Innermost Being

In the field of nature

January 20, 2024January 20, 2024 by Innermost Being, posted in Nature, Word Prompts

What’s your dream job?

I’m nearing the end of my chosen career as an accountant. It isn’t a dream job. It’s one I chose for practical reasons. I have been able to make a good living while working behind the scenes, which is quite appealing to an introvert.

A dream job is one where you’re doing something you’re passionate about. It’s even more satisfying if you’re helping others.

In my 40s, I took up trail running. My eyes were drawn to wildflowers, and I started taking pictures of them. I learned their names and plant families. I feel joy when I find a flower I haven’t seen before. I love seeing pollinators on them. I welcome the arrival of my beloved flowers every year. I share their beauty with others on my Facebook page, Wildflowers of the Hills and Plains.

South Dakota’s state flower, Pasqueflower

Four years ago, we moved and bought a house with a bird feeder. Now, I’m learning about birds! I’m becoming the person in the birdwatching meme my brother shared with me.

As you age, it’s ridiculous how fast birdwatching creeps up on you. You spend your whole life being indifferent to birds, then one day you’re like, “Hey, that’s a yellow-rumped warbler!”
Unknown

If I had known forty years ago that I would have found so much joy observing and learning about nature, I may have chosen a different career. I have a feeling that practicality and self-doubts would have kept me from pursuing my passion.

The good thing about retirement is that I will be able to pursue my passions without worrying about a paycheck!

Leading by example

January 19, 2024January 19, 2024 by Innermost Being, posted in Word Prompts

What makes a good leader?

Books have been devoted to the topic of leadership. I certainly can’t do it justice in a blog post. But I can share what I’ve learned in my nearly forty-year career, having worked for both good and bad leaders.

First, I think a good leader is someone who really wants to lead others. Not every personality is suited to a leadership role. I recognized early on that I didn’t want to manage other people.

Good leaders guide, inspire, and encourage. They bring the best out of people.

A good leader is a person of good character. A good keader does’t just talk the talk; they walk the walk. They are honest, fair, and respectful of others and have self-control.

A good leader has the self-confidence to make decisions but also has the humility to ask for help and to admit mistakes.

A good leader is competent. No one wants to be led by a person who doesn’t understand the business.

Good leaders listen. They know when to seek advice and are open to ideas.

Good leaders entrust others with responsibility and enable them to act. They resist the urge to micromanage.

Good leaders are committed to excellence and to holding people accountable for their actions.

Good leadership is important in any organization. Poor leaders make bad decisions and lose good employees.

Would it do any good to undo an invention?

January 18, 2024January 18, 2024 by Innermost Being, posted in Word Prompts

If you could un-invent something, what would it be?

I would love to “un-invent” things that cause harm, like weapons and illicit drugs. But even if I could un-invent an object or a substance that destroys lives, would it do any good?

Would removing one harmful thing from our world change human behavior?

No, it wouldn’t.

Our world has many troubles and it isn’t because of things.

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
John 16:33, NIV

Faithful Love

January 17, 2024January 17, 2024 by Innermost Being, posted in Word Prompts

Can you share a positive example of where you’ve felt loved?

Just before I read this question, I opened my Bible app and read the verse of the day.

Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.
Deuteronomy 7:9

A covenant of love. A promise of love that never fails, love that never gives up. That’s God’s love.

God felt distant to me for years. I wasn’t going to church or reading my Bible. Then, something awful happened in my community, the Columbine High School mass shooting. This devastating example of evil made me turn to God, the source of all that is good. I found a church and felt God’s love surrounding me. I recommitted my life to Him.

God is faithful even when we aren’t. Just as he didn’t give up on the Israelites, He didn’t give up on me. He never left my side.

Prune out the thorns

January 16, 2024January 16, 2024 by Innermost Being, posted in Pursuing God, Spiritual Growth

Where can you reduce clutter in your life?

I associate the word clutter with disorder. I’m a fairly organized person. Clutter is a distraction to me. When things begin to look cluttered in my home, I tidy things up.

Our pastor for family ministries preached on Sunday because the senior pastor had just returned from a mission trip. Skyler had asked the senior pastor if he could use the sermon to introduce us to the practice of Lectio Divina.

Skyler began by explaining how valuable this practice is for hearing what God wants you to hear. Use silence to reflect on God’s word and to open yourself up to his voice.

The scripture for our sermon was the Parable of the Sower found in Matthew 13. I’ve read this parable many times, and it has been the subject of many sermons. Skyler read the parable to us a few times with increasing amounts of silence between the readings.

The first time, we just listened. After another reading, we were to pray and ask God if there was a word or phrase He wanted us to hear. The word that stuck out to me was thorns.

Thorns choke the word, making it unfruitful. I read the word but allow distractions to keep me from really hearing it.

Sometimes, we have to hear a message a few times before it finally sinks in. I’m hearing God tell me to tidy up my spiritual life. Prune out the thorns. Be still. Be silent. Hear my voice.

Lectio
Meditatio
Oratio
Contemplation

Read
Reflect
Respond
Rest