Better to Have Fought and Lost...

Well, first things first - Happy Taylor Swift's Birthday to us all! lol  I hope she had a lovely 34th birthday basking in the glow of her new love, personal success, and good karma! ❤

I stayed up crazy late on Sunday finishing my Case Study project, then I tried to catch up on sleep on Monday night.  Yesterday included working through lunch on a lengthy rape/murder prelim that was emotionally rough... followed by two emotionally rich sessions in the afternoon (notable progress and good connection with my young adult client, then reading the Big Feelings book and playing board games with my kid client).  With those two sessions, I completed my required 40 direct hours for this semester (just in the nick of time) - so that was exciting!  Then I spent part of my night watching TV and baking cookies for today's party.  Today started with our Restore Christmas party, then we had another lengthy prelim this afternoon where we stayed well past 5 to finish up.  And now I just completed my final Practicum Zoom class for this semester.  Huh--zaaah!! lol  I've loved that class, and tonight was no exception (lots of good, deeper talks + getting to know each other and learn with and from others who are equally new to all this, and I love that Dr. Harrison prayed a Biblical blessing over us at the end of tonight's class).  However, I'm also very grateful to have a break-month ahead of me just in time for Christmas and the New Year!! ❤❤

I initially read this as great advice for certain clients, but it's also great advice for me.  Not verbally agreeing or nodding along with things I don't actually agree with... and not matching the negative or anxious or chaotic energy of others... choosing empathy, but staying emotionally regulated (calm and centered), pulling them up instead of being pulled down. 

In the certification hearings we've had lately, the prosecuting attorneys repeatedly emphasize, "We all know the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior."  And every time they say it, I find myself cringing internally as I think about myself and my friends and family and my clients.  I can be judgmental and jaded based on all I've seen in the courtroom, but I want to be more careful about my thoughts moving forward.  Change is incredibly hard work, but people CAN change.  And more importantly, people can be changed by Jesus.  Furtick has a new book coming in 2024 called Do the New You, and I've already pre-ordered the audio version.  It's the energy I want to saturate myself with in 2024 - we are made new through the power of Jesus.  The old is gone.  We are NOT STUCK or powerless or helpless.  We have God-given power and love and self-discipline, and God is with us and for us, and nothing we've done can separate us from His love!  

I listened to a John Eldredge podcast today where he talked about how the enemy always wants to "disassemble and disintegrate" us.  Then I tuned out for a minute as my mind pictured the dissolving people when Thanos snaps in Infinity War... pairing that with the final battle scene when Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man (the ones left behind) are still fighting but so exhausted from being outnumbered... then the scene that brings me such joy I tear up when everyone who had disappeared reappears, and suddenly their numbers are STRONG, and they still have to fight, but they have renewed bring-it-on energy and hope!  Metaphorically, that could not be more accurate or poignant.  It makes a huge difference to have something worth fighting for and to know we are not fighting alone.  "Avengers, assemble!"  YESSS.  Must watch Endgame again soon!! lol  (My point in that Marvel metaphor tangent was that while Satan consistently works to disassemble and weaken us, God works to put us back together, strengthen our resolve, and assemble others who will help us keep fighting.  Both are true simultaneously, and we have to choose to remember the big picture and press into this epic larger story in the midst of all the randomness that fills our daily lives.  Good vs. evil, life vs. death, light vs. darkness, hope vs. despair... that battle is playing out all around us and inside us, and our choices matter.)

On that note, I'm freaking obsessed with this beautiful song the last couple days.  It's from the penultimate episode of Ted Lasso, and it's obviously perfect for the actual sports wins and losses... but it's ALSO perfect for approaching the end of a year where you've worked hard but experienced a few setbacks, and you've celebrated as others achieve their dreams and get things you've been hoping/praying for, but you have yet to reach your goals and share the same joy.  BUT you're not as alone as the enemy wants you to feel, and you're increasingly determined to press forward, working and praying and believing for a better outcome next year... 

"And everybody falls,

But some of us are born to fight, and fight and fight some more.

So we will see you here - same time, same place next year.  

And you may win this battle, but you'll never win the war!

Better to have fought and lost than never fought at all!!"

❤

 

Moving back to lighter things, I was happy to get Dad's SF Christmas letter today -- yay for a two-page letter with a photo from their 40-year celebration in August! ❤

This morning was our Christmas Party at The Center for Restore!  Here's me with Jacey and Hannah - the three of us are the online-grad-school interns (them with Liberty and me with CCU)! =)

And here's the OU interns - Logan, Cecilia, Reece, and Fily!

Food and decor + Debra talking about the graduating interns, Kelli, Holli, and Kayla!

This post didn't really have a theme.  Just needed to write and get a few thoughts out.

I'll end with this random FB ad that made me laugh... who else immediately hears that in Matthew McConaughey's voice from How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days!? lol

That's it.  Tomorrow starts the 12 days of Christmas - get excited!