"What do you want me to do for you?" - Matthew 20:32
Jesus was on His way out of Jericho when two blind men interrupted Him. "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!" Jesus stopped. Then He asked the two men a loaded question: "What do you want me to do for you?"
Isn't it obvious what they want from Jesus? They are blind; one would think the question was not necessary, that Jesus should know they wanted to be able to see. Yet, Jesus forced them to define exactly what it was that they wanted from Him. Jesus made them speak it out, to say it verbally, what they wanted from Him. Oh yes, Jesus knew they wanted to be healed, but He wanted to make sure the blind men knew that was what they wanted.
Take a moment and think about that question. If Jesus asked YOU - "What do you want me to do for you?" how would you answer it? Would you be able to verbalize what you want? Would you be able to spell out the dreams you have, the miracles you hope for, the promises that you can claim from His Word? God has placed these things in your heart - would you be able to speak it?
We have no idea what we want God to do for us, and then we wonder why it seems like God isn't doing anything for us. The great irony is that if we can not answer this question, then we are as blind spiritually as these men were physically. Most of us don't get what we want simply because we don't know what we want. We've never made a list of life goals. We've never defined what success looks like for us. We've never circled God's promises. And, sadly, we have forgotten most of the prayers we have prayed before they even get answered.
If faith is being sure of what we hope for, then not being sure of what we hope for is the exact opposite of faith.
We pray such vague prayers at times. How can we expect God to answer if we allow our lack of faith to keep us from speaking exactly what our real request is? Are we afraid that God won't answer so that we need to save face and not ask Him specifically what our heart's desire is?
The more faith we have, the more specific our prayers will be. And the more specific our prayers are, the more glory God receives. Well-defined prayers give God an opportunity to display his power through well-defined answers. When we ask vaguely for God to bring healing to someone, do we really believe when we ask that He will heal them? Not that He can't, but will he? How bad do you want their healing - enough that you will come before God with prayer and even fasting to pursue His response? Even so, remember that God's answer may also be no, but are you willing to stand in faith to believe that He will?
Too often we rob God of the opportunity to answer our prayers because they are so vague. Don't concern yourself about when God will answer or how God will answer. We don't know the answer to either one, so why be concerned about it? Our responsibility is to simply discern what God wants, and then humbly, yet boldly, ask Him for it. God may throw in a few surprises along the way - He may answer differently than the way we put the request.
What petition are you praying about? What miracle are you praying for? What is your dream that you want that you have asked for? What is standing in your way? What is your Jericho?
Jericho is spelled many different ways. If a loved one has cancer or other disease, it is called healing. If your child is far from God, it's called salvation. If your family is falling apart, it is called reconciliation. If you have a dream beyond your finances, it's called provision. Whatever your Jericho is, you have to spell it out before God.
What is your Jericho? If you can't answer that question, get into God's presence and get an answer. The answer to this question can change over time, over different seasons of life. We pursue different dreams, different things, in our different stages of life. We grab hold of different promises during different situations.
Define your dream. Claim your promise. Spell your miracle.
I pulled the majority of the above information from the devotional by Mark Batterson - Draw the Circle. I love how he spelled it out, if you well, of how vague our prayers are and how we need to be specific in our praying so that when God answers, we know that He answered! Mark closed today's devotional with these words....
"Most of us don't get what we want because we don't know what we want."
Define your dream. Claim your promise. Spell your miracle.
Blessings!
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Encouragement - do you need some?
How are you feeling this morning? Are you feeling a bit sluggish, a little sad; feeling without emotion for the day ahead of you? Perhaps you need some encouragement this morning.
As I sat here and thought about what I could write about, that word - 'Encouragement' - came to mind. Do you need some? I think we all do. Encouragement sometimes comes in the form of a kind word, a hug, or even just a little bit of attention to show that you notice their existence.
I mentioned in yesterday's blog that Pastor Steve came to spend the night with us last night. We talked for about two hours after he arrived, catching up on his life, what is going on in Shartel Church of God in Oklahoma City, and we shared what was going on in our lives. We have friends that attend the church so it was good to hear how they were doing as well.
One of our friends is the children's pastor there. When she lived out here in Phoenix she lost 100 pounds. Then she got a divorce, moved to Oklahoma City, hurt her back, and I'm not sure what all hit against her. Anyway, she ended up gaining that 100 pounds back. I've seen her a couple times the past few years and noticed she was a little heavier, but she assured me she was on the path to losing it all again. Pastor Steve shared last night that she has again lost 100 pounds. How did she do it?
She worked out five-six days a week and watched her diet. She lost 100 pounds in less than a year. I saw a photo of her recently and she looks absolutely gorgeous. Pastor Steve shared that she had asked him to be her mentor in fitness. Then he laughed, for he said he isn't nice when he mentors in fitness for it is so important. She would call him and say "I'm not going to work out today, I'm really tired." His response to her? "That's ok, fatty, if you want to stay home, grab some chips to eat too." Ok, perhaps it wasn't exactly that sentence, but he did say the 'that's ok, fatty' part - I just don't remember the rest.
Another friend who is the youth pastor didn't take the fitness journey last year, but has committed this year. As he asked Pastor Steve to be his mentor, he was told that Pastor Steve doesn't do excuses - you either stay the course or don't waste his time. It is crucial he lose weight as he is quite large. He is pursuing the journey for in a recent message when Pastor Steve shared the weight loss of several people, this young man shared he felt ashamed he didn't do it, for he knew his weight was a major issue.
If you want to be respected and be a leader, you must discipline yourself in all things - and that includes in your eating habits and your exercise. How can you lead others, be an example to others, if you allow your life to fall apart due to not disciplining yourself in these areas. And don't forget the spiritual side of growth - read your Bible daily and spend some time with God so that you do not grow weary.
Pastor Steve also has lost weight since I last saw him. He says he is down to the weight he was.... I think he said college. Pastor Steve shared how important being fit is; in fact, he is finishing up a sermon series on getting fit and taking care of your body. I think I will go online and listen to his messages on fitness - www.ShartelChurch.com I think it is.
Yeah, there is scripture that talks about getting fit. I'm not going to look them up, but you can. Paul talks about disciplining the body (and that really is what it is!!). Back in Biblical times everyone walked to get where they were going - well, I guess some rode horses, but the majority walked. Walking is good for the body and doesn't cause stress on it.
And of course our eating habits today are nothing like it was in Biblical times. When God told the Israelites to eat specific things, don't you think He was doing it for their health? He doesn't tell them to fry anything in the fat of the sacrifices! Things are roasted or baked or boiled. They ate lots of fruit and vegetables. Remember how the Israelites grumbled after they left Egypt they didn't get their leeks and garlic, etc, out on the wilderness road? Today we grumble if we have to eat them!
Eating healthy isn't difficult, it really isn't. It's a mindset to take care of your body and keep it healthy. As you eat healthy you will find the weight falling off; as you walk or as you exercise daily, you will find the weight falling off faster. Don't do it by juice diets and by drinking all your meals. Yes, I do like an occasional protein shake, but I do not have it every meal. It doesn't teach you how to eat right - it just gives you an easy way out of making decisions on food and how you should eat and causes you to give up quicker. I know; been there, done that.
My goal is to eat healthy and get (more) exercise. I think my encouragement will be that if I don't, I will hear the words in my head, "That's ok, fatty......". I don't want to be a fatty. I don't want to have the tiredness, the sadness when a nice outfit looks 'fat' on me, the refusal to go try on clothes because you don't want to be depressed when they don't fit. I don't want to have to turn down invitations to do fun things because I think I will get too tired.
I want to live my life healthy and strong. I will eat good healthy food, more fruits and vegetables, and I will start exercising on a regular basis - even if only for 15 minutes a day. What about you? Don't you think it is time to take getting healthy seriously? It isn't about depriving yourself, it's about giving yourself an opportunity to live.
So what are you going to do? Maybe the words "That's ok, fatty...." will ring in your thoughts as well and encourage you to get out of the fat rut and change your life. If you need an encouraging word, give one. If you need someone to walk the journey with you in weight loss and exercise, regardless of how much to lose - encourage someone to join you on this journey. It won't only help them, but it will help you stay motivated as they encourage you. I know I can use encouragement!
Stay the path of fitness; keep your eyes on your goal. You Can Do This!! And so can I.
Blessings!!
As I sat here and thought about what I could write about, that word - 'Encouragement' - came to mind. Do you need some? I think we all do. Encouragement sometimes comes in the form of a kind word, a hug, or even just a little bit of attention to show that you notice their existence.
I mentioned in yesterday's blog that Pastor Steve came to spend the night with us last night. We talked for about two hours after he arrived, catching up on his life, what is going on in Shartel Church of God in Oklahoma City, and we shared what was going on in our lives. We have friends that attend the church so it was good to hear how they were doing as well.
One of our friends is the children's pastor there. When she lived out here in Phoenix she lost 100 pounds. Then she got a divorce, moved to Oklahoma City, hurt her back, and I'm not sure what all hit against her. Anyway, she ended up gaining that 100 pounds back. I've seen her a couple times the past few years and noticed she was a little heavier, but she assured me she was on the path to losing it all again. Pastor Steve shared last night that she has again lost 100 pounds. How did she do it?
She worked out five-six days a week and watched her diet. She lost 100 pounds in less than a year. I saw a photo of her recently and she looks absolutely gorgeous. Pastor Steve shared that she had asked him to be her mentor in fitness. Then he laughed, for he said he isn't nice when he mentors in fitness for it is so important. She would call him and say "I'm not going to work out today, I'm really tired." His response to her? "That's ok, fatty, if you want to stay home, grab some chips to eat too." Ok, perhaps it wasn't exactly that sentence, but he did say the 'that's ok, fatty' part - I just don't remember the rest.
Another friend who is the youth pastor didn't take the fitness journey last year, but has committed this year. As he asked Pastor Steve to be his mentor, he was told that Pastor Steve doesn't do excuses - you either stay the course or don't waste his time. It is crucial he lose weight as he is quite large. He is pursuing the journey for in a recent message when Pastor Steve shared the weight loss of several people, this young man shared he felt ashamed he didn't do it, for he knew his weight was a major issue.
If you want to be respected and be a leader, you must discipline yourself in all things - and that includes in your eating habits and your exercise. How can you lead others, be an example to others, if you allow your life to fall apart due to not disciplining yourself in these areas. And don't forget the spiritual side of growth - read your Bible daily and spend some time with God so that you do not grow weary.
Pastor Steve also has lost weight since I last saw him. He says he is down to the weight he was.... I think he said college. Pastor Steve shared how important being fit is; in fact, he is finishing up a sermon series on getting fit and taking care of your body. I think I will go online and listen to his messages on fitness - www.ShartelChurch.com I think it is.
Yeah, there is scripture that talks about getting fit. I'm not going to look them up, but you can. Paul talks about disciplining the body (and that really is what it is!!). Back in Biblical times everyone walked to get where they were going - well, I guess some rode horses, but the majority walked. Walking is good for the body and doesn't cause stress on it.
And of course our eating habits today are nothing like it was in Biblical times. When God told the Israelites to eat specific things, don't you think He was doing it for their health? He doesn't tell them to fry anything in the fat of the sacrifices! Things are roasted or baked or boiled. They ate lots of fruit and vegetables. Remember how the Israelites grumbled after they left Egypt they didn't get their leeks and garlic, etc, out on the wilderness road? Today we grumble if we have to eat them!
Eating healthy isn't difficult, it really isn't. It's a mindset to take care of your body and keep it healthy. As you eat healthy you will find the weight falling off; as you walk or as you exercise daily, you will find the weight falling off faster. Don't do it by juice diets and by drinking all your meals. Yes, I do like an occasional protein shake, but I do not have it every meal. It doesn't teach you how to eat right - it just gives you an easy way out of making decisions on food and how you should eat and causes you to give up quicker. I know; been there, done that.
My goal is to eat healthy and get (more) exercise. I think my encouragement will be that if I don't, I will hear the words in my head, "That's ok, fatty......". I don't want to be a fatty. I don't want to have the tiredness, the sadness when a nice outfit looks 'fat' on me, the refusal to go try on clothes because you don't want to be depressed when they don't fit. I don't want to have to turn down invitations to do fun things because I think I will get too tired.
