Mindful in 2025. 

That's my word. Being aware. Alert. Bearing in mind. Being attentive to.

Mindful Behavior means

maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environments, through a gentle, nurturing lens. (Love that!)

Mindfulness is

 embracing God's promises. Living life fully. Being fully present. 

Mindfulness is

accepting our experiences, in each moment, as a gift from God.

Mindfulness is

responding in a calm, intensional manner ~ acknowledging my emotions, labeling them, finding compassion and moving forward.

So of course God would take me through the process.

I have been writing in preparation for my husband Randy Thompson's new website. Plus editing 84 song lyrics off his old website. I was becoming more and more frustrated because nothing is as easy as I had hoped. By the time I was drowning in a puddle of tears I could see God was showing me how to be mindful in these moments.

So I acknowledged my emotions (anger, sadness, grief) as I stomped around the house, crying out to God. Then I was able to label it as being more about missing Randy than my lack of abilities, knowing he could do what I was doing blindfolded. Ok, I'm exaggerating. But still. I am technologically challenged. Then I gave myself grace. God's grace. To show myself compassion. To let go and let God. And move forward. Which is the hardest part. I'm good at beating myself up. Being the victim. Feeling stuck. Not accepting my limitations. 

The task that pushed me over the edge?

 I discovered Randy forgot a song on the Lyrics section of his website. That meant I had to listen to the song and write out the lyrics. No big deal. But this was after having to do it for two other songs he had omitted. By this time I was done, so over the whole process. I was mad at God, at Randy, for making this edit even harder. As I cried, God reminded me of the title of the song... Trust Me. How about listening to the words as you write out the lyrics. You guys... it was never about Randy forgetting to list the song. It was about 30 years later, in prep for the new website, that Randy's song Trust me would minister to me in a profoundly personal way. Oh Lord... you continue to love me and find ways to show you care deeply for me. It might feel lonely in this process of preserving Randy's legacy. But I am never alone. You are with me, using Randy's book and song lyrics to show Yourself so real to me. I trust You.

Trust Me
And the stars shown brightAs I bowed my head that nightAnd I could feel His arms close tightly all around meAnd His joy replaced the tears I’d shed so freelyBut I didn’t say a word, and the only thing I heardHe just said Trust MeOpen up your heart and Trust Me
I’ll lift you up where no one has ever goneI’ll give you peace like this world has never known I’ll bring you joy when all your joy is goneOpen up you’ll see I can set your spirit freeIf you’ll just Trust MeOpen up your heart and Trust Me
And I sat so still The love I felt so very real I’d never known a feeling like this beforeI wanted just to stay there forevermore And feel Him hold me tightThe way He did the nightI heard Him say Trust MeOpen up your heart and Trust Me
I’ll lift you up where no one has ever goneI’ll give you peace like this world has never known I’ll bring you joy when all your joy is goneOpen up you’ll see I can set your spirit freeIf you’ll just Trust MeOpen up your heart and Trust MeTrust Me