In Search of Simple

I am not sure what awoke me from my blogging coma. Perhaps it was the new year and all those resolutions written in pencil. Maybe it was watching my friend Dan fire up the computer again at Astonished or knowing my daughter Libby has posted more messages on her blog in one week than I did in all of 2008. Or quite possibly it was the restless stirring of thoughts deep in the heart longing for expression.

In any event, I am back at the Crossroads. The journey remains the same. But the focus is slightly different.

I am now in search of simple.

In fact, that is the central theme of my Goal Poster for 2009. I use capital letters with the Goal Poster because its creation is a hallowed event in the Wolfe household. At least for my wife Debi. She has been making these for years and I finally had the good sense to listen to her good sense. She keeps telling me life is more fun when that happens.

So here's the concept. Instead of writting out resolutions in invisible ink and shoving them in a drawer or the back cover of a Bill O'Reilly book, you attempt to capture your goals for the year through a visual presentation of pictures and words.

We started the process on vacation in Mexico during December. We spent a couple of weeks thinking and praying about our goals and dreams for the next year. Then we spent an entire afternoon pouring through magazines to clip out pictures, words, headlines ... anything that might bear relevance to our goals. We bought poster board and I got to use an exacto knife to slice the board in half. It was a quasi-man project until we got to the ruffled trim but I don't want to get ahead of myself.

Last Sunday was GP day. We sat down with all our materials and started to bring our goals to life. Debi quickly settled on a concept, sorted her cut outs and began the assembly process. She had 3/4 of a Goal Poster before the end of the first quarter of the Steelers-Chargers game. Maybe I was distracted by the TV but halftime arrived and I had yet to find the end zone. Not even a picture on the board.

Good news though. It must have been nerves because I found my groove in the second half. I focused on a central theme of simplicity. 2009 will be lived through that filter to produce a balanced life.

In my faith, I seek the simple love and grace of God to know and experience His glory. My health and fitness goals address the basic concepts of eating healthy, exercising more, and getting proper rest. My relationships will involve more listening and the joy of fellowship. Teamwork at work. Embracing the cause of orphans ... living simply so others might simply live. A trip to Malawi to see the vision of Pothawira, an orphan village of 600, rise from dust through the prayers, efforts and generous giving of so many who want to change lives. Dreaming of a tomorrow that begins today.

So here is my GP. It is straight forwarded with few frills. Debi managed to incorporate ruffles and pastels. Not my style. But I do embrace the concept of visualizing our dreams and goals, placing them in the care of a loving God who directs our paths each day and waiting with anticipation for what is to come.

2009 ... looking for the simple path at the crossroads of complexity. I hope you will join me.