I want to live my life healthy and strong. I will eat good healthy food, more fruits and vegetables, and I will start exercising on a regular basis - even if only for 15 minutes a day. What about you? Don't you think it is time to take getting healthy seriously? It isn't about depriving yourself, it's about giving yourself an opportunity to live.
So what are you going to do? Maybe the words "That's ok, fatty...." will ring in your thoughts as well and encourage you to get out of the fat rut and change your life. If you need an encouraging word, give one. If you need someone to walk the journey with you in weight loss and exercise, regardless of how much to lose - encourage someone to join you on this journey. It won't only help them, but it will help you stay motivated as they encourage you. I know I can use encouragement!
Stay the path of fitness; keep your eyes on your goal. You Can Do This!! And so can I.
Blessings!!
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
"If you do.....
what you've always done, you'll always get what you always got."
That statement has been going through my mind this morning. Pastor Steve Chiles would use that statement ever so often in his messages and I guess it kind of stuck with me. He happens to be in town today and is staying with us tonight; perhaps that is why I am thinking about it.
But as I do think about it, I think about the truth of what it is actually saying.
"If you do what you've always done, you'll always get what you always got". So if I continue with my bad habits and don't exercise and don't eat right, I'll continue to get unhealthy and gain weight. If I engage in things that aren't healthy for me mentally, emotionally, or spiritually - I will withdraw and perhaps do things that I should not do. It makes sense, does it not?
As I change my habits of eating (although I don't think I have ever really eaten poorly continuously) and focus only on eating healthy, and start to exercise, I will change what has always happened to my body (g-r-o-w-i-n-g in unhealthy ways) and will increase my mind mentally, keep my emotions from going crazy, and spiritually I will be able to listen to God for I don't have the heaviness and stuffiness of the carbs and junk food in my body blocking my hearing.
I'm reading a book by Steven Furtick called Greater. I forget if it has any more to the name and I wish I had brought it with me this morning. I read a chapter in it this morning and he was talking about when Elijah threw his mantel on Elisha (remember, God told Elijah that Elisha would be his successor), Elisha didn't just go about his business. He stopped plowing his field right then, killed all the oxen and burned his plows. He got rid of everything that would keep in where he was. There was no turning back.
Steven Furtick said he was in a rock band in the town he grew up in and his dream was being a rock star. But when he made the decision to turn to God, he did something that made a difference. He took all his rock CDs - which sounded like quite a few - and took his friends out to see what he was doing. He had realized the music spoke against God and the things of God. Most people don't think about it when they are singing these songs; after awhile they don't even recognize the words, they are literally 'lip-syncing' the words because that is all they are. Anyway, he built a bonfire and burned all his CDs (although I think his friends would have gladly taken them off his hands or he could have sold them) because he didn't want to "go back to that life"; he wanted to make a difference in the world. And God has blessed Steven Furtick with thousands of people who go to Elevation church every week where he can share the gospel of Jesus Christ. In case you don't remember, Steven Furtick also wrote Sun Stand Still which encourages us to pray audacious prayers. In fact, I think I wrote about it some time ago in another blog. Check it out.
I mention the book Greater and all this because that is what we are doing when we choose to change our lifestyle of eating. We have to do all. We have to leave the old lifestyle of eating completely. Falling back only takes us to where we were. I'm sure an occasional pizza or ice cream isn't going to kill you. But sometimes when we do it 'just once' we are tempted the next night to 'just once' eat something else, and then the next night, and the next night. I'm so guilty of doing this myself. I can eat right and healthy for days on end - and then, here's my confession, we go out for pizza (we did choose the chicken instead of the sausage, does that count?) last night. This morning I put myself back on track with an egg and oatmeal. (Bob Harper says you should eat protein at every meal so that you won't feel hungry all the time. It is best to have the protein with a carb - and yes, hamburger and bun is protein and carb). We need to watch portions if our problem is more that we eat until we are stuffed (which I did last night!) and not so much what we eat. Sometimes you don't have any say in what is being fixed, or you don't prepare the meal. Perhaps if you share what you want to do (eat more healthy), it would help with food preparation. Or fix your own. There are all ways around it, and I have discovered that 'junk food' is so much faster to "prepare" than taking time to prepare a good meal.
As you can tell, I'm "preaching to the choir" when it comes to eating. I'm a Tennessee/Indiana gal whose mama could fix the best fried chicken in the world and fabulous biscuits and gravy. I only have biscuits and gravy on occasion, but I do love fried chicken, and although I don't fry it myself, I've found a few places that fix awesome friend chicken - Fry's, Safeway and Albertson's. We still don't get it often, but when we do... mmmmmm.
Back to the book and off food (obviously that is where my thoughts are right now and I've only had one cup of coffee this morning!) sometimes we need to break the habit of 'doing what we have always done and getting what we always got". If we keep speeding and keep getting tickets, obviously we need to make some changes here.
If we want to make life changes - whether it be food, habits or attitudes, we need to "burn" the things in the past that hold on to us (bad habits, attitudes, movies, books, etc) and get rid of them so that we aren't tempted to go back. Yes, get rid of that bag of chips in the cupboard (in the trash, not your mouth) so that you aren't tempted!
I'm tired of getting the same ole thing all the time. I need to stop and see what I need to let go of, get rid of, so that I can achieve the goals I have for myself.
What about you? Where do you need to make changes? Don't think of any? Ask someone close to you - I'm sure they can tell you! Take time to think about it; decide how you are going to do it, one by one. Don't hurt yourself by trying to stop all at once; unless you are completely determined, you will fail. Focus on one area and work on that - then start on the next.
"If you change things, you will get what you didn't have before."
Blessings!
That statement has been going through my mind this morning. Pastor Steve Chiles would use that statement ever so often in his messages and I guess it kind of stuck with me. He happens to be in town today and is staying with us tonight; perhaps that is why I am thinking about it.
But as I do think about it, I think about the truth of what it is actually saying.
"If you do what you've always done, you'll always get what you always got". So if I continue with my bad habits and don't exercise and don't eat right, I'll continue to get unhealthy and gain weight. If I engage in things that aren't healthy for me mentally, emotionally, or spiritually - I will withdraw and perhaps do things that I should not do. It makes sense, does it not?
As I change my habits of eating (although I don't think I have ever really eaten poorly continuously) and focus only on eating healthy, and start to exercise, I will change what has always happened to my body (g-r-o-w-i-n-g in unhealthy ways) and will increase my mind mentally, keep my emotions from going crazy, and spiritually I will be able to listen to God for I don't have the heaviness and stuffiness of the carbs and junk food in my body blocking my hearing.
I'm reading a book by Steven Furtick called Greater. I forget if it has any more to the name and I wish I had brought it with me this morning. I read a chapter in it this morning and he was talking about when Elijah threw his mantel on Elisha (remember, God told Elijah that Elisha would be his successor), Elisha didn't just go about his business. He stopped plowing his field right then, killed all the oxen and burned his plows. He got rid of everything that would keep in where he was. There was no turning back.
Steven Furtick said he was in a rock band in the town he grew up in and his dream was being a rock star. But when he made the decision to turn to God, he did something that made a difference. He took all his rock CDs - which sounded like quite a few - and took his friends out to see what he was doing. He had realized the music spoke against God and the things of God. Most people don't think about it when they are singing these songs; after awhile they don't even recognize the words, they are literally 'lip-syncing' the words because that is all they are. Anyway, he built a bonfire and burned all his CDs (although I think his friends would have gladly taken them off his hands or he could have sold them) because he didn't want to "go back to that life"; he wanted to make a difference in the world. And God has blessed Steven Furtick with thousands of people who go to Elevation church every week where he can share the gospel of Jesus Christ. In case you don't remember, Steven Furtick also wrote Sun Stand Still which encourages us to pray audacious prayers. In fact, I think I wrote about it some time ago in another blog. Check it out.
I mention the book Greater and all this because that is what we are doing when we choose to change our lifestyle of eating. We have to do all. We have to leave the old lifestyle of eating completely. Falling back only takes us to where we were. I'm sure an occasional pizza or ice cream isn't going to kill you. But sometimes when we do it 'just once' we are tempted the next night to 'just once' eat something else, and then the next night, and the next night. I'm so guilty of doing this myself. I can eat right and healthy for days on end - and then, here's my confession, we go out for pizza (we did choose the chicken instead of the sausage, does that count?) last night. This morning I put myself back on track with an egg and oatmeal. (Bob Harper says you should eat protein at every meal so that you won't feel hungry all the time. It is best to have the protein with a carb - and yes, hamburger and bun is protein and carb). We need to watch portions if our problem is more that we eat until we are stuffed (which I did last night!) and not so much what we eat. Sometimes you don't have any say in what is being fixed, or you don't prepare the meal. Perhaps if you share what you want to do (eat more healthy), it would help with food preparation. Or fix your own. There are all ways around it, and I have discovered that 'junk food' is so much faster to "prepare" than taking time to prepare a good meal.
As you can tell, I'm "preaching to the choir" when it comes to eating. I'm a Tennessee/Indiana gal whose mama could fix the best fried chicken in the world and fabulous biscuits and gravy. I only have biscuits and gravy on occasion, but I do love fried chicken, and although I don't fry it myself, I've found a few places that fix awesome friend chicken - Fry's, Safeway and Albertson's. We still don't get it often, but when we do... mmmmmm.
Back to the book and off food (obviously that is where my thoughts are right now and I've only had one cup of coffee this morning!) sometimes we need to break the habit of 'doing what we have always done and getting what we always got". If we keep speeding and keep getting tickets, obviously we need to make some changes here.
If we want to make life changes - whether it be food, habits or attitudes, we need to "burn" the things in the past that hold on to us (bad habits, attitudes, movies, books, etc) and get rid of them so that we aren't tempted to go back. Yes, get rid of that bag of chips in the cupboard (in the trash, not your mouth) so that you aren't tempted!
I'm tired of getting the same ole thing all the time. I need to stop and see what I need to let go of, get rid of, so that I can achieve the goals I have for myself.
What about you? Where do you need to make changes? Don't think of any? Ask someone close to you - I'm sure they can tell you! Take time to think about it; decide how you are going to do it, one by one. Don't hurt yourself by trying to stop all at once; unless you are completely determined, you will fail. Focus on one area and work on that - then start on the next.
"If you change things, you will get what you didn't have before."
Blessings!
Monday, January 28, 2013
I have a coach!
This is pretty awesome! The company for which I now work has made being healthy a priority. To do so, they do biometric screenings and have questions to complete to gather information so that they can help me determine what I need to work on and how to achieve that goal(s).
This morning when I came in to work and logged in, I found an email in my inbox from 'EMPOWERED? Coaching Program. When I clicked on it, I had a message from Coach Oliva, with her photo and contact information, and the message stated she was going to be my coach. How exciting is that! I know what areas I should work on, but it is hard getting motivated. I'm hoping that with Coach Oliva it will be much easier to get myself eating right and back to exercising.
I just completed part of the questions in one focus area this morning cause I wanted to get my blog done early this morning. I have such a busy schedule sometimes it is hard to get online when I get home. I'm grateful this Company will allow me to access my blog and add to it. It makes it much easier to keep up with writing. I will work on more questions perhaps later in the day for although it is "personal" stuff, when I take my lunch or a break, I will be able to get online and work on it.
I have to admit I'm excited about having a coach. Yes, I've had trainers in the past and that was all good, but they were not always available to me 24x7. Well, I'm sure Coach Oliva won't be either, but I can contact her anytime via email and I have her direct line at work so I can always leave messages if I need to. Not that I expect to. But, she will call me periodically and check on how I am doing. Right now I have committed to 15 minutes a day four days a week of cardio exercise. Now that can even just mean that I will walk out to my car (our parking lot is about a block away and I park at the top of the ramp so that I can work the back of my legs as I walk up) and on around the parking lot and back to my desk. I can do that in 15-20 minutes. It won't happen today though - we still have rain. Fifteen minutes certainly sounds do-able.
I still would like to get back to the gym to walk, but going in the mornings for me is so difficult. It could be easily done if I didn't have my quiet time, but I don't want to rush that and I dislike having to keep an eye on the clock. I already get up at 4AM so don't want to get up earlier. However, last week I kept waking up earlier and one day we did go tot he gym at 3:30AM. Still, it could be done, but I just 'don't wanna'! I don't mind going in the evenings, but hubby thinks it is too crowded then. Maybe he will humor me one day and we can go over and check it out. Of course I still have my treadmill at home I can use - as well as videos and other exercise stuff.
