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Posted in Moments and Musings

Three Months Later…

Posted on by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

Hello all! I’m back from a bit of a break. Three months, to be exact. I didn’t plan it and I certainly haven’t been idle. These months have been a bit crazy.

So first, I moved into a new home. It takes time to settle into a new space. From unpacking to repacking stuff you thought you needed but now realize you can live without to decorating, it’s all very joyful, very tiring and very time consuming. There are new routines to discover and build. I moved to a completely new area so I’m learning my way around the town. I am adjusting to a new work from home space. My dog also needed some TLC as he sniffed and smelled his way around his new digs. I’m living with family members I haven’t lived with for years and years and while we get along, living with them is definitely different from visiting with them. We moved closer to my dad and stepmom so that was also an adjustment. I’m even adjusting to new weather patterns as weather here on the south side tends to be a bit more dramatic than what I’ve been used to. Isn’t that something?

Then the cicadas came. Boy, did they ever. My neighborhood was swarmed with them. They covered our trees, flew in our faces and were so very loud. I’m not a huge bug fan so this was not fun for me at all. Each morning, I rose early to get Percy out on his first long walk of the day while they were still clicking away in their sleep. Once they woke up, it was a quick run out, praying for Percy to be quick about his business before heading into the garage to shake myself down, not wanting to invite any of these things into my new home. I managed but my poor sister didn’t fare as well. After doing some gardening, she brought one into the house, clinging precariously to her jeans. Thankfully, my older sister was able to quickly show it the door. In steamy hot temperatures, I covered myself head to toe each time to walk Percy and even then, I still had to pull a few off of me. I hate bugs! I hate cicadas!

Shelby’s hours changed and since I’m her ride to and from work, my sleep hours changed as well. She went from working 8pm to 630am to 5am to 130pm. I get up at 4am now during the week which I’m not a fan of. But I am a fan of Shelby (😊) so I endure. It’s actually been good for our bank accounts as before, we were running through Stan’s Donuts, Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks on the way home when she got off at 630am. We no longer do that as many places are still closed at 430am when we’re leaving. So yay for more money. We only have about 6 different ways to make and enjoy coffee here in our new home so why we still feel we need to buy coffee out is beyond me. Yet, I do it as often as I can.

Coffee and yarn are two pleasure purchases for me. I can never have enough of either.

Shelby and I found a new church – yes, even that changed for us. I love meeting new people and then I don’t like meeting new people. I always feel like I wear everything that’s wrong with me on the outside, like a paper tag clipped to clothing. And it all points to them deciding I’m not worth knowing. Ah…the fear of rejection. Someday, this too shall be conquered within my soul, and I’ll be the beaming ray of sunshine I long to be without any hesitation or hindrance. So far, the only way I know to overcome this is to dive into the deep end, put myself out there and just be me.

I’ve also been crocheting a lot. I haven’t touched an embroidery needle since we moved. I’ve bought patterns but there’s been no actual execution. Crochet, planning crochet, buying yarn, and looking up new patterns has been a huge focus for me at the moment.

And then, as if that wasn’t enough, I treated myself to a Nintendo Switch Lite. I bought the game Animal Crossing; New Horizons. What a time suck!! But so much fun!!! I struggle with enjoying things like this because I always feel I SHOULD be productive, even in my down time. I tend to be pretty hard on myself so giving myself permission to do something fun like this has been…well…nice. I’m enjoying it.

So, what’s next? Getting back to Friday Fives, because they’re conversational and I like a good quiz. Posts showing more crochet projects and what I’m working on. I went on a small trip recently that was really fun and informative. And some personal news to share as soon as I’m able.

Until then, have faith in God that everything’s going to be ok, give yourself some love because you deserve it and find joy in imperfect things (and people).

Posted in Moments and Musings

Everything is New

Posted on by Vikki Lynn Sorensen

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” – 2 Cor 5:17

Can I make a confession? This is a verse I have often discarded as “well, that’s great but I’ve been born again for a while now so…..this only applies to new Christians”.

However, today I was looking for verses that deal with starting a new season and this popped up in my search. I was about to swipe left on it when the Spirit stopped me and said, “wait! This IS for you. I’m doing something new in you right now. And five minutes from now, I’ll still be doing something new. And tomorrow, I’ll still be doing something new.”

Isn’t that just THE BEST news ever?

Lately, I feel like everything wrong with me has been highlighted, underlines and bolded in my brain. It’s a cruel voice circling around and around saying:

You’re not good enough.

You’re not pretty enough.

You’re too old.

You’re too dumb.

You’re not like everyone else.

You’re too fat.

You’re a failure.

This is quickly followed up by another voice, full of condemnation that says, “and what’s worse, you know better but you don’t read the Word enough, don’t pray enough and so God isn’t/can’t use you.” . And before long, if you listen enough to these voices, you stop believe the encouragement being spoken into your life every day by people who love you and know better.

It’s no secret that the devil lies. It’s no secret he wants you to feel isolated, depressed and lonely. It’s no secret that he uses comparison to accomplish all of this. HOWEVER, it’s also no secret that God has overcome evil. It’s no secret that our Heavenly Father knows when we’re feeling low and unloved and worthless. It’s no secret that He’s a very present help in a time of need and He uses His people to remind us who we are in Him.

I’ve spent a lifetime battling being a perfectionist and a lifetime failing at being perfect. (Imagine that!) Very recently, during a walk with my dog, God shouted to me to stop being so hard on myself. He already died for me. He already approves of me. He already loves me and nothing can stop that. Furthermore, He’s not done with me. And until Jesus comes, He never will be. And all I need to do is accept and receive. Easier said than done somedays but, like billions of other people on this planet, I’m a work in progress.

So why write this blog? And why does this verse suddenly mean so much?

Because Jesus. Plain and simple. The old is gone and the new is here because of Jesus. I used to look at this verse in a very linear way – as a one and done type of thing. You’re born again and BOOM, you’re new….end scene. Figure it out. Read your Bible. Pray….lather, rinse, repeat.

In Revelations 21:5. Jesus said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” The word behold means “to see or observe especially something remarkable” (Oxford Dictionary). The word making is “the process of producing something” but more importantly, it’s an action word in the verse.

So let’s answer my above questions –

Why write this blog? Because I know I’m not the only one experiencing this. I know there are others, like me, who are wanting something new so desperately we can taste it but our perfectionist, process-driven brains are frustrated because there is no such thing as a one-size fits all perfect process and it haunts us. Jesus died once for all but we are not a one size fits all species. Thankfully, God is not a one size fits all God.

Why this verse? Because it’s critical for us to know the old things are gone and the new things are here. It’s a process that happens over and over again. God is the King of removing the old and making the new. We need help daily to remove the old and refill with something new.

Jesus is the new. He’s here. Now. And He is enough.

Photo by Aaron Burden via Unsplash