One of my favorite books is Love Does by Bob Goff. I met Bob in November 2013 and heard him share one of his life philosophies – quit something every Thursday. Well, it’s Thursday, July 3, 2014 – what are you going to quit today? I’ve made my decision.

What a hoot! This guy gets it.

In many ways the 4th of July holiday feels like a new year. Maybe because summer is in full swing. Maybe because many nonprofits start a new fiscal year July 1. Maybe because we’re halfway through the calendar year. Or maybe it’s the fireworks that remind me of midnight on New Year’s Eve. It’s a time of celebration!

I love fireworks and have been know to shoot them illegally and irresponsibly. Last year there was a near catastrophe at a state park – Yikes! And, of course, the infamous family attack with pop bottle rockets on my brothers when they were out in the boat fishing on our family’s lake. Good times.

This time of year also causes me to stop and reflect. How are those resolutions coming along I made six months ago? One of them is to quit something every Thursday. Some weeks I’ve had great success and others not so much. But today is Thursday and the start of a new year.

I’ve decided to quit hurrying. I posted a little ditty on FaceBook this week that said “pausing to delight in the simple joys of everyday life is the only way to truly live.”

Tonight, our daughter will be home and we’ll go over and watch a fireworks show with friends. Tomorrow morning, we’ll make our annual trek to Roman Nose State Park with dear friends who feel more like family. We’ll play cards, smoke ribs, throw around some horseshoes, and eat too much. The most important thing we’ll do is not hurry and spend time together delighting in those simple joys.

Speaking of simple joys – I had 14 meetings last week, 11 this week and 13 scheduled for next week. It’s hard to not hurry and enjoy those simple joys with a full schedule. But my friend Bob reminds me each Thursday that being busy and hurrying from one spot to the next is not the way I choose to live.  Instead, I’ve spent time today moving some things around on my calendar so I can quit hurrying. I already feel more peace and freedom.

After all, it’s almost the 4th of July and isn’t it about celebrating freedom?