Overall, the goal is to get healthy - eating healthy and working out. And I'm going to do it the right way. I want to get healthy and live a long life. I started to add so that I could torture my husband and children for a long time, but I don't think I torture them. At least not too much.
My time is up cause I've been interrupted numerous times this morning and I need now to start working. This is what I get paid for - so I need to get it done! Hope your day is all you want it to be.
Take 15 minutes and do something that will benefit your body!
Blessings!
This morning when I came in to work and logged in, I found an email in my inbox from 'EMPOWERED? Coaching Program. When I clicked on it, I had a message from Coach Oliva, with her photo and contact information, and the message stated she was going to be my coach. How exciting is that! I know what areas I should work on, but it is hard getting motivated. I'm hoping that with Coach Oliva it will be much easier to get myself eating right and back to exercising.
I just completed part of the questions in one focus area this morning cause I wanted to get my blog done early this morning. I have such a busy schedule sometimes it is hard to get online when I get home. I'm grateful this Company will allow me to access my blog and add to it. It makes it much easier to keep up with writing. I will work on more questions perhaps later in the day for although it is "personal" stuff, when I take my lunch or a break, I will be able to get online and work on it.
I have to admit I'm excited about having a coach. Yes, I've had trainers in the past and that was all good, but they were not always available to me 24x7. Well, I'm sure Coach Oliva won't be either, but I can contact her anytime via email and I have her direct line at work so I can always leave messages if I need to. Not that I expect to. But, she will call me periodically and check on how I am doing. Right now I have committed to 15 minutes a day four days a week of cardio exercise. Now that can even just mean that I will walk out to my car (our parking lot is about a block away and I park at the top of the ramp so that I can work the back of my legs as I walk up) and on around the parking lot and back to my desk. I can do that in 15-20 minutes. It won't happen today though - we still have rain. Fifteen minutes certainly sounds do-able.
I still would like to get back to the gym to walk, but going in the mornings for me is so difficult. It could be easily done if I didn't have my quiet time, but I don't want to rush that and I dislike having to keep an eye on the clock. I already get up at 4AM so don't want to get up earlier. However, last week I kept waking up earlier and one day we did go tot he gym at 3:30AM. Still, it could be done, but I just 'don't wanna'! I don't mind going in the evenings, but hubby thinks it is too crowded then. Maybe he will humor me one day and we can go over and check it out. Of course I still have my treadmill at home I can use - as well as videos and other exercise stuff.
Overall, the goal is to get healthy - eating healthy and working out. And I'm going to do it the right way. I want to get healthy and live a long life. I started to add so that I could torture my husband and children for a long time, but I don't think I torture them. At least not too much.
My time is up cause I've been interrupted numerous times this morning and I need now to start working. This is what I get paid for - so I need to get it done! Hope your day is all you want it to be.
Take 15 minutes and do something that will benefit your body!
Blessings!
Saturday, January 26, 2013
The Color Run...
and these colors DID run! Hubby, my youngest son, my best friend, and I - with several hundred others - walked The Color Run this morning. In the rain. Yes, it was raining the entire time. But we did it anyway - and had a blast. In checking the walkmeter app that I had opened up to track our walking distance, it shows we walked a total of 5.5 miles. Not bad for a rainy Saturday morning.
We walked a mile and got "hit" (literally) with one color. The colors are a power/grainy like substance and there were volunteers on both sides of us hitting us with that color. Another mile, another color, a third mile and another color - I think there was only 3 - or was it 4 colors. Regardless, we were covered from head to toe with color and the rain just soaked it into us.
When we got home and I stripped down to take a shower, my legs were blue from the blue dye they threw on us. I had to scrub to get it off. The hot shower felt really good after being out in the cool rain. Although God did not answer my prayers for clear weather, it was a soft steady rain and it wasn't cold out. I guess I could say He 'compromised' with me.
It was a lot of fun and I plan to do it again next year. For sure we want to do Pat's Run on April 20, but I see there are other "races" before then. Will have to see how finances are. It's great exercise and all for a good cause. This one wasn't timed; you walked or ran at your own pace. Some are timed so if that is important to you - then have at it.
We dropped Marley off at the Pet Hotel today so that we could get some things done this weekend. I am speaking at Pioneer Village RV park tomorrow morning and we have a funeral to attend in the afternoon. Wanted to not have to worry about her being home alone. This way we have our evening (a very quiet one without Marley) without dealing with her. Some nights she is a real handful, needing a lot of attention. I reminded him we wouldn't have all these problems if I had a small dog instead of a small horse. :-)
Back to the walk. Think about it along the lines of our walk with God. There are some days that are really hard to walk the right path - the uphill climbs. But the downward road is sometimes too easy for us and we tend to get off the path. But if we stay on it, and follow the right path, He pours His colors of beauty over us and showers us with His blessings. It doesn't get much better than that. Stay on the right path and receive showers of blessings.... works for me!
Hope that you are having a great day and a glorious weekend. In spite of the rain, which is very good for our grass and flowers, it is still a good day. Kick back and enjoy a good book. Fix hot chocolate and play games with the children. Or work on a puzzle. All fun things to do on a rainy afternoon. Personally I like to bake cookies on days like this - but it may not happen this weekend for I need to leave in about 15 minutes. It's always fun if you make the best of it. Enjoy it.
Blessings!
We walked a mile and got "hit" (literally) with one color. The colors are a power/grainy like substance and there were volunteers on both sides of us hitting us with that color. Another mile, another color, a third mile and another color - I think there was only 3 - or was it 4 colors. Regardless, we were covered from head to toe with color and the rain just soaked it into us.
When we got home and I stripped down to take a shower, my legs were blue from the blue dye they threw on us. I had to scrub to get it off. The hot shower felt really good after being out in the cool rain. Although God did not answer my prayers for clear weather, it was a soft steady rain and it wasn't cold out. I guess I could say He 'compromised' with me.
It was a lot of fun and I plan to do it again next year. For sure we want to do Pat's Run on April 20, but I see there are other "races" before then. Will have to see how finances are. It's great exercise and all for a good cause. This one wasn't timed; you walked or ran at your own pace. Some are timed so if that is important to you - then have at it.
We dropped Marley off at the Pet Hotel today so that we could get some things done this weekend. I am speaking at Pioneer Village RV park tomorrow morning and we have a funeral to attend in the afternoon. Wanted to not have to worry about her being home alone. This way we have our evening (a very quiet one without Marley) without dealing with her. Some nights she is a real handful, needing a lot of attention. I reminded him we wouldn't have all these problems if I had a small dog instead of a small horse. :-)
Back to the walk. Think about it along the lines of our walk with God. There are some days that are really hard to walk the right path - the uphill climbs. But the downward road is sometimes too easy for us and we tend to get off the path. But if we stay on it, and follow the right path, He pours His colors of beauty over us and showers us with His blessings. It doesn't get much better than that. Stay on the right path and receive showers of blessings.... works for me!
Hope that you are having a great day and a glorious weekend. In spite of the rain, which is very good for our grass and flowers, it is still a good day. Kick back and enjoy a good book. Fix hot chocolate and play games with the children. Or work on a puzzle. All fun things to do on a rainy afternoon. Personally I like to bake cookies on days like this - but it may not happen this weekend for I need to leave in about 15 minutes. It's always fun if you make the best of it. Enjoy it.
Blessings!
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Tribute to a Friend....
I received a devastating telephone text yesterday afternoon. The message simply read, "Nova, this is Veronica my mom passed away today at noon my cell is......"
I stared at the message, gasping as the realization of what the message meant. Surely this was a joke - it was sent from one of my best friends' phone. No, it couldn't be true. Confused, I called the cell phone number listed in the text. And it was true.
Broken-hearted, I listened to the daughter of my best friend share what had happened to her mother. The brain aneurysm that she had Friday, the surgeries, the little strokes that kept getting stronger, until they finally claimed her life. I'm not sure how old she was but I think it was in her early fifties. I could not - and still can not - keep the tears from falling. My grief at the pain her family must be feeling far outweighs the pain and sorrow I feel for my own heart.
My beautiful friend, Anita Valles Mendoza Lopez, was not only my friend, she was one of those 'close friends' that are close enough to be 'best friends'. I loved Anna, as I called her. And she loved me. We didn't get to talk, text, or see each other as often as we used to, but enough we kept in touch monthly.
Anna, Sue (another best friend), and I met at my last job. Anna and I worked in the same department and immediately bonded and became close friends. Her daughter worked there for awhile too, and I came to love her as my own. We started walking together when Anna started working from home and Sue went to another company to work. I have treasured those once a month walks and breakfasts we would have together. We shared life together.
Anna was a Christian woman who truly walked the talk. She always put others before herself regardless of her busyness. She took care of her elder sister who has severe heart problems and can not take care of herself. She babysat her granddaughter and makes sure she is healthy and taken care of properly. She loved and supported her husband, daughter and son. She had an immaculate house and loved to have people over. She made you feel immediately welcomed and loved.
She put her foot down when it came to drinking because she didn't want anything to influence someone's walk with Christ. Yeah, she was a 'Jesus-lover' through and through. She wasn't preachy, but she loved Jesus and wanted to live for Him. She always gave to the poor freely and greatly. She volunteered her services and her finances as well as her time to Teen Challenge and other needy projects. She loved taking care of others. She was honest, loving and faithful.
Anna was a true friend, one whom I will miss greatly. The tears still fall at my loss, and I know that time will heal all the pain I feel inside. I know she is in Heaven, and that she is sitting at Jesus' feet, worshipping.
I sent a text to her daughter yesterday and signed it 'love you'. On my friend's cellphone she text'd me back, 'love you'. Right now I don't want to delete that. My friend Anna knew I loved her. And I know that she loved me.
I will miss you Anna. I will miss you in our walks, our breakfasts, our occasional shopping sprees and our lunches. I will miss your phone calls, your emails, your texts'. I will miss you. I know you are where you always wanted to be, and you will always live on in our hearts.
Be seeing you, my friend. Save a place for me. I love you.
Blessings!
I stared at the message, gasping as the realization of what the message meant. Surely this was a joke - it was sent from one of my best friends' phone. No, it couldn't be true. Confused, I called the cell phone number listed in the text. And it was true.
Broken-hearted, I listened to the daughter of my best friend share what had happened to her mother. The brain aneurysm that she had Friday, the surgeries, the little strokes that kept getting stronger, until they finally claimed her life. I'm not sure how old she was but I think it was in her early fifties. I could not - and still can not - keep the tears from falling. My grief at the pain her family must be feeling far outweighs the pain and sorrow I feel for my own heart.
My beautiful friend, Anita Valles Mendoza Lopez, was not only my friend, she was one of those 'close friends' that are close enough to be 'best friends'. I loved Anna, as I called her. And she loved me. We didn't get to talk, text, or see each other as often as we used to, but enough we kept in touch monthly.
Anna, Sue (another best friend), and I met at my last job. Anna and I worked in the same department and immediately bonded and became close friends. Her daughter worked there for awhile too, and I came to love her as my own. We started walking together when Anna started working from home and Sue went to another company to work. I have treasured those once a month walks and breakfasts we would have together. We shared life together.
Anna was a Christian woman who truly walked the talk. She always put others before herself regardless of her busyness. She took care of her elder sister who has severe heart problems and can not take care of herself. She babysat her granddaughter and makes sure she is healthy and taken care of properly. She loved and supported her husband, daughter and son. She had an immaculate house and loved to have people over. She made you feel immediately welcomed and loved.
She put her foot down when it came to drinking because she didn't want anything to influence someone's walk with Christ. Yeah, she was a 'Jesus-lover' through and through. She wasn't preachy, but she loved Jesus and wanted to live for Him. She always gave to the poor freely and greatly. She volunteered her services and her finances as well as her time to Teen Challenge and other needy projects. She loved taking care of others. She was honest, loving and faithful.
Anna was a true friend, one whom I will miss greatly. The tears still fall at my loss, and I know that time will heal all the pain I feel inside. I know she is in Heaven, and that she is sitting at Jesus' feet, worshipping.
