My 17 Point Manifesto

Yesterday I read an encouraging manifesto from one of my favorite authors (Ann Voskamp).
(You can read the article here in full.)  And no one can introduce it as well as she:

"Nearing the end of January, first month of the year.

"Now things are starting to get hard, and new habits, those things that we wear, start to wear thin.

"Feeling a bit overwhelmed and not sure how to overcome.

"So we nail it to our doors -- our 25 point manifesto for sanity in 2013."

After reading through the 25 points in the declaration, I have selected the ones that leaped off the page and nestled themselves right into the part of my heart that houses my wishes.  {And because I didn't want to put everything in quotes, the words next to each number are hers; most of the descriptions are my adaptations unless wrapped in quotations.} 

Perhaps they'll inspire you as well?

1. Flame first.

Light a candle in the morning -- as a symbol of you.  For you are a "light of the world" and you must put your candlestick up so it can give "light unto all that are in the house." (See Matthew 5:5:14-15)

2. Your work is art: it needs a soundtrack.

Find the music that your heart loves to hear and play it as an accompaniment to your daily work.  And sing.  Sing loud and clear--with your family and by yourself.  Sing reverently at times and vibrantly at others.  Sing so your heart can keep on growing.

"When sailors have to move a heavy load or raise an anchor, they all sing together to keep them up and give them vim.  That's just what artists lack." ~Vincent van Gogh

And don't we all participate in our own kind of art all day long?  Whether it's raising little children, working towards professional or church goals, it's all a manifestation of the gifts that Father has given us, and music can enhance so much. Music moves me in ways that nothing else can.  It is profound.

3. Stay in the pool.

When asked about how he achieved so many victories, Michael Phelps simply replied, "You've got to stay working in the pool longer than others."

Set your mind to a task, set a timer if necessary, and then endure well.  The rewards are always so bounteous.

4. Go Slow. Life Zone.

"Life isn't an emergency. It's a gift. Life's so extraordinary it warrants going slow, held in reverential awe."

Treat life as if it were dessert--not a meal to be wolfed down so we can "survive," but a delectable dessert that we wish to last forever.  Savor every bite. You won't regret it.

5. Take your laughter vitamins.

Because research is showing it's actually a physical and emotional medicine.

6. No songs without a rhythm.

Our daily life needs a routine {and I much prefer the term rhythm because it makes life sound so much more musical.}  This has been something I've been fine-tuning the last few weeks and the harmony is so very pleasant.

"Your life makes music when you play a string of tasks always together."

"Create your rhythm, a harmony of habits that are prompted by a definite location or time. Turn chaos into cadence."

"As music has rhythm, recurring refrains, order, so does peaceful parenting.  One action thoughtfully follows the next action that wisely follows the next. Days of habits, fluid and lyrical, create pleasing harmony."

7. Daily Stillness Appointment

"When is your 5 minute stillness appointment everyday?  Write that midday time in stone.  No cancellations allowed.  For 5 minutes midday, be still and cease striving.  Know He is God and the day looks very different.  Slow down: You only pass by this way once."

8. If the Heaven's Declare, get out there.

"The whole of the sky and the world is speaking endlessly of His glory.  When you step outside and listen, your soul revives.  You need that.  You really need one walk outside a day."

9. Work on your Wall before Noon.

Just like Nehemiah, who built the walls around Jerusalem, lay down just 3 bricks each day before noon, working diligently on those special callings the Lord has given you.

10. Envision the End Goal.

Heavenly Father "brought [Abraham] abroad and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be." (See Genesis 15:5)

Our Father gave Abraham a picture, a symbol, a vision of the stars and sky to represent his mission.  Take a picture, paint one, or find one that you can hang up to remind you of what the Lord has called you to do and a vision of your goal.

11. Consistently be Consistent.

Showing up is almost the entire battle and when we paint those little brushstrokes, those small and simple things really do make a difference.

"It's not what you do every now and then, but what you do everyday, that changes everything.  Do something at the same time everyday and you find yourself a new person."

12. Hard Stops.

It's what we do when we come to a stop sign, and if we "hard stop" to pray at set times of the day, it's what could truly give us the grace to go on.  A phone reminder, or a chime from a clock?  These could remind us to stop and pray, or in the words of President Monson, "Pause to pray."

13. Do the Holy, Happiness Habit

Write down 5, just 5 things to be grateful for each day and count your way well past 1000 gifts given from heaven through the year.  Recognize His hand and His ever-present tender mercies.

"Make right where you are your happy place."

14. Ebenezers for the Effort

"Mark little milestones! Celebrate the little things!  A treat at the end of the day, end of the week, end of the project, end of the term.  Hang a bunting. Taste something sweet. Take a happy, thumbs up picture to mark your progress!  Make an album of a year, of the process, of the overcoming."

And perhaps actually create an "ebenezer."  You see, back in the days of the prophet Samuel, there was an impending battle from the Philistines.  So the Israelites ask Samuel to implore the Lord for their rescue.  Samuel asked them to sacrifice some of their idolatrous sins and then he made a sacrifice on the altar in behalf of the people.

"And as Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel: but the Lord thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel. (1 Samuel 7:10)

"Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Eben-ezer, saying, Hitherto hath the Lord helped us." (1 Samuel 7:12)

Find your own stone of help and set it up as a physical reminder so you can remember all that the Lord has done in delivering you.

15. Breathe.

Sometimes we just need to breathe.  In and out.

“The letters of the name of God in Hebrew YHWH… are infrequently pronounced Yahweh. But in truth they are inutterable….

"This word {YHWH} is the sound of breathing.

"The holiest name in the world, the Name of Creator, is the sound of your own breathing. That these letters are unpronounceable is no accident. Just as it is no accident that they are also the root letters of the Hebrew verb ‘to be’… God’s name is name of Being itself.”  ~Rabbi Lawrence Kushner

So we breathe in His name with every breath we take.  Just Remember this.

16. Hard and Bad? Hot Bath.

"An evening routine of a hot bath at the end of the hard and bad days? Yes."

17. Rest so you can have the rest of God.

"Tomorrow always begins with the night before, so turn in early so tomorrow can turn out well."

This I need.

And all 17 declarations I need as well.  Somewhat hard at times?  Of course.  Nothing good ever comes without effort.

But keys to a happy and memorable year?  Most definitely.

17 has always been one of my favorite numbers...

P.S. This post is, as well as some of my other recent posts, the ideal.  We have a plan so we have something to strive for.  It doesn't mean that we always stick to everything just right.  Every day is full of imperfection and failures.  But that shouldn't keep us from striving, right?  Without a plan, life is just utter chaos (at least it is for me).  But with an idealistic plan, it gives me something to aim for.  It gives me a framework--even though most of the time I vary so greatly and fail time and time again.  But the Lord is so good to us.  Through Him we can be perfect, even in our imperfections.  He makes up the difference.  And I'm so grateful for His infinite grace.

If nothing else, just remember and rely on grace.