tilt a whirl // when priorities shift

Hey y’all!

Since we last talked, lots of stuff has happened. With my free days of summer almost being up, I’m gearing up for the crazy travelling to start up. That being said, I am working hard to complete all of the things I can’t do when I am travelling. I can see the metaphorical tidal wave of fun but simultaneous insanity creeping up on me.

Part of that being, I got some exciting news! I have officially been accepted into a college’s online dual enrollment program for this next school year! I’m taking Western Civ. and I am very, very excited. 🙂

Another thing in the news genre, I may not have a blog post next week (this honestly depends on if I get my act together this week) because of a little fun thing called “I am getting my wisdom teeth out the day before I typically post”. I am so scared for my life excited. I’m getting IV sedation and I hate needles so please please pray for me xD. I get all hyperventilate-y and gross feeling, but they said they’re gonna numb it up before they do it. Yaaaaay. But anyway, if I write a post before then, y’all will get a post on Tuesday but I am gone Wednesday-Sunday and I get back late Sunday night and then wisdom teeth early Monday morning sooooo…

I’m getting off topic of the original intent of the post. xD I know that is a normal thing, but hey.

In the past week or so, I have been really trying to refocus myself on what truly matters and needs to get done. Back in late April (I think), I was asked by my good friend who is the pastor of prayer at our church if I would be willing to write a devotional for the booklet that we have at our Wednesday prayer night. I said I’d pray about it, and that if I got a yes from Jesus, that I would need to be able to finish school before I started working on it. He said that was fine, and we went about our merry way.

Turns out, I was supposed to write this devotional. I didn’t know what verse(s) I was supposed to do it on, because when I had asked him about it, he just smiled and said “I want you to do it about listening to God, but Jesus has a passage for you to use. Go ask Him.”

Half of me was okay with that. I trust Jesus to provide things for me to say/write; he always has and always will. But the fact that I didn’t have anything to go off initially almost scared me to the point of just saying that I couldn’t do it.

Around the beginning of this month, I started asking about it because, I am supposed to actually write it after all. Looking back now, I find it really funny that he wanted a devotional about listening to God and prayer without telling me a passage to use. He’s like “hey it’s about listening to God. how bout you actively put that into practice hands-on?”

Anyway, I’ve been prepping that for a while, and even though I haven’t yet started writing it, I am pouring energy into planning and getting my concepts right before I take off.

Interestingly enough, I really feel like I’m supposed to be writing a devotional on Isaiah 55. I’m really excited to write it and I look forward to seeing its effects. I know he wants to get the devo (at latest) by the end of July.

So where does the whole “priorities shifting” come in?

Well, I’m glad you asked!

Initially, if you remember from my #goals post a couple weeks back, I had made a list of things that I wanted to accomplish by the end of the summer. While most of them still stand, I’m taking them on a little differently.

I believe it is okay for goals and standards you set for yourself to shift. As much as I hate it most days it happens, it is actually very good for you. I know I’m working on this, but it is important to allow your standards to change. Not if they will harm you in any way, but if you are worn out and mentally dreading sitting down and having to do something that should be fun, it might be time to readjust. At that point, it is hurting you more than goals should.

That being said, my main goal this summer is this devotional. I want to write what the Lord asks me to write, and if that means laying down stuff that is gonna distract me from my connection with Him, I’m. heckin. gonna. do. it.

A smaller goal from the previous list is this: I would love to finish a first draft of Mirage of Shards. The reason this is a small goal is that I was pushing myself waaaaaayyyy too much to finish this and when I would sit down to write, my brain would hurt and have nothing left. I’m going at a slower pace than I had originally planned and I’m okay with that. It is just what I need right now. I am planning on doing a second draft for NaNoWriMo in Novemeber, so obviously it should be done and edited by then. But that is a long time away and I am focusing on the devotional.

Another goal is creating a blogging buffer. I am taking extra classes this year which includes my dual enrollment which is a literal college course that requires 8-10 hours of my time a week. That being said, I am still gonna blog (as much as possible), but just with better time management skills. Once the school year sets in and I understand how things are gonna work, I will be better able to judge how things will work. But I only have two more years of high school and my position in life right now is a student. Therefore, it’s my main focus whether I like it or not.

I want to glorify God in everything I do, and evidently, I am readjusting things so that I can continue to do that.

Also, expect wisdom teeth stories July 9th. xD As terrifying as it is, I’m ridiculously excited to see how weird I get when mom drives me home. I’m weird as it is… woop woop.

Now go forth, mis amigos and amigas, and smile. Your day is just beginning. Make the best of it. Don’t procrastinate. Work hard. Make me proud. 🙂

Love you all,

Madeleine