I sent a text to her daughter yesterday and signed it 'love you'. On my friend's cellphone she text'd me back, 'love you'. Right now I don't want to delete that. My friend Anna knew I loved her. And I know that she loved me.
I will miss you Anna. I will miss you in our walks, our breakfasts, our occasional shopping sprees and our lunches. I will miss your phone calls, your emails, your texts'. I will miss you. I know you are where you always wanted to be, and you will always live on in our hearts.
Be seeing you, my friend. Save a place for me. I love you.
Blessings!
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
The Fast is Over....
so what's next? Our 21 day 'first fruits of the year' fast to get our priorities lined up for the year was completed yesterday. As I've shared a couple times, I screwed up, but quickly got back on track. That is what happens sometimes when you allow yourself to eat rather than fasting all food. It is so easy to pick something up and eat before you even think about what you are doing.
I did refrain from all desserts - and especially chocolate! Now that I have to admit wasn't all that hard - until a couple days ago when I was working with chocolate.... and had to keep wiping my fingers on a paper towel instead of putting them in my mouth. What a waste of chocolate. Or is it that it prevented me a 'waist of chocolate'? But instead of focusing on where I messed up, I will choose to focus on my success.
Now that the fast is over, and I can go back to my normal eating if I choose, I can't until late this afternoon. Why? Because I have my metabolic testing here at work this morning - and it is a total fast - well, nothing but water until after the testing, which is scheduled for 1:15PM. I missed my coffee this morning but will survive easily enough and have soup at my desk for when I am finished with the testing. I am hoping I have lost desire for some of the carbs I loved to snack on before the fast and will limit myself. I don't think I lost any weight - that wasn't the purpose of the fast. No sense in continuing to gain though.
In fact, hubby and I were going to get up at 3:30AM to go to the gym this morning - and obviously we didn't make it. I don't even remember if the alarm did go off - I know my mind woke up but my body didn't. When he woke up about 4:00AM or so and reached over to see if I was still in bed, I didn't budge for I wasn't going then for sure. I usually get up at 4:00AM but it was about ten after today.
Since I need to kick my 'training' in to gear for the 13.1 mile mini marathon on May 4th, I need to get busy walking. That is the purpose of getting to the gym so that I can get some exercising in. Maybe I can convince him to go after I get home from work. Yes, a lot of people will be there - but if he says no - I can still get on my treadmill at home.
Well, I'm a little slow on getting started on my blog this morning so I need to stop and get ready to start the day. With being off yesterday and having a three day weekend, I'm sure the work is there to remind us of that!
Hope that you have a wonderful day!
Blessings!
I did refrain from all desserts - and especially chocolate! Now that I have to admit wasn't all that hard - until a couple days ago when I was working with chocolate.... and had to keep wiping my fingers on a paper towel instead of putting them in my mouth. What a waste of chocolate. Or is it that it prevented me a 'waist of chocolate'? But instead of focusing on where I messed up, I will choose to focus on my success.
Now that the fast is over, and I can go back to my normal eating if I choose, I can't until late this afternoon. Why? Because I have my metabolic testing here at work this morning - and it is a total fast - well, nothing but water until after the testing, which is scheduled for 1:15PM. I missed my coffee this morning but will survive easily enough and have soup at my desk for when I am finished with the testing. I am hoping I have lost desire for some of the carbs I loved to snack on before the fast and will limit myself. I don't think I lost any weight - that wasn't the purpose of the fast. No sense in continuing to gain though.
In fact, hubby and I were going to get up at 3:30AM to go to the gym this morning - and obviously we didn't make it. I don't even remember if the alarm did go off - I know my mind woke up but my body didn't. When he woke up about 4:00AM or so and reached over to see if I was still in bed, I didn't budge for I wasn't going then for sure. I usually get up at 4:00AM but it was about ten after today.
Since I need to kick my 'training' in to gear for the 13.1 mile mini marathon on May 4th, I need to get busy walking. That is the purpose of getting to the gym so that I can get some exercising in. Maybe I can convince him to go after I get home from work. Yes, a lot of people will be there - but if he says no - I can still get on my treadmill at home.
Well, I'm a little slow on getting started on my blog this morning so I need to stop and get ready to start the day. With being off yesterday and having a three day weekend, I'm sure the work is there to remind us of that!
Hope that you have a wonderful day!
Blessings!
Monday, January 21, 2013
My Baby Girl's Birthday!
Today is my baby girl's birthday! Although she probably doesn't consider herself my 'baby girl' anymore, since she is 44 years old today. I sit back and wonder where the 44 years have gone - it seems like just yesterday she was a little girl playing house. The picture that just came to mind was her in little pigtails wearing a turquoise and white checkered romper - about 3 years old - and playing. Barefoot, too, of course.
Where have all the years gone? She has grown up into an amazing woman. I am lucky to be able to call her my daughter. She's beautiful, she's smart, and I love to spend time with her. In fact, today is a "federal holiday" - civil rights day, I believe it is called, to honor Martin Luther King Jr. and I had the day off work. I checked with her yesterday if she was going to work from home, be off work, or go to the office. She has her own business so it could be any of those three. She said she had brought things home from work to work from home since the grandchildren were home from school today too.
I was able to take her to lunch today since her brother forgot his children were off school and couldn't take her. After a fun lunch of soup and salad (she was delighted with her broccoli and cheese soup!!) we did a little shopping at a couple places in that area, then headed back to her house. It was so fun for me for the grandchildren know just what to do to warm my heart - they beg me to stay and not leave, but to spend time with them.
Now that could be three things - 1) they are sucking up to me. Or, 2) they were really bored. Or even 3) they really did want to spend time with me. I think I like 3 the best. It brings 1 into it as well and I love it.
But back to my daughter.... my firstborn. She was born when her father was serving in Vietnam. In fact, he didn't even see her until she was 11 months old. We laugh about it now, but when she first met him, she bit him on the ankle. Her dad and I were sitting at the table talking and she just walked up and bit him on the ankle. I guess she didn't want to share her mommy with this stranger.
She put herself through college, saved and paid for her very first car, lived in her own apartment - and did it all by herself. She has struggled, she has been successful, she has done many things. She graduated magna cum laude from Arizona State University. She started out as teacher and is now a broker/real estate agent doing business with her spouse. She has two children she bore, and a stepdaughter, plus a grandchild. She teaches Sunday school at her church.
My nickname for her has always been 'Pumpkin'. Why? Because back in 1969 when she was born, they had then recently came out with what was called "pumpkin seats". It was a simple plastic contraption that we were able to strap her in while we were doing other things. Over the years the simple plastic contraption has evolved into what we call car seats. It might have been the beginning of car seats for infants back in 1969. Because we put her in the "pumpkin seat" I just started calling her "pumpkin". No other reason.
My daughter was nearly a ten-month baby. She was actually due December 29, but didn't choose to be born until January 21st. She weighed 8 pounds 10 ounces and was 21 1/2 inches long. She had big blue eyes and was alert from the very beginning. Even the doctor said that she was older than 9 months when she was born. Dr. Spray. The doctor who would not induce me because he would say "when the apple is ready, it will fall". And when she was ready, she woke me at 4AM to tell this new mom-to-be she was ready, arriving at 1:46PM later that day.
Many things have happened over the years with my daughter - some good, some bad. Some I've already shared and many other things I may share over the years of this blog. Got to keep some things to share later. I really enjoyed my time with her today. Thanks for letting me have you to myself for awhile, pumpkin, so that we could celebrate your day together.
She is a good mom, a good daughter, and a friend. Today is her special day. My prayers for her today are that she will be abundantly blessed with love and friendship and well wishes. It isn't about gifts, it is about sharing how special she is.
Happy Birthday Pumpkin. May you have many, many more birthdays. I love you.
Mom
Where have all the years gone? She has grown up into an amazing woman. I am lucky to be able to call her my daughter. She's beautiful, she's smart, and I love to spend time with her. In fact, today is a "federal holiday" - civil rights day, I believe it is called, to honor Martin Luther King Jr. and I had the day off work. I checked with her yesterday if she was going to work from home, be off work, or go to the office. She has her own business so it could be any of those three. She said she had brought things home from work to work from home since the grandchildren were home from school today too.
I was able to take her to lunch today since her brother forgot his children were off school and couldn't take her. After a fun lunch of soup and salad (she was delighted with her broccoli and cheese soup!!) we did a little shopping at a couple places in that area, then headed back to her house. It was so fun for me for the grandchildren know just what to do to warm my heart - they beg me to stay and not leave, but to spend time with them.
Now that could be three things - 1) they are sucking up to me. Or, 2) they were really bored. Or even 3) they really did want to spend time with me. I think I like 3 the best. It brings 1 into it as well and I love it.
But back to my daughter.... my firstborn. She was born when her father was serving in Vietnam. In fact, he didn't even see her until she was 11 months old. We laugh about it now, but when she first met him, she bit him on the ankle. Her dad and I were sitting at the table talking and she just walked up and bit him on the ankle. I guess she didn't want to share her mommy with this stranger.
She put herself through college, saved and paid for her very first car, lived in her own apartment - and did it all by herself. She has struggled, she has been successful, she has done many things. She graduated magna cum laude from Arizona State University. She started out as teacher and is now a broker/real estate agent doing business with her spouse. She has two children she bore, and a stepdaughter, plus a grandchild. She teaches Sunday school at her church.
My nickname for her has always been 'Pumpkin'. Why? Because back in 1969 when she was born, they had then recently came out with what was called "pumpkin seats". It was a simple plastic contraption that we were able to strap her in while we were doing other things. Over the years the simple plastic contraption has evolved into what we call car seats. It might have been the beginning of car seats for infants back in 1969. Because we put her in the "pumpkin seat" I just started calling her "pumpkin". No other reason.
My daughter was nearly a ten-month baby. She was actually due December 29, but didn't choose to be born until January 21st. She weighed 8 pounds 10 ounces and was 21 1/2 inches long. She had big blue eyes and was alert from the very beginning. Even the doctor said that she was older than 9 months when she was born. Dr. Spray. The doctor who would not induce me because he would say "when the apple is ready, it will fall". And when she was ready, she woke me at 4AM to tell this new mom-to-be she was ready, arriving at 1:46PM later that day.
Many things have happened over the years with my daughter - some good, some bad. Some I've already shared and many other things I may share over the years of this blog. Got to keep some things to share later. I really enjoyed my time with her today. Thanks for letting me have you to myself for awhile, pumpkin, so that we could celebrate your day together.
She is a good mom, a good daughter, and a friend. Today is her special day. My prayers for her today are that she will be abundantly blessed with love and friendship and well wishes. It isn't about gifts, it is about sharing how special she is.
Happy Birthday Pumpkin. May you have many, many more birthdays. I love you.
Mom
Sunday, January 20, 2013
I can't hear you!
Today we stopped by Frys Electronics and returned the headset I got for Christmas. It wasn't exactly what I wanted so we returned it and I picked up another one that I hope is more like what I want. It seems like it is better than what I had, and yet, not exactly what I was wanting. I imagine that one is more in the $100 range rather than the $50 range - so this one will do. I like that the cord is not attached to the headset, that I can just wear the headset to block out the noise - not completely as I hoped, mind you - but enough that hopefully I can read while hubby is watching television.
Hubby actually accused me of wanting to blocking him out with the headset. I could make a funny and say "and I need a headset for that?" but I didn't. And I won't. My purpose for the headset is truly to block out the television so that I can read while he is watching a show I don't care about.
It gives me pause those to think of those times we stick our fingers in our ears and go "lalalalalalala" so that we don't hear what people are saying. When we don't want to HEAR what they are saying. You know what I mean. We think that if we plug our ears that we are then no longer responsible for hearing - or not hearing - the things we know we should listen to.
Kind of like our children - they don't want to hear us correct them, or 'suggest' they clean up their room, or do their homework. Or like our spouses to block the other spouse 'out' so that they don't have to listen to them. Yes, I will confess, I am guilty of that as well as you are. But sometimes it is an honest block out in that we are so focused on something else we really don't hear them speak - and that is in my defense as well as yours.
