Next up on the agenda, around the day to day, is odds and ends – in addition to making plans for the new year.
The rush and the hurry and the prep of Black Friday is now behind us. True, things will probably be steady busy through the New Year, but the biggest shopping day of the year is done: mission accomplished! A lot of prep and effort goes into making sure our customers have the best variety and prettiest items available to shop.
Pause and Think
It amazes me what will pop in my mind when I simply pause and think. I am reminded of odds and ends that have been on the back burner while we dealt with the urgent and important things. But now, with a chance to consider what to work on next, the little things present themselves again. I love the satisfaction of getting these things done because they are important to me and they are in the back of my mind.
Even now, just a few items come to mind: fix the latch in the back of the shop, finish clearing out the back of the shop of signs, optimize one of my websites, brainstorm goals for 2025, figure out how to calculate wallpaper, etc. There – I hadn’t even planned on working on my list, and yet here are a few items that have landed on it.
What type of items are on your list? These things are typically simple enough all you need is a bit of time and energy and to remember about what you want to accomplish all at the same time. I don’t typically try to include these items on my official list of goals, because they are simple tasks, easily accomplished. And sometimes, once I get started, I can get a bunch of them done at once!
Be Ambitious
You can accomplish incredible things if you will give yourself permission to be ambitious! Case in point, one of my email addresses wasn’t working properly. Now I really don’t know a think about syntax and pointing to which server, ip addresses or anything. It’s all over my head. But what I did know was that I could ask the email host about it. He redirected me to the domain host, and then the domain host gave me instructions on how to fix it!
The email is now fixed and it’s not because I am a rocket scientist. But rather because I knew a few people to ask and I followed instructions. And, let’s be honest, I’ve said a lot of prayers about it because I really couldn’t think what to do about it. Then I was inspired to just start reaching out to the companies who hosted it for me. Such a simple solution to a problem that was over my head. And yet, if I had not been ambitious and asked, we would still be dealing with email problems. Yet another example of odds and ends that needed to be addressed.
So what are some things that are on your mind, though a bit out of your reach. Who can you ask for help or to direct you to the next phase of dealing with these items? With a can-do attitude, there’s really not a lot you can’t accomplish – it never fails to amaze me!
Pray, ask God for direction, and then boldly press on with the solutions or ideas presented.
I had opportunity to fix an espresso machine more than once this past year. Not because I’m particularly savvy in that area. But again, because I knew I could ask the company that makes the espresso machines. With a bit of troubleshooting on my own and a few phone calls, we pinpointed the problem and discovered solutions. Yes, it took work and time, but it is exciting to be able to solve problems like this! It equips and energizes you for the next things that come up!
Always Seek God
I love how God always directs us. When we live for Him, everything works together to lead us to the next thing He has for us. And it all works together incredibly well – of course, since it is directed by God Himself! In all you do, ask God to direct your steps. To lead you where He needs you, to help you be mindful of what you need to address.
When I realized that I could use my homemaking skills in the shops where I currently am, I thought it was revolutionary. I was raised to be a homemaker, and yet it seems that God has me in retail right now. But to go ahead and implement that training – making things beautiful, providing a welcoming, cozy atmosphere, having a pleasant, inviting attitude – it all worked together to help remind me that God knows where He has me.
It’s not that I think He forgot me prior to that realization. But rather that when I seek Him well, my perspective comes inline with where He has me.
And I could not ask for more than to see things from His perspective, because I know He doesn’t make mistakes. So when I can shift my thinking and lean in to where He has me, so much the better. Now don’t get me wrong, I still dream of a house of my own, but right now I am working to be faithful in the little things, so that I can be faithful in the bigger things along and along.
And I think that’s what brings me back to odds and ends. Once I feel that the larger missions have been accomplished, I want to be sure that I’m taking care of the little things too. Because each thing has a way of leading to the next. And I can’t wait to see where 2025 takes us!
Until Next Time!
Hope.
PS. https://www.theamericanlady.com/2017/01/04/happy-happy-new-year/