Living Intentionally: Break A Hip

For the next few weeks we would like to feature some thoughts on this year's theme: The Intentional Woman. The focus will be what the author calls "the counterintuitive principles of living intentionally," which are listed in today's reading. Also featured at the end are some theme products you might consider using for your fall events.

Break a Hip

By Ellen Miller 

I think the concept of living intentionally is a bit counterintuitive. Although many of us grasp the big picture, sometimes we're a bit foggy on how best to go about living on purpose rather than just having life happen to us. 

The counterintuitive principles of living intentionally include: 

• Fake it
• Scrap your priorities
• Stay behind
• Break a hip
• Whine
• Be confused
• Disappoint someone
• Spend it all today

Our society has us all paralyzed with fear that we're going to get hurt-or even worse, fail and then be embarrassed. Well, sometimes we might. But to truly experience life rather than just ticking down the days until we die, we have to be willing to fail, to fall, and to succeed. To live intentionally means we take risks while walking in faith, allowing life's surprises to mold us into interesting people rather than bitter, boring ones. I'm not saying you should be reckless; but I am saying many of us miss out on rich experiences because we're not willing to explore new things.

 So what new experiences might make life a little more flavorful this month? 

• Go to a play.
• Travel someplace new.
• Research a new line of work or industry.
• Take dancing lessons.
• Go on a missions or humanitarian trip.
• Take golf lessons.
• Join a choir.
• Go to the symphony.
• Take an art class.
• Try tennis.
• Go back to college (or go for the first time).
• Join a book club.
• Take up bicycling.

Try just one new thing. You don't have to adopt it as a lifestyle. You only have to adopt the philosophy of experimenting, with the understanding that it's okay to fall.

"For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith" (1 John 5:4).

I want a tale of adventure, and I want it now, complete with the success. My failures and bruises are worth it, and my falls make the success all the sweeter. 

Excerpted with permission from The One Year Book of Inspiration for Girlfriends by Ellen Miller, ©2009, Tyndale House Publishers. 

Theme Products (Order from www.women.ag.org)

The Intentional Woman poster. Item #735481. 

I Mean It! tract. Item #735487 (English); Item #735488 (Spanish).