#Day14: What's the "Before" without the "After"

I have to say, since blogging about this process, I have never been so motivated to follow-through with something to completion. I totally expected to slowly fade out after a few days.

I guess I hadn't considered the fact that once I brought my stuff out into the light, I would have to continue and not turn back...because honestly, who wants to quit halfway through, after they have all their weakest parts of themselves just left sitting out there?!

 I don't know about you, but I want to make it to the other side...to be able to show to myself and anyone watching:

...that "His grace is sufficient for me, for His power is made perfect in my weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9)

...that "when I am weak, THEN I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:10)

...that "He who began a good work in me will finish it to completion." (Philippians 1:6)

Seriously, I dare you all to post some pics of your "junk!"
It is not easy...but honestly, I promise if you do, you will want to be able to post an "after" pic.
(And in the process, I would promise: to shower you with grace and peace, to NOT judge you, and to respect you all the more for it :) 


Even if only 1 person has read my blog, the truth of the matter is, I chose to put myself out there, and in doing so, I volunteered myself to the mercy of being real and honest and vulnerable with the hidden areas of my life that need work and accountability.

Because, after all...

What is the point of blogging if you aren't going to be candid?! 

And what is the point of starting a process like this if you aren't going to follow-through to the end?!

...then it hit me...In my head I was thinking this process ends November 31st.
But truly, if I am taking this seriously, this will be an ongoing process for ....years(!).

NO!!! This is not what I signed up for.....I agreed to 1 month!

(insert mini-panic attack and double pulse check)

The cold hard truth is that I can't make people forget my blog after November.
While they very well may and probably will let it all slide to the wayside, I've shown some parts of my self through my blog that are forever out there.
The expectation is that I am making permanent progress and changes that will far exceed the end of this month. A year from now (or 2 or 10..) I have to be prepared to give an account for myself, not necessarily to anyone else, but, at the very least, to myself for the ways that I either let this process continue to change me or the way I shut down my growth with a shopping spree to the thrift store, never to look back.


That, right there, is a hard reality for me to absorb.

I owe it to myself to keep going...to be able to make it "to the other side" of change and look back to say,
"That wasn't so bad. I've come a long way, and now I'm freer with less-baggage than even I imagined was possible,"

And what will most likely keep me going is to not look too far down the road.

Okay.... so...baby steps. baby steps...
...or in the words of a very "profound" songwriter...

One day at a time!


#Day14

November 14th, my 14 things:

14 cups

...because my husband specifically requested that I pare down our cups... and because I respect his input for the process.... and because the Pfaltzgraff sphere pattern was pretty awesome in the early 2000's so I actually have a friend with the same dish pattern who I'm hoping can get some use out of those striped glasses that we registered for when we were getting married.

(Honestly, it could have been any 14 items. At this point, it's not even about "stuff" anymore.)




When I chose to make a goal, I then silently chose to either succeed or fail....at the same time, I also chose to attempt success. That's a challenge worth taking.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

So..."Goodbye, stumbling blocks of stuff. Can't stop, won't stop. You gotta go. I'm moving forward. ...and P.S. My Pepsi will still taste just as delicious without you."