I think that sometimes we also do that to God, don't you think? We don't want to hear God speak to us so we busy ourselves with stuff so that we don't have to slow down to listen. After all, don't we have to be still and silent for us to hear God? (That answer is NO, by the way. God can speak anyway He wants to and many times it is LOUDER than the noise we use to block Him out). We think by keeping the television on we won't be distracted by what He is telling us by the shows we are watching. And some shows we shouldn't be watching - especially when our children are nearby. What you watch is giving your children permission to act out. Think about that one.
Instead of busying yourself today, how about taking some time to just sit back and be silent. You don't need a headset to do that - just turn off the television, your cell phone, and go off by yourself. For some of you it is the bathroom where you can be alone - unless you have children (or dogs, as Marley often follows me) who follows you everywhere. Yes, Mary, I remember the fingers under the door. :-) Get to a quiet place and be silent. Sure, you may fall asleep, but don't think for one moment that God can not speak to you while you are asleep. He can speak to you wherever He wants to.
Instead of telling someone you can't hear them today, take some time to really listen to them. Listen to their heart, the words they say, the tone they are said in. Is the voice weary and sad, tired and lonely? Don't shut them out and say "I can't hear you, I don't care what you say.". Instead, take some time to make eye contact and really listen to your spouse, to your child. You may get to know them a little better. Sometimes all they want is just for you to listen. No advice, no comments, nothing but listening.
You want to be heard. Remove the busy headsets of life and stop. And listen. Some One wants to talk with you.
Blessings!
Hubby actually accused me of wanting to blocking him out with the headset. I could make a funny and say "and I need a headset for that?" but I didn't. And I won't. My purpose for the headset is truly to block out the television so that I can read while he is watching a show I don't care about.
It gives me pause those to think of those times we stick our fingers in our ears and go "lalalalalalala" so that we don't hear what people are saying. When we don't want to HEAR what they are saying. You know what I mean. We think that if we plug our ears that we are then no longer responsible for hearing - or not hearing - the things we know we should listen to.
Kind of like our children - they don't want to hear us correct them, or 'suggest' they clean up their room, or do their homework. Or like our spouses to block the other spouse 'out' so that they don't have to listen to them. Yes, I will confess, I am guilty of that as well as you are. But sometimes it is an honest block out in that we are so focused on something else we really don't hear them speak - and that is in my defense as well as yours.
I think that sometimes we also do that to God, don't you think? We don't want to hear God speak to us so we busy ourselves with stuff so that we don't have to slow down to listen. After all, don't we have to be still and silent for us to hear God? (That answer is NO, by the way. God can speak anyway He wants to and many times it is LOUDER than the noise we use to block Him out). We think by keeping the television on we won't be distracted by what He is telling us by the shows we are watching. And some shows we shouldn't be watching - especially when our children are nearby. What you watch is giving your children permission to act out. Think about that one.
Instead of busying yourself today, how about taking some time to just sit back and be silent. You don't need a headset to do that - just turn off the television, your cell phone, and go off by yourself. For some of you it is the bathroom where you can be alone - unless you have children (or dogs, as Marley often follows me) who follows you everywhere. Yes, Mary, I remember the fingers under the door. :-) Get to a quiet place and be silent. Sure, you may fall asleep, but don't think for one moment that God can not speak to you while you are asleep. He can speak to you wherever He wants to.
Instead of telling someone you can't hear them today, take some time to really listen to them. Listen to their heart, the words they say, the tone they are said in. Is the voice weary and sad, tired and lonely? Don't shut them out and say "I can't hear you, I don't care what you say.". Instead, take some time to make eye contact and really listen to your spouse, to your child. You may get to know them a little better. Sometimes all they want is just for you to listen. No advice, no comments, nothing but listening.
You want to be heard. Remove the busy headsets of life and stop. And listen. Some One wants to talk with you.
Blessings!
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Changing Prayers.....
This morning on my way in to work I did something different. Instead of praying and ASKING for things, asking for things to happen, asking for people to change, etc., I began to THANK God for answering my prayers.
True, He hasn't answered them yet, or I would have already been thanking Him, but I know that He will answer in His timing, so I decided to just thank Him for answering them now. I prayed especially for this young woman from church who is fighting for her life as her body fights infection and organ shutdown. Although I have been praying for her, asking for her healing, today I prayed and thanked God for healing her. I thanked Him that He was already at work in her body, mending the places the infection had destroyed, making her like new.
Am I wrong to assume that God will answer my prayers? I don't think so. Will He heal her and answer not only my prayers but the prayers of thousands of others praying for this young woman? I don't know for I don't know His thoughts. One thing I do know, if we don't ask, He won't answer. Well, we would assume it is by the doctors hands and not by God's. All Glory, Honor and Power is His and His alone.
I remember times when I have prayed fervently for someone and they were healed (not because of my prayers, but because I joined with others in prayer) and yet, I have prayed fervently other times and God has chosen not to heal. And I don't always understand. I probably really never understand why God would answer and heal one person, and yet, not another who deserved to live as much as the other.
And we are not to second guess God. His thoughts are not our thoughts. He knows what we are thinking even before we think it. We are even given the option of doing what we are thinking. But He doesn't think like we do. Our God sees the big picture while all we see is what is in front of us.
I got a text last night from someone who is hurting deeply. Their spouse basically lied to them about something. It could be 'no big deal', except for the fact the spouse made themselves seem so good and wonderful, only to shattered the other with not following through. I know, I'm being vague. All I could think of was 'what a jerk!'. I did say that last night - and followed it up with an apology this morning for saying it and just saying "I'm sorry".
How could we pray about that? Would we say 'thank you' for this situation happening? Perhaps, if we saw the bigger picture, but for now, all we can see is the hurt and anger. I know, I've been there many times. It eventually works out, but in the present tense, it is painful to work through. I suppose we could pray and say thank you for this learning experience. Sometimes that is all we can be thankful for.
Today I am also thankful for my job. I'm thankful for my family. I'm thankful for my church. But more than anything else, I'm thankful I serve a God who is forgiving, loving and faithful.
What are you thankful for today? Is there someone you need to thank?
Blessings!
True, He hasn't answered them yet, or I would have already been thanking Him, but I know that He will answer in His timing, so I decided to just thank Him for answering them now. I prayed especially for this young woman from church who is fighting for her life as her body fights infection and organ shutdown. Although I have been praying for her, asking for her healing, today I prayed and thanked God for healing her. I thanked Him that He was already at work in her body, mending the places the infection had destroyed, making her like new.
Am I wrong to assume that God will answer my prayers? I don't think so. Will He heal her and answer not only my prayers but the prayers of thousands of others praying for this young woman? I don't know for I don't know His thoughts. One thing I do know, if we don't ask, He won't answer. Well, we would assume it is by the doctors hands and not by God's. All Glory, Honor and Power is His and His alone.
I remember times when I have prayed fervently for someone and they were healed (not because of my prayers, but because I joined with others in prayer) and yet, I have prayed fervently other times and God has chosen not to heal. And I don't always understand. I probably really never understand why God would answer and heal one person, and yet, not another who deserved to live as much as the other.
And we are not to second guess God. His thoughts are not our thoughts. He knows what we are thinking even before we think it. We are even given the option of doing what we are thinking. But He doesn't think like we do. Our God sees the big picture while all we see is what is in front of us.
I got a text last night from someone who is hurting deeply. Their spouse basically lied to them about something. It could be 'no big deal', except for the fact the spouse made themselves seem so good and wonderful, only to shattered the other with not following through. I know, I'm being vague. All I could think of was 'what a jerk!'. I did say that last night - and followed it up with an apology this morning for saying it and just saying "I'm sorry".
How could we pray about that? Would we say 'thank you' for this situation happening? Perhaps, if we saw the bigger picture, but for now, all we can see is the hurt and anger. I know, I've been there many times. It eventually works out, but in the present tense, it is painful to work through. I suppose we could pray and say thank you for this learning experience. Sometimes that is all we can be thankful for.
Today I am also thankful for my job. I'm thankful for my family. I'm thankful for my church. But more than anything else, I'm thankful I serve a God who is forgiving, loving and faithful.
What are you thankful for today? Is there someone you need to thank?
Blessings!
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Surprise us, Lord!
I read in a devotional about how we are sometimes 'surprised' how God intervenes in situations. That thought has caused me to ponder. Why are we surprised? I find it even more interesting that when God acts on our behalf, or on the behalf of others, we are "amazed". Why is that? I don't know the answers to either of the questions.
We ask God for things, and then sometimes forget that we asked Him. So, if we asked Him six months ago and He has now chosen in His timing to answer, are we 'amazed' at His goodness, or 'surprised' at what He has done for us?
Why can't we always expect God to answer our requests?
Genesis 18:33 "And the Lord went on his way when he had finished his conversation with Abraham. And Abraham returned to his tent."
If you recall that scripture, it was when the Lord told Abraham that He was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and Abraham's cousin, Lot, lived there. Abraham wanted to save Lot, so he asked the Lord not once, but from 50 all the way to 10, Abraham was bold enough to ask God to save the city if 10 godly people could be found. God showed Abraham that asking for anything is allowed, with the understanding that God's answers come from God's perspective. They are not always in harmony with our expectations, for only He knows the whole story. Are you missing God's answer to a prayer of yours because you haven't considered any possible answers other than the one you expect?
Sometimes I pray and know that God is going to answer, and I may even think I know how He is going to answer - but He never does it in my time table. For example, when I was looking for a job, I knew that He would provide a job for me. I just knew it. I just didn't know when. In my confidence of my worth and value as an employee, the places I applied I expected to be contacted and hired immediately. Most times I wasn't even called. Puzzled, humbled, confused, I sought God and asked 'why?'. I still don't know why He chose not to offer me any of those positions, other than when I applied I knew in my heart I really didn't want to do that type of job at that level anymore. I didn't enjoy it that much before, and to think I may be spending the rest of my life doing that didn't bring me joy. (See, He knew I wouldn't enjoy it.) I knew I needed a job and it was getting desperate here at the end.
The job I have now I truly believe opened up just for me. It wasn't open in the beginning. When I applied for it, and got the interview, I still didn't know if I would be selected. I wasn't offered much hope, just that they would call if I was selected. I waited. And waited. Finally I got the call I was waiting for. And right on God's timing. I've shared that story many times so won't go into it. No, I wasn't surprised I got this job, I was surprised it took so long for me to get a job. But it was all in God's timing, God's choosing a job for me, and nothing to do with me.
Every day I ask for God's favor that I will remember to do all that I am required to do 'and then some'. I know He has me here for a reason. Today I am asking that He 'surprise' me. I don't know what He is going to do. I don't know if He will do it here - or later today after I leave. He may choose not to even do it today, but I hope that I recognize His hand and thank Him when it happens.
I love it when He surprises me. Take some time today and reflect on the surprises God brings your way. Thank Him for them. Then sit back and watch His hand - He is set to do something 'amazing' in your life today.
Blessings!
We ask God for things, and then sometimes forget that we asked Him. So, if we asked Him six months ago and He has now chosen in His timing to answer, are we 'amazed' at His goodness, or 'surprised' at what He has done for us?
Why can't we always expect God to answer our requests?
Genesis 18:33 "And the Lord went on his way when he had finished his conversation with Abraham. And Abraham returned to his tent."
If you recall that scripture, it was when the Lord told Abraham that He was going to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and Abraham's cousin, Lot, lived there. Abraham wanted to save Lot, so he asked the Lord not once, but from 50 all the way to 10, Abraham was bold enough to ask God to save the city if 10 godly people could be found. God showed Abraham that asking for anything is allowed, with the understanding that God's answers come from God's perspective. They are not always in harmony with our expectations, for only He knows the whole story. Are you missing God's answer to a prayer of yours because you haven't considered any possible answers other than the one you expect?
Sometimes I pray and know that God is going to answer, and I may even think I know how He is going to answer - but He never does it in my time table. For example, when I was looking for a job, I knew that He would provide a job for me. I just knew it. I just didn't know when. In my confidence of my worth and value as an employee, the places I applied I expected to be contacted and hired immediately. Most times I wasn't even called. Puzzled, humbled, confused, I sought God and asked 'why?'. I still don't know why He chose not to offer me any of those positions, other than when I applied I knew in my heart I really didn't want to do that type of job at that level anymore. I didn't enjoy it that much before, and to think I may be spending the rest of my life doing that didn't bring me joy. (See, He knew I wouldn't enjoy it.) I knew I needed a job and it was getting desperate here at the end.
