Step on The Scale!

Wait! Don't stop reading - - - this is NOT about weight!

We've all heard the saying, "A goal unwritten is just a wish."

I'd like to paraphrase that by saying, "A goal unmeasured is just a wish."

Most of us set goals. First thing in the morning on January 1, I look at the goals I compiled the day before, and list some of the steps I'm going to have to take to accomplish those goals during the upcoming year. I know that if I don't take each step, I'll never complete that goal.

I do pretty well with making the list. I have been accused of being a "list-maker" for years. But the follow-through has been lacking. To heal thoroughly from any tragedy, there are qualities I know need to be developed - and I cannot say I've been completely successful in my quest to develop them. But then this week on a phone call, I had an epiphany.

I was listening to Robert G. Allen on his weekly "Breakfast with Bob" call when he said if we want to be improving in areas of the heart and mind, we need to be measuring our progress. I realized that the reason I don't reach many of my goals is that I don't have a way of measuring my progress. How does one measure "Be more patient", or "Have more charity"? How can "Build my faith" be quantified?

He challenged us to ponder how we can measure such ethereal qualities, and to bring back our answers to next week's call. I've been thinking about it ever since. And I've come up with an idea.

The only way I can think of to measure those qualities of the heart and mind is by measuring the actions that flow from our heart and our thoughts. Are our actions in line with the characteristics we are hoping to develop?

I imagined my bathroom scale. But instead of the numbers there, (oh, yes, let's do away with them!), I imagined several bars of different colors like a rainbow, each bar with its own needle, and on the bars, respectively,  the words "Service", and "Smile", and "Prayer", and "Giving".

Then I imagined myself standing on the scale and watching the various needles move across the scale, showing that yes, I'd smiled more this week, but "Service" was measuring way too low. Prayer - well, it had been a hard week so the "Prayer" needle was way at the top of the scale, but the "Giving" needle didn't even show. I immediately knew that I needed to look outside myself and see where I could make a difference in someone else's life.

On the call, Bob had said that one person claimed that measuring is a powerful concept, and that one-tenth of one percent of all we measure will give us ninety-nine percent of the results in our lives. Wow! That caught my attention. 

It is worth thinking about. If we measure something, performance most often increases. So if we want to improve in an area, it makes sense that we need to set up a system of measuring our performance. 

I really do want to improve. I want to heal and be whole again. But now I see that to do so, I need to measure my progress - regularly. 

So, if you too want to improve, come on ladies, and let's step on the scale! 

In hope,

Roslyn

   

Make a list

The day after my older children left to return to their homes after my husband's funeral, I lay in my bed, looking out the window at the snow covering the trees, bushes and the ground. I felt cold, overwhelmed, confused, and totally inadequate for the task ahead - to build a new life for myself and the children.

I had stayed in bed much too long and could hear the children moving around the house. I knew I needed to do something - but what could I do that would make a difference? What could I accomplish in my present state of mind?
Then it came to me. After the funeral, my brother had told me,

"Make a list, Ros. List everything you can think of that you need to do, then list the things you need help with, and then let me know. We'll get you through this."

I could do that much! I pulled out a pen and a sheet of paper from my drawer and began to think. I felt like I needed help with everything. Slowly, though, I formed a list of those things I knew I couldn't do alone. As I did, I also thought of a few things I could do. Over the next few days two lists evolved, one I felt I could work on myself, and one I needed help with.

Just having it down on paper - - - even though the list was long - - - made it seem more manageable. Some things didn't seem so frightening once I could see them there on the list knowing that I would have someone to help me work on them. And when people called and asked, "What can I do to help?", now I had an answer. I felt better, because I was starting to accomplish things, and they felt better because they were able to serve in truly meaningful ways.

Are you feeling overwhelmed? Don't worry - it's normal. It is part of the grieving process.

And when you feel ready,

take out a pen and a piece of paper,

and make a list!