REACH is my OLW this year. Last year was BOLD. I felt that these two words are related in many ways and are showing a progression for me.
I was bold last year in my prayers for healing. I was bold in changing my eating habits and losing weight. I was bold when I told my doctor that this was a diet that defied contemporary logic of low fat, and was in fact the opposite of what the media and the health industry would have you believe. I was bold when I told him I no longer needed blood pressure medication. He laughed. I was serious. He agreed to try it. It worked.
I was bold when I signed up for motorcycle classes. I was bold to actually go and get the license. I was bold to buy a bigger bike to use this summer. I was bold to decide to take my son's advice and ride the bigger bike as soon as I got it. Whoa! Scary moment alert... bold, bold, bold. I can't tell you how MUCH last year was a total change to my life.
As of last August, I am a 50 pounds lighter woman who can hold her grandchildren on her lap, who can walk easily and quickly over a mile, and climb stairs without growing faint. A woman who has gone to the beach in a bathing suit again, who rides a motorcycle and who can kneel at the altar again. I thank God every day for giving me BOLD.
Now I want to continue being BOLD, but extend my REACH. I don't expect to REACH this year, all the things I want to do, experience or know. But I plan to REACH for them.
REACH is an action; you have to do something. (REACH = stretch out an arm in a specified direction in order to touch or grasp something)
I may not necessarily "REACH a destination" (REACH = arrive at; get as far as.), but I can REACH for all the goodness God has for me, and reaching as far as I possibly can.
If you don't REACH, how can you attain?
If you don't REACH out to people, how can you connect?
If you do not REACH out to God, how can you ever know what He has for you?
If you do not REACH out, you will never REACH your destination, your goal, your prize.
Wondering where REACH is in the Bible? I was. I could only think of the Tower of Babel, reaching to the heavens - not exactly the best REACHers...
Then last night, as I was cleaning (I'm taking a 15 min. break every two hours and this is one of them) I reached into the bookcase and pulled out a very old leatherbound book on the shelf that didn't even know I had.
Inside the cover are the giver's and recipient's names:
"This from Nathanial Mayhew to his son
Nathanial Mayhew Jr., Portland"
Mayhew is a family name, so I'm assuming I got the book from my mother when she died - 
Wow, this was a REACH into the past: 1828.
It is a Concordance - Dictionary for the Holy Bible KJV, of course.
So I looked up REACH in it, and this is what I found:
And I saw it - the reference to one of my favorite images in the Bible - John 20:27, where Jesus tells Thomas to "REACH hither thy finger, and behold my hands: and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side; and be not faithless, but believing".
By reaching out and touching Jesus' scars, the "doubting Thomas" is then convinced of Jesus' identity. I like that Jesus was not really angry with Thomas for his doubt, and was willing to satisfy him.
John 20:29 - "Jesus saith unto him, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."
When we have doubt, we need to reach out, read, pray, touch His wounds, and let your faith flow and grow through that reach.
I want to reach out more this year - to friends, strangers, family and God. I want to reach out and do things that take me just a little bit out of my comfort zone. I want to reach for something each day that is challenging, and something that grows my faith. I want to remember wherever I am to reach out - whether planned or spontaneous.
I'm REACHing out now and wondering how my REACH touches you today. I hope that there has been enough "meat" to this word to make it worth your meditation.
I hope I have not just made a mishmash of this, that it makes sense on some planet. I have been kind of exhausted lately. The move has been delayed a week, and in some respects it is a blessing, as we are not finished doing the sorting and paring down. Nearly done...but little bits here and there to go still. I am losing things right and left. Put something down, it gets swallowed up in a massive sinkhole of Goodwill shirts or buried under the debris headed to the transfer station...or maybe I'm still holding it and have forgotten it is right in my hand...
Please, add your link to the Padlet below. Click on the + and a box will open. Paste your link in it. If you have trouble, leave the link in the comments, and I will add it for you. If this area is too small for you or you are working from a phone or iPad, you might want to go directly to the link for the Padlet and enter the info there. It is live so it updates here, too. Link for the Padlet: https://padlet.com/djts/FirstThursday2017.
