Intentional Living

So here's the truth.

I have good intentions, but I'm not very intentional. At 28 years old, I'm just now starting to realize the difference and how damaging replacing the word "intentional" with the words "good intentions" can be. 

Here's the difference:

If I have good intentions, I make decision to spend time with my six year old, and I follow through with the good intentions by letting him play in the yard while I browse Facebook and watch him, smiling and nodding...and every few minutes throwing a glance his way so it seems like I'm paying attention.

If I am intentional, I make the decision to spend time with my six year old, and I follow through with being intentional by playing with him in the yard, engaging him, and putting my own selfish desires and wants aside, while I make him a priority.  I make him my sole focus for the period of time I intentionally set aside.

When I said I have good intentions, I meant that I have WAY more days that resonate with the first example than I do the second.  

Kind of like this blog, I started off strong, I had good intentions, but I haven't truly been intentional about blogging. 

Wow.  Just typing all those words hurt.  And to think, those are just two examples of the many occurrences that I have good intentions for but am not intentional about.

So I'm setting a goal this year as I start some huge undertakings this summer and fall.  I want to live more intentionally. I want to look back on my life when I'm standing before Him, and not say that I had good intentions, but rather that I intentionally lived a good life.  I know its not going to be an easy road, and I know I'm going to stumble and fail.  But hopefully, with a lot of prayer and a whole lot of grace, I'll be able to pull it all together.  

So here's to a new start, and new day, and a new way to live.  Intentionally.