Great Adventure I have chasing His rainbows.

Love y'all...

 

Passionate Practice

I just tread a blog post that I absolutely adore. I haven’t perused the rest of the blog yet so I can’t recommend it as a whole, but this particular post was amazing. This guy gets it.  It was titled, “Why I Took Four Violin Lessons and Quit” and he discussed why he purposefully took four classes and quit…he wanted to experience the violin, not join an orchestra.  His bottom line is this:

"As long as you have ridiculously high goals for one or two things, it's okay to set really embarrassingly low goals for other things. In fact, that helps you stay focused on your big goals."

I think this is complete, 100% fabulousity – and if more of us held this mindset, we would be happier, healthier people.  See, he’s not a quitter – he went in with a low goal. And he accomplished it and continues to enjoy it.

So many times in my life I am tempted *out* of something because I don’t know if I’m ready to be awesome at that. I don’t know if I have the energy or the fortitude to diligently work at the awesomeness.  I’m 37 years old and I have been taking swimming lessons for seven months. I haven’t been invited to the Olympic trials yet. I’ve been to the deep end exactly…twice. With a pool noodle. I’m told the water isn’t even over my head. But by the end of most lessons, my stomach hurts from all the giggling throughout my lesson.  I’m not sure if I’ll make it to the Olympics – I’m not even sure if I’ll be able to save myself if someone throws me in a pool. Right now, my long term goal is to be able to swim laps – someday. That actual date is ambiguous because I’m having such a blast getting there, I might not ever arrive.

When I first moved overseas, I chose the opportunity because it was smaller than any of the others I’d seen. I could live on base (aka Little America) and the tour was originally about half the time of any other tour length.  It was a low goal that I knew I could accomplish, thereby opening the opportunity for me to really enjoy it.  I’m enjoying it so much, that I’ve actually started to ask myself if I want to extend my time overseas.

I can tell you one thing, though – my ridiculously high goal, is this – to become more like Christ each day. This is a goal that I know I will never attain completely, but also one that I will never give up reaching for.  Another goal, is to bring glory to God every day. I know I fail at this daily and I’m so thankful my Father is forgiving.

So while I am dedicatedly pursuing these higher goals, I am also really enjoying what some would consider to be embarrassingly low goals…I’m enjoying tasting this life God has given me, and so much of what it has to offer…and I’m thinking I just might want to learn to play the violin!

Love y'all!
~M~