Scroll down through the padlet to see everyone's links for today!
PS - Go ahead - REACH...add an image if you feel brave!
I need to figure out if I can add a padlet to my posts?
ReplyDeleteReach seems to work as a follow up word to Bold. I am impressed by the positive changes you have made in your life. All my best as you move forward in your daily reach. Thanks for hosting.
Yes, it's simple really. Sign up at Padlet.com. Free account pallets are quite versatile. I love your quote with that beautiful image. Just right to keep in sight as a reminder!
DeleteHi Donna,
ReplyDeleteYou're amazing me with your Boldness and your Reaching! All the best as you move and enjoy the fruits of these positive life changes. And thanks for hosting. (I left my info on the padlet and I think it took...)
It posted just fine.
DeleteI hope I wasn't sounding too self absorbed in my post, but it is still all so new to me!
I applaud you for being SO bold last year! Those are great accomplishments! Now I think you are well on your way to REACHing many things this year. A move is a huge reach, as is downsizing. And you REACH so many through your writing, too. You are an inspiration to me.
ReplyDeleteToday is my "tired of moving" day...it is taking every ounce of energy to think almost straight and "just keep swimming"! Thanks!
DeleteDonna: Huge kudos to you for an inspiring entry to this thread, and for all the work you have done and are doing.. being bold and reaching. I really did get a frisson as I read about the book you found and the definitions of "reach" in it. In my opinion you definitely offered meaningful thought.
ReplyDeleteReaching is something I am practicing as well. I just started taking piano lessons after (wait for it...) 50 years! My piano books are falling apart, and the old dates in them, written by my teacher when I was young, are from the '60s. Now I've decided to work again on piano, and my teacher has me practicing fingering exercises. Practice the reach between the 4th and 5th fingers. Practice it both going up and down the scale. Practice with both hands. Reach... reach... reach.
Reaching makes us stronger, and our strength makes us more reliable. We can show more grace and beauty in our piano playing and in our lives when we are strong, when we practice reaching. The value of our reaching plays out in many ways in our lives. I believe that God has work for each of us, and calls each of us to reach in our own way, to strive to more closely mirror God's image in the world in the best way we can. That is an eternal challenge, to thank God as best with can with lives lived as best we can.
An interesting thing, though, is that God's love, grace and mercy are always within reach. They are readily available, even when we don't have the energy to reach. We only have to turn to God. Right there, in the heart of the moment, God hears us, God is with us, God loves us.
I'll share a favorite "quote" here. I thought it was a Dame Julian of Norwich quote, but I cannot find it ascribed to her on the internet. Nonetheless, I believe it worth sharing:
God is the still point, at the center, utterly at home, God lives in us forever.
God bless you all this month.
Wow, so many ways you were bold in the past year. I'm impressed with the lifestyle changes you've made. And now you're moving on to extend your reach. I love the reference to reach you found in the old Concordance (1828 is really old)! Love these words from your post: "When we have doubt, we need to reach out, read, pray, touch His wounds, and let your faith flow and grow through that reach."
ReplyDeleteBest of luck with winding up the preparations for the move. Your words reached me today!
Dear Donna - thank you for reaching out to ME this year. Your BOLD year is such an inspiration. Thank you for being YOU! xo
ReplyDeleteI loved seeing all your boldness in one long list. I'm sure your reaching list will look the same as you move through the year. How exciting to find such an old book in your collection. I'm glad it didn't get lost in the give away pile.
ReplyDeleteDonna, your Spiritual Journey first Thursday did touch my heart and gave me food for thought tonight. I thought about your word for a few days and waited to see how my thoughts would come together to honor what you are trying to do in your life. You have taken bold steps the past year to change up the pattern of your life and now you are reaching beyond. I am trying to let the light of salvation light my way but I must admit that I am a bit impatient at times.
ReplyDelete