Day Twelve I will confess that I have an ulterior motive for the blog. I know that being intentional throughout the year will be a challenge. It is hard enough for me to stay focused for a week, let alone a year. Getting feedback from others helps me stay focused. Also, my hope is that by sharing my journey it will also help others on their journey. The good news is that it is working.

I received a reply from a Lara, a woman that we have known for many years now. She shared a story from Mitch Albom’s book, “Have a Little Faith,” that I thought was worth sharing.

“A man seeks employment on a farm. He hands his letter of recommendation to his new employer. It reads simply, "He sleeps in a storm." The owner is desperate for help, so he hires the man.

Several weeks pass, and suddenly, in the middle of the night, a powerful storm rips through the valley. Awakened by the swirling rain and howling wind, the owner leaps out of bed. He calls for his new hired hand, but the man is sleeping soundly. So he dashes off to the barn. He sees, to his amazement, that the animals are secure with plenty of feed. He runs out to the field. He sees the bales of wheat have been bound and are wrapped in tarpaulins. He races to the silo. The doors are latched, and the grain is dry. And then he understands. "He sleeps in a storm".

My friends, if we tend to the things that are important in life, if we are right with those we love and behave in line with our faith, our lives will not be cursed with the aching throb of unfulfilled business. Our words will always be sincere, our embraces will be tight. We will never wallow in the agony of "I could have, I should have". We can sleep in a storm. And when it's time, our good-byes will be complete.”

After she shared the story, Lara added her thoughts and encouragements to my journey. They were great encouragement.

The story does summarize some of my thoughts about living intentionally. I have had it with the “could haves” and “should haves.” As I enter the world of “I did” it feels both exciting and a little nervous. Learning to live in a new place takes a little while.