The job I have now I truly believe opened up just for me. It wasn't open in the beginning. When I applied for it, and got the interview, I still didn't know if I would be selected. I wasn't offered much hope, just that they would call if I was selected. I waited. And waited. Finally I got the call I was waiting for. And right on God's timing. I've shared that story many times so won't go into it. No, I wasn't surprised I got this job, I was surprised it took so long for me to get a job. But it was all in God's timing, God's choosing a job for me, and nothing to do with me.
Every day I ask for God's favor that I will remember to do all that I am required to do 'and then some'. I know He has me here for a reason. Today I am asking that He 'surprise' me. I don't know what He is going to do. I don't know if He will do it here - or later today after I leave. He may choose not to even do it today, but I hope that I recognize His hand and thank Him when it happens.
I love it when He surprises me. Take some time today and reflect on the surprises God brings your way. Thank Him for them. Then sit back and watch His hand - He is set to do something 'amazing' in your life today.
Blessings!
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Moving Past Our Devastation
I get to speak at Pioneer Village RV Park on January 27 and I have been trying to decide what to speak on. I have prayed about it, but haven't anything concrete. For now, I feel I'm being led to speak on "Moving Past Our Devastation", which is one I have done previously elsewhere.
The message is based on 2 Samuel 6:1-15 when David brings the Ark to Jerusalem. Remember the story?
"Then David mobilized thirty thousand special troops and led them to Baal-judah to bring home the Ark of the Lord of heaven who is enthroned about the Guardian Angels. The Ark was placed upon a new cart and taken from the hillside home of Abinadab. It was driven by Abinadab's sons, Uzzah and Ahio. Ahio was walking in front, and was followed by David and the other leaders of Israel, who were joyously waving branches of juniper trees and playing every sort of musical instrument before the Lord - lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.
But when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled and Uzzah put out his hand to steady the Ark. Then the anger of the Lord flared out against Uzzah and he killed him for doing this, so he died there beside the Ark. David was angry at what the Lord had done, and named the spot "The Place of Wrath upon Uzzah" (which it is still called to this day).
David was now afraid of the Lord and asked, "How can I ever bring the Ark home?" So he decided against taking it into the City of David, but carried it instead to the home of Obed-edom, who had come from Gath. It remained there for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household.
When David heard this, he brought the Ark to the City of David with a great celebration. After the men who were carrying it had gone six paces, they stopped and waited so that the could sacrifice an ox and a fat lamb. And David danced before the Lord with all his might, and was wearing priests' clothing. So Israel brought home the Ark of the Lord with much shouting and blowing of trumpets."
What was the devastation in this story? It wasn't so much that Uzzah was killed when he was disobedient and touched the Ark, although that is sad. It was more that although David knew how to move the Ark, he did it the way the Philistines moved the Ark - on a cart pulled by oxen. Each king is to write all the words of the Torah when they become king, so that they will know what the Lord says to do in order to be blessed and for Israel to be blessed. David knew. But he still chose to do it the wrong way. So Uzzah died because he tried to keep the Ark from falling. David became afraid of the Lord.
Isn't that what we do sometimes? When things become tragic in our life we 'become afraid' of the Lord and blame God for our disaster? Our devastation? The Lord didn't do anything wrong - yes, Uzzah died, but the law clearly stated no one was to touch the Ark of the Lord - especially one who wasn't a priest!
When David heard that Obed-edom was being blessed, he remembered how the Ark was to be carried and had the priests carry the Ark on poles and they sacrificed all the way back to the City of David, and the Lord blessed him.
What do you do when disaster strikes? Do you get angry at God because someone you loved died? Do you hold anger against someone because what they did hurt your feelings? Do you distance yourself from those who you feel hurt you or someone your love rather than getting to the root of the problem and determine if you misunderstood?
We need to move past all that 'stuff' that holds us to this world. We need to move past the hurt, the anger, the devastation of what has happened to us, or we perceived happened to us. We need to step beyond that and keep on living.
When we allow the past to shadow our present, we can not live in the fullness of life that we were created to live.
What's your story? Are you ready to move past the past and start living in the present? You haven't truly begun to live and be a blessing to others until you let go of the things that hold you in the past. Feel the freedom letting go brings. Do it today.
Blessings!
The message is based on 2 Samuel 6:1-15 when David brings the Ark to Jerusalem. Remember the story?
"Then David mobilized thirty thousand special troops and led them to Baal-judah to bring home the Ark of the Lord of heaven who is enthroned about the Guardian Angels. The Ark was placed upon a new cart and taken from the hillside home of Abinadab. It was driven by Abinadab's sons, Uzzah and Ahio. Ahio was walking in front, and was followed by David and the other leaders of Israel, who were joyously waving branches of juniper trees and playing every sort of musical instrument before the Lord - lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals.
But when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled and Uzzah put out his hand to steady the Ark. Then the anger of the Lord flared out against Uzzah and he killed him for doing this, so he died there beside the Ark. David was angry at what the Lord had done, and named the spot "The Place of Wrath upon Uzzah" (which it is still called to this day).
David was now afraid of the Lord and asked, "How can I ever bring the Ark home?" So he decided against taking it into the City of David, but carried it instead to the home of Obed-edom, who had come from Gath. It remained there for three months, and the Lord blessed Obed-edom and all his household.
When David heard this, he brought the Ark to the City of David with a great celebration. After the men who were carrying it had gone six paces, they stopped and waited so that the could sacrifice an ox and a fat lamb. And David danced before the Lord with all his might, and was wearing priests' clothing. So Israel brought home the Ark of the Lord with much shouting and blowing of trumpets."
What was the devastation in this story? It wasn't so much that Uzzah was killed when he was disobedient and touched the Ark, although that is sad. It was more that although David knew how to move the Ark, he did it the way the Philistines moved the Ark - on a cart pulled by oxen. Each king is to write all the words of the Torah when they become king, so that they will know what the Lord says to do in order to be blessed and for Israel to be blessed. David knew. But he still chose to do it the wrong way. So Uzzah died because he tried to keep the Ark from falling. David became afraid of the Lord.
Isn't that what we do sometimes? When things become tragic in our life we 'become afraid' of the Lord and blame God for our disaster? Our devastation? The Lord didn't do anything wrong - yes, Uzzah died, but the law clearly stated no one was to touch the Ark of the Lord - especially one who wasn't a priest!
When David heard that Obed-edom was being blessed, he remembered how the Ark was to be carried and had the priests carry the Ark on poles and they sacrificed all the way back to the City of David, and the Lord blessed him.
What do you do when disaster strikes? Do you get angry at God because someone you loved died? Do you hold anger against someone because what they did hurt your feelings? Do you distance yourself from those who you feel hurt you or someone your love rather than getting to the root of the problem and determine if you misunderstood?
We need to move past all that 'stuff' that holds us to this world. We need to move past the hurt, the anger, the devastation of what has happened to us, or we perceived happened to us. We need to step beyond that and keep on living.
When we allow the past to shadow our present, we can not live in the fullness of life that we were created to live.
What's your story? Are you ready to move past the past and start living in the present? You haven't truly begun to live and be a blessing to others until you let go of the things that hold you in the past. Feel the freedom letting go brings. Do it today.
Blessings!
Monday, January 14, 2013
It's Monday....and It's COLD!!
Monday - the first day of my work week. I awoke about 5 minutes before the alarm went off, shut it off, and just laid there. It was cold in my room and I didn't want to crawl out from under the nice warm covers. But I did. And here I am at work, ready - well, almost ready - to start work. We can't start until 8AM and since I have a little time, thought that I would get my blog completed.
I went outside this morning to get my things in the car to come to work. I could see my breath! That is always a sign that it is REALLY cold out! After I got my car started and let it run for a few minutes, I checked to see what the car said the temperature was. Our phones showed it was 32 degrees; however, the car showed what I say is the real temperature outside - 24 degrees!! Now that is cold!
I'm glad I had hubby pull oranges off the tree yesterday - it appears the frost from the night before hadn't reached the oranges so we got two bags. However, he did not get them all, and said he would get more today - but after it dropping to 24 degrees and possibly lower - I don't know if they would make it. Oh well, if he pulls them I guess we will see. I've given some to our neighbors and some to friends. I think my children - those that would want them - still have from before. If not, if they read this and want more - please stop by the house (after checking to be sure Tom is home) and pick up all you want. I got it down to one bag full so we'll see what he pulls today. He isn't feeling too well - has caught a cold over the weekend so will definitely be hanging around the house. For me, I'm making sure I eat lots of oranges (vitamin C) and taking my olive leaf extract. I told hubby chicken noodle soup for lunch!
Speaking of soup - the roasted tomato red bell pepper soup I made yesterday was really good. I had just enough left to bring for lunch today. It called for a can of diced tomatoes as well - so to spice it up I used diced tomatoes with jalapenos. It really made it spicy hot. And really good.
Coldness. We have all kinds of coldness, don't we? Cold shoulder; cough colds, sniffling sneezing colds, and we can even have cold hearts. When we turn away from God, our hearts become dark and cold. You may begin to wonder if there is any hope for you away from God. There isn't. It's all God or none. You find your life unsettled, empty, cold, dark without God.
But with God, you will receive strength for each new day, hope to encourage you, brightness of life to breathe into you, and joy unspeakable.
Which would you rather have? Blessings beyond blessings or darkness beyond despair? It is always our choice. God is so good He allows us to make the choice. He doesn't force anything or anyone upon us. If we choose Him, we choose Life. If we do not choose Him, we choose death.
In Him we live and move and have our being. I'm sure that is in scripture - it's in a song we sing and it just came to mind. I want to live and move and have my being - and I pray that you do too.
Blessings!
I went outside this morning to get my things in the car to come to work. I could see my breath! That is always a sign that it is REALLY cold out! After I got my car started and let it run for a few minutes, I checked to see what the car said the temperature was. Our phones showed it was 32 degrees; however, the car showed what I say is the real temperature outside - 24 degrees!! Now that is cold!
I'm glad I had hubby pull oranges off the tree yesterday - it appears the frost from the night before hadn't reached the oranges so we got two bags. However, he did not get them all, and said he would get more today - but after it dropping to 24 degrees and possibly lower - I don't know if they would make it. Oh well, if he pulls them I guess we will see. I've given some to our neighbors and some to friends. I think my children - those that would want them - still have from before. If not, if they read this and want more - please stop by the house (after checking to be sure Tom is home) and pick up all you want. I got it down to one bag full so we'll see what he pulls today. He isn't feeling too well - has caught a cold over the weekend so will definitely be hanging around the house. For me, I'm making sure I eat lots of oranges (vitamin C) and taking my olive leaf extract. I told hubby chicken noodle soup for lunch!
Speaking of soup - the roasted tomato red bell pepper soup I made yesterday was really good. I had just enough left to bring for lunch today. It called for a can of diced tomatoes as well - so to spice it up I used diced tomatoes with jalapenos. It really made it spicy hot. And really good.
Coldness. We have all kinds of coldness, don't we? Cold shoulder; cough colds, sniffling sneezing colds, and we can even have cold hearts. When we turn away from God, our hearts become dark and cold. You may begin to wonder if there is any hope for you away from God. There isn't. It's all God or none. You find your life unsettled, empty, cold, dark without God.
But with God, you will receive strength for each new day, hope to encourage you, brightness of life to breathe into you, and joy unspeakable.
Which would you rather have? Blessings beyond blessings or darkness beyond despair? It is always our choice. God is so good He allows us to make the choice. He doesn't force anything or anyone upon us. If we choose Him, we choose Life. If we do not choose Him, we choose death.
In Him we live and move and have our being. I'm sure that is in scripture - it's in a song we sing and it just came to mind. I want to live and move and have my being - and I pray that you do too.
Blessings!
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Another start...
Well, being Sunday, it is the start of something - the start of a new week! I woke up at my usual time, 4AM, and decided I was going to go back to sleep. 5AM same thing. The bed was much too warm to get out of and not having to. Finally at 6AM I got up and went to do my quiet time before church. I was surprised that I fell back to sleep - usually I lay there awake and kick myself for not going ahead and getting up. Tom - and Marley - did not wake up until nearly 7AM!
