What Shall I Ponder?

I’ve been blogging for over four years now, and haven’t missed a week. There’s always something to ponder when we live with intentional awareness of God’s presence and movement in our lives. As I sit down to write today, I’m in a small moment of transition, having sent an edited book manuscript back to the author yesterday and now preparing for the Women Writing the West conference which will be held here in Tucson over the next few days (it will be finished—except for the cleanup—when this post goes live).I’m grateful for a day with less than the usual number of items on the work checklist, while, at the same time, being well aware that there are lots of personal projects that could use some of my undivided attention.

One of the pieces of wisdom that I’ve been pondering recently came out of my continued exploration of the Enneagram. As I am leading a group at church that’s exploring this ancient spiritual wisdom and learning to apply it to our modern lives, I’m coming to a deeper understanding of it for myself. One of the aspects of my space on the Enneagram circle (the Four) is that I tend to create many more ideas than I follow through on. When I initially read this, I immediately fell into judgment mode, feeling that I was somehow failing because I wasn’t following through on all those great ideas. My struggle with the hope podcast is a good case in point.

However, my spiritual director invited me to see that perhaps I should view this tendency as fact, not judgment. It is fact that some of us create more ideas than we follow through on (the author whose latest book I just finished editing is a good case in point, and he’s a Seven). That doesn’t mean we need immediately to assume we are failing because we do not do so. Sometimes we try things on and they just don’t fit, for whatever reason. Sometimes other things show up to take precedence. Sometimes our job is to get the idea out there so that others can bring it to life. Sometimes we push on, trying to make something work, and eventually realize that it is perhaps going to teach us more through what doesn’t go the way we want instead of what does.

So I am pondering…the books on my desk, waiting to be read; the ideas on my project spreadsheet, awaiting time and attention; and what will be the foci of my work and ministry in 2018, as I seek to discern what God is calling me to bring forth.

As part of that pondering, I have a question for you, my readers. You’ve been reading my ponderings for weeks, or months, or years. What do you wish I’d talk about? What do you want me to explore further? Is there a particular post that has stuck in your mind and heart? I’d like to add your voices to my discernment about how this blog can best serve as a catalyst to enrich and deepen your spiritual life and your walk with God. Please join the conversation.