Getting up early and getting dressed wasn't a problem, but it sure was cold outside when we left for church! We are greeters at church and there was an appreciation breakfast this morning. We were both looking forward to it. Alas, it was an egg dish made with bread and sausage, muffins, and fruit. All I got was the fruit, but it was good! Surprisingly I haven't been that hungry after I got home. I fixed Tom a can of soup and headed to the grocery - came back and washed/cut up fruit and vegetables and put some tomatoes, onions and garlic in the roasting pan - found a recipe in my weight watcher cookbook for a roasted tomato-bell pepper soup. This should be interesting. Not the usual type of soup I fix. Will see!
I really want to make cookies and chocolate covered pretzels, but since I can't have any of them, I'm stalling. I did check the calendar - I can have it on the 22nd so may wait until the 26th to create my 'stash'. I do love to cook; just don't do much of it anymore. Soup sounded good tonight - but my reluctance comes from not eating crackers right now. And I love a good soup with crackers. Since this is a new soup perhaps it won't be as bad without them. My problem is that sometimes when I make a new dish, I'm reluctant to try it because I've smelled it so much while putting it together. I think I will try this and mark my book if I will try it again. I've already altered the recipe, so it isn't even the same anyway.
We had a good service this morning at church. The message was on "Facing the Bullies". Rather than go into great detail - here are some interesting points that were made.
Big idea: Taking down the bully of our souls.
Bullies tactic: Challenge our strength.
Bullies tactic: Boast about their power.
Bullies tactic: Attack the plan.
Facing the bullies: Go humbly before God
Facing the bullies: Remind God who He is.
Facing the bullies: Highlight the enemy's plan.
When you face your bully, only then are you ready to ask for deliverance.
God's action plan: Reminds us He will never forget us.
God's action plan: Tells us to hold on.
God's action plan: Sends a deliverer.
Big question: Will we help others fight the bully of their souls?
Perhaps a temptation is your bully. Something you know is wrong, but you are drawn to it anyway - and allow it to overtake you. For some, especially men, it is beautiful women (or sexual). For some people it is food that is your bully. Or perhaps it is control, addictions. Many women drooled over the movie Magic Mike - which was nothing more than mommie porn. Women don't realize that the movies they sometimes watch are as bad as the sexual movies men watch. What are you watching in your homes, perhaps allowing your children to watch? What are you going to the movies to watch?
Or, do you have a bully in your life that perhaps doesn't frighten you, but annoys you? Someone who is always trying to push you around either verbally, emotionally, or physically?
Take this issue - whatever it is - and lay it before God. Tell Him about it and remind God how powerful He is, and how weak you are. Tell God (yes, He does already know, but when you tell Him how it affects you, you are acknowledging how weak you are in this area) what you do when you find yourself in those situations. Remind God He said your name is engraved in the palm of His hand, and He knows you better than you know yourself. Tell God you will hold on to Him and trust Him for His deliverance. Then trust Him to give you the strength to walk away, or bring someone into your life to help you.
God is faithful; He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. He will show you a way out so that you can endure. I Corinthians 10:13 NLT
Don't try to be 'tough' and that you can do this on your own. Allow someone in your life to be accountable to and to walk this journey with you.
Reach up to God and grab hold of His hand - and hold on!! You are in for a ride!
Blessings!
Getting up early and getting dressed wasn't a problem, but it sure was cold outside when we left for church! We are greeters at church and there was an appreciation breakfast this morning. We were both looking forward to it. Alas, it was an egg dish made with bread and sausage, muffins, and fruit. All I got was the fruit, but it was good! Surprisingly I haven't been that hungry after I got home. I fixed Tom a can of soup and headed to the grocery - came back and washed/cut up fruit and vegetables and put some tomatoes, onions and garlic in the roasting pan - found a recipe in my weight watcher cookbook for a roasted tomato-bell pepper soup. This should be interesting. Not the usual type of soup I fix. Will see!
I really want to make cookies and chocolate covered pretzels, but since I can't have any of them, I'm stalling. I did check the calendar - I can have it on the 22nd so may wait until the 26th to create my 'stash'. I do love to cook; just don't do much of it anymore. Soup sounded good tonight - but my reluctance comes from not eating crackers right now. And I love a good soup with crackers. Since this is a new soup perhaps it won't be as bad without them. My problem is that sometimes when I make a new dish, I'm reluctant to try it because I've smelled it so much while putting it together. I think I will try this and mark my book if I will try it again. I've already altered the recipe, so it isn't even the same anyway.
We had a good service this morning at church. The message was on "Facing the Bullies". Rather than go into great detail - here are some interesting points that were made.
Big idea: Taking down the bully of our souls.
Bullies tactic: Challenge our strength.
Bullies tactic: Boast about their power.
Bullies tactic: Attack the plan.
Facing the bullies: Go humbly before God
Facing the bullies: Remind God who He is.
Facing the bullies: Highlight the enemy's plan.
When you face your bully, only then are you ready to ask for deliverance.
God's action plan: Reminds us He will never forget us.
God's action plan: Tells us to hold on.
God's action plan: Sends a deliverer.
Big question: Will we help others fight the bully of their souls?
Perhaps a temptation is your bully. Something you know is wrong, but you are drawn to it anyway - and allow it to overtake you. For some, especially men, it is beautiful women (or sexual). For some people it is food that is your bully. Or perhaps it is control, addictions. Many women drooled over the movie Magic Mike - which was nothing more than mommie porn. Women don't realize that the movies they sometimes watch are as bad as the sexual movies men watch. What are you watching in your homes, perhaps allowing your children to watch? What are you going to the movies to watch?
Or, do you have a bully in your life that perhaps doesn't frighten you, but annoys you? Someone who is always trying to push you around either verbally, emotionally, or physically?
Take this issue - whatever it is - and lay it before God. Tell Him about it and remind God how powerful He is, and how weak you are. Tell God (yes, He does already know, but when you tell Him how it affects you, you are acknowledging how weak you are in this area) what you do when you find yourself in those situations. Remind God He said your name is engraved in the palm of His hand, and He knows you better than you know yourself. Tell God you will hold on to Him and trust Him for His deliverance. Then trust Him to give you the strength to walk away, or bring someone into your life to help you.
God is faithful; He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. He will show you a way out so that you can endure. I Corinthians 10:13 NLT
Don't try to be 'tough' and that you can do this on your own. Allow someone in your life to be accountable to and to walk this journey with you.
Reach up to God and grab hold of His hand - and hold on!! You are in for a ride!
Blessings!
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Normal Saturday Night...almost
It has been a busy Saturday! Got up early and headed over to the church where I volunteer with Market on the Move. Spent most of the morning there, bought some of the produce ($10 for 60 lbs produce) to share with my daughter and daughter-in-law (and me) then headed home. After a quick stop at the daughter-in-law's mother's house to drop off what I picked up for her (she had class today and couldn't go) - getting to see my Princess and two of the grandsons - headed on over to my daughter's where I got to visit for a bit with another grandson and granddaughter. Dropped more produce off there and headed home. Hubby & I then headed to Applebees to use up a gift card for lunch.
After we got home from lunch, I 'harnessed' Marley and we went to the canal for a 3+ miles walk. It was a beautiful day here - a little nippy, but clear and beautiful. This morning it was downright cold - 29 degrees!! The walk was perfect on such a day. When we came home from the walk though, I think Marley and I both collapsed. Well, actually, I found hubby asleep in his chair with a football game going so I left Marley outside and I took a quick shower. It was actually funny - I was out of the shower and heard hubby moving around; as I opened doors, he would shut them, not realizing I was in the room! I think he was still asleep! I finally finished getting dressed and came out and asked him when was he going to notice I was home! lol
I've kind of chilled out since the walk. I washed up tomatoes and bell peppers to put in the refrigerator and sat down to read a magazine. Now I'm on the computer for a little while.
The TV is still on a football game; hubby will soon go through all the NCIS shows he has recorded, then the NCIS LA shows - or he may ask if I want to watch a movie. Actually, none of those. I'd love an evening when I could sit and read and just be quiet. We have those occasionally, but not often enough to suit me. Last night he had the TV on (loud) and he slept. I nearly watched a movie on my kindle fire but couldn't find one I wanted to watch that I hadn't seen before. Tonight I'm a bit tired so after playing on the computer some, want to just be quiet and read.
But then again, what is normal? Would one call this 'boring'? Could be. Some of the grandchildren might. But I do enjoy retreating into my own little world and reading. I think my middle child has inherited my love of reading and hibernating within a book. When I was growing up, I would read a book a day; my way of escape from reality. Today I read also for my enjoyment; just don't do enough reading even though I have the kindle fire and the nook. I'm still downloading books, though, with the hopes that some day I will be able to 'escape' for a time and spend my time enjoying the journey of reading.
Hope to get on a more regular basis of writing again; just have been busy and not getting online in the evenings. Some, days it is too much effort to battle turning the laptop on. In the meantime, I will do what I do when I can do it.
Have a good evening, a restful night, and a great beginning in the morning!
Blessings!
After we got home from lunch, I 'harnessed' Marley and we went to the canal for a 3+ miles walk. It was a beautiful day here - a little nippy, but clear and beautiful. This morning it was downright cold - 29 degrees!! The walk was perfect on such a day. When we came home from the walk though, I think Marley and I both collapsed. Well, actually, I found hubby asleep in his chair with a football game going so I left Marley outside and I took a quick shower. It was actually funny - I was out of the shower and heard hubby moving around; as I opened doors, he would shut them, not realizing I was in the room! I think he was still asleep! I finally finished getting dressed and came out and asked him when was he going to notice I was home! lol
I've kind of chilled out since the walk. I washed up tomatoes and bell peppers to put in the refrigerator and sat down to read a magazine. Now I'm on the computer for a little while.
The TV is still on a football game; hubby will soon go through all the NCIS shows he has recorded, then the NCIS LA shows - or he may ask if I want to watch a movie. Actually, none of those. I'd love an evening when I could sit and read and just be quiet. We have those occasionally, but not often enough to suit me. Last night he had the TV on (loud) and he slept. I nearly watched a movie on my kindle fire but couldn't find one I wanted to watch that I hadn't seen before. Tonight I'm a bit tired so after playing on the computer some, want to just be quiet and read.
But then again, what is normal? Would one call this 'boring'? Could be. Some of the grandchildren might. But I do enjoy retreating into my own little world and reading. I think my middle child has inherited my love of reading and hibernating within a book. When I was growing up, I would read a book a day; my way of escape from reality. Today I read also for my enjoyment; just don't do enough reading even though I have the kindle fire and the nook. I'm still downloading books, though, with the hopes that some day I will be able to 'escape' for a time and spend my time enjoying the journey of reading.
Hope to get on a more regular basis of writing again; just have been busy and not getting online in the evenings. Some, days it is too much effort to battle turning the laptop on. In the meantime, I will do what I do when I can do it.
Have a good evening, a restful night, and a great beginning in the morning!
Blessings!
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Work....
I've been working for about six weeks now, and really do enjoy what I am doing. Not to say that if another opportunity within the company offered itself and I was eligible to make the move, that I wouldn't consider it. Part of the growing process, I guess.
What do I really do? I issue inpatient authorizations day in and day out, all day long. I'm feeling pretty confident on how to process them now, so that makes me a bit faster than I was in the beginning and having to ask all kinds of questions. I stare at two screens all day long and have found that having two screens is awesome for this type of work. I worked from home some during the holidays and learned quickly how awkward it is to try and complete these tasks on a one-screen computer.
I have been going in to work early and arriving around 7AM just so that I could beat the traffic. During the holidays we had two 4 days 'weekends' in a row so that put us on a tight schedule to get caught up again. My coworker and I - the only two doing the inpatient - did just that! She worked more overtime than I did, preferring my evenings and weekends NOT working. However, I did work from 7-5:30 many a night, with a shortened lunch break, during the week.
I need to leave early tomorrow for a meeting so got permission to make up my time. No biggie; nothing yet had been said about overtime. Today, Wednesday, we get 'the email' that says no more overtime. Period. But thanks for catching everything up. No worries. I sent a note back that since I was in a meeting today from 11-3:30, could I go ahead and stay until 5PM so that I could catch up on the work I wasn't able to get to. Her comment back? "As long as you only have 40 hours this week." Huh? I've already worked nearly 6 hours overtime and only need to make up 3 hours for leaving early tomorrow.
So I sat down to figure this out. I quit working at 4:30PM tonight and kind of hung around til 4:50 as there wasn't anyone I could ask if I could leave early and why (the boss had left at 4). I'm still pondering on how to use up some of this time - I think I have a couple options. I've decided that I will use the 3 hours tomorrow as scheduled, for it is a meeting I really need to attend outside the company. Overall, that still will leave me with about 3 hours to "lose". I think I will send an email to my boss and put it this way - either pay me for the time over for this week (I'm not adding any overtime as of today) or let me go home early on Friday to use it up. :-) I kind of like that idea - a lot - although we could use the little extra money. Then again, it would probably all be for taxes anyway. I will be pondering how to put the email together. I spoke with my coworker who has a lot more overtime than I do, and she said she was putting down all she had worked this week and just wouldn't work any more over. She and I both agree - working 8 hours a day, even for two of us, with the volume we have and the time it takes to input each one - well, we'll do our best, but if we get behind, they will have to ask us to work overtime. Especially come end of month. We are to have everything in by COB on the lst of each month. I'll probably ask if it gets bad - why put pressure on us? They don't know how to do these nor how long it takes for each one (depending on what the business unit is, it can take 15 minutes each or more). Then again, I'm the newbie.....
I came home to an empty house except for Marley tonight. I scrambled her and I up some eggs and she devoured hers, as did I. We have discovered that if we put her food down and walk into the other room, she won't eat. But if we stay right where she can see us, she will usually gobble most - if not all - of her food immediately. She gets so excited when I come home - she runs to the living room and sails across on the 'moving carpet'. Hmm, I wonder if she does that on purpose - to get a free ride?
I have things I need to get done tonight - which is why I didn't make it to church - so I need to get busy. I've decided I can do my blog in the early morning after I get to work - after all, I can't get paid for working more than 40 hours. I may as well get some things done I don't get done here at home.
Don't get me wrong about my job - I wouldn't mind if I was salaried (at a bit more, though) for then I would work until I was done. I really, really, do not like having to report my time in and out. And I won't lie about it. If I start at 7AM and work until 5:30PM, I'm going to say so. Some of the girls work on weekends at home and don't record their time, it's a 'give-ie'. More power to them - we will never get help if they keep that part of the job caught up. Oh well. Enough of my thoughts on that. Just something to write about before I get busy.
Maybe I will have something to post in the morning that is really refreshing. In the meantime, hope that you have a good evening.
Blessings!
What do I really do? I issue inpatient authorizations day in and day out, all day long. I'm feeling pretty confident on how to process them now, so that makes me a bit faster than I was in the beginning and having to ask all kinds of questions. I stare at two screens all day long and have found that having two screens is awesome for this type of work. I worked from home some during the holidays and learned quickly how awkward it is to try and complete these tasks on a one-screen computer.
I have been going in to work early and arriving around 7AM just so that I could beat the traffic. During the holidays we had two 4 days 'weekends' in a row so that put us on a tight schedule to get caught up again. My coworker and I - the only two doing the inpatient - did just that! She worked more overtime than I did, preferring my evenings and weekends NOT working. However, I did work from 7-5:30 many a night, with a shortened lunch break, during the week.
I need to leave early tomorrow for a meeting so got permission to make up my time. No biggie; nothing yet had been said about overtime. Today, Wednesday, we get 'the email' that says no more overtime. Period. But thanks for catching everything up. No worries. I sent a note back that since I was in a meeting today from 11-3:30, could I go ahead and stay until 5PM so that I could catch up on the work I wasn't able to get to. Her comment back? "As long as you only have 40 hours this week." Huh? I've already worked nearly 6 hours overtime and only need to make up 3 hours for leaving early tomorrow.
So I sat down to figure this out. I quit working at 4:30PM tonight and kind of hung around til 4:50 as there wasn't anyone I could ask if I could leave early and why (the boss had left at 4). I'm still pondering on how to use up some of this time - I think I have a couple options. I've decided that I will use the 3 hours tomorrow as scheduled, for it is a meeting I really need to attend outside the company. Overall, that still will leave me with about 3 hours to "lose". I think I will send an email to my boss and put it this way - either pay me for the time over for this week (I'm not adding any overtime as of today) or let me go home early on Friday to use it up. :-) I kind of like that idea - a lot - although we could use the little extra money. Then again, it would probably all be for taxes anyway. I will be pondering how to put the email together. I spoke with my coworker who has a lot more overtime than I do, and she said she was putting down all she had worked this week and just wouldn't work any more over. She and I both agree - working 8 hours a day, even for two of us, with the volume we have and the time it takes to input each one - well, we'll do our best, but if we get behind, they will have to ask us to work overtime. Especially come end of month. We are to have everything in by COB on the lst of each month. I'll probably ask if it gets bad - why put pressure on us? They don't know how to do these nor how long it takes for each one (depending on what the business unit is, it can take 15 minutes each or more). Then again, I'm the newbie.....
I came home to an empty house except for Marley tonight. I scrambled her and I up some eggs and she devoured hers, as did I. We have discovered that if we put her food down and walk into the other room, she won't eat. But if we stay right where she can see us, she will usually gobble most - if not all - of her food immediately. She gets so excited when I come home - she runs to the living room and sails across on the 'moving carpet'. Hmm, I wonder if she does that on purpose - to get a free ride?
I have things I need to get done tonight - which is why I didn't make it to church - so I need to get busy. I've decided I can do my blog in the early morning after I get to work - after all, I can't get paid for working more than 40 hours. I may as well get some things done I don't get done here at home.
Don't get me wrong about my job - I wouldn't mind if I was salaried (at a bit more, though) for then I would work until I was done. I really, really, do not like having to report my time in and out. And I won't lie about it. If I start at 7AM and work until 5:30PM, I'm going to say so. Some of the girls work on weekends at home and don't record their time, it's a 'give-ie'. More power to them - we will never get help if they keep that part of the job caught up. Oh well. Enough of my thoughts on that. Just something to write about before I get busy.
Maybe I will have something to post in the morning that is really refreshing. In the meantime, hope that you have a good evening.
Blessings!
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Making soup.....
There are lots of things that go into a good soup. I love soup, even the canned kind, and enjoy making it as well. Especially when it is cold - or cool - out, a hot bowl of good soup is always good. As I made up a grocery list this morning I found a soup recipe that I thought I would make for today. I picked up the needed items at the grocery, and have it now partially made, and in the crockpot cooking on high for the next four hours. It is actually supposed to cook on low for 7 hours, but it's after noon, and I want it by 5-6PM today. I'm improvising.
I suppose I could have started earlier on it, like when we got home from the grocery store. However, after unloading everything and putting it away (I did get the beans on to cook for a bit then soak), we decided to take Marley to the dog park and let her run a bit. I think everyone had that same idea for there were lots of dogs there today - more than we have seen since we have been taking her. Of course it is in the middle of the day and it is a beautiful day outside. After letting her play for awhile we came back home, gave her a treat, and put her back outside to soak up the sun.
And I started on my soup. What kind of soup is it? It's called Hearty White Bean Chili. Doesn't that sound good? What is it made up of? Great Northern Beans, onions, several spices, green chilies and cubed chicken. Mmmmm, I can't wait until it's all done. Like I said, I put it on high until about 4-ish then will add the chilies and the chicken and let it cook another hour. It will be soooo good.
Making soup is kind of like our lives. You ever think of it that way? Our families are made up of different "ingredients" and yet, blended together, we call it family. There might be a 'bad' piece or two, but we try to add extra ingredients to cover that problem. By the time it is all blended together, it will be family - and family it will remain. You can "disown" or take away family; you can throw the bad part away, put the 'black sheep' out to pasture, but it is still family.
Sometimes we don't discover what 'family' is, until it is taken away from us. Or a portion of it is. Perhaps someone dies. Or you get a divorce. Or someone moves out on their own. All these things disrupt the family unit. Of course there may be rejoicing over some of the leaving, but, after the fun times die down, you feel the emptiness, the loneliness of that missing person.
We tend to complain a lot about our families. So and so is always doing something that we don't think they should. It's not that we know better, but that we have usually been through it and understand where they are coming from. Sometimes we just need to quit thinking of ourselves and perhaps think of the other person, put ourselves in their shoes. Isn't there some saying by an Indian that until you walk a mile in their moccasins you don't know what the other person is going through? We should be about encouraging each other, supporting each other in love and compassion.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Giving thanks just came to mind and I love the above scripture. Give Thanks. How many times have we neglected to just give thanks? Not just to God, but also to family. When the paycheck is brought home, do we say 'thanks' for working and bringing in a check? When we get taken out to dinner, do we remember to tell others 'thanks' when they buy us a meal? Sometimes it is even rewarding to say 'thanks' when we take someone out, for they have shared their time with us.
I think I love that part best. I love spending time with family - I don't even care they don't buy - I just enjoy being with family and being a part of their lives. Sometimes they let me feel they are glad I am a part of it. Sometimes they are just too busy to deal with me. And that is ok too. Sometimes.
Family is a lot like making soup. You get the little onions, the carrots, the green chilies, the cumin and coriander, all that put together and mix it in with the beans and chicken, mmmmm, you get good soup. When you take a few children, add a mom and dad, and sometimes others, it is flavored just enough to get a good mixture.
But it also requires discipline. If I put too much spice in the soup mix, too many onions, the soup will not taste very good. Like our families. If we let our children take control and let them make all the decisions, pausing only to yell when it doesn't suit us, you are destroying the mixture. It's out of control. The soup won't turn out and neither will the family unit. I have to be sure I put the exact amount of ingredients needed in the soup. As a parent, you need to give the right amount of love, and discipline in love, that will allow your children to grow and nurture within your family unit. Just as in the beginning stages of soup, you can ruin it, or you can help it taste perfect. If you put unhealthy attitudes and actions in a home environment, not only are you unhappy with the results, others are too.
So how is the "soup" you are making going? Is it warm, cohesive, blending together well? Is there too much of one thing and not enough of another? Sit down and write on paper what it is that you want out of your family "soup". Then begin to work on it today. One of these days it will be too late and you will wonder where you went wrong.
My rambling has started as my mind starts to wonder, so I guess it's time I quit delaying and get started on some things I need to complete this weekend. Think I will stir my soup first. I can't wait for it to finish!
Blessings!
I suppose I could have started earlier on it, like when we got home from the grocery store. However, after unloading everything and putting it away (I did get the beans on to cook for a bit then soak), we decided to take Marley to the dog park and let her run a bit. I think everyone had that same idea for there were lots of dogs there today - more than we have seen since we have been taking her. Of course it is in the middle of the day and it is a beautiful day outside. After letting her play for awhile we came back home, gave her a treat, and put her back outside to soak up the sun.
And I started on my soup. What kind of soup is it? It's called Hearty White Bean Chili. Doesn't that sound good? What is it made up of? Great Northern Beans, onions, several spices, green chilies and cubed chicken. Mmmmm, I can't wait until it's all done. Like I said, I put it on high until about 4-ish then will add the chilies and the chicken and let it cook another hour. It will be soooo good.
Making soup is kind of like our lives. You ever think of it that way? Our families are made up of different "ingredients" and yet, blended together, we call it family. There might be a 'bad' piece or two, but we try to add extra ingredients to cover that problem. By the time it is all blended together, it will be family - and family it will remain. You can "disown" or take away family; you can throw the bad part away, put the 'black sheep' out to pasture, but it is still family.
Sometimes we don't discover what 'family' is, until it is taken away from us. Or a portion of it is. Perhaps someone dies. Or you get a divorce. Or someone moves out on their own. All these things disrupt the family unit. Of course there may be rejoicing over some of the leaving, but, after the fun times die down, you feel the emptiness, the loneliness of that missing person.
We tend to complain a lot about our families. So and so is always doing something that we don't think they should. It's not that we know better, but that we have usually been through it and understand where they are coming from. Sometimes we just need to quit thinking of ourselves and perhaps think of the other person, put ourselves in their shoes. Isn't there some saying by an Indian that until you walk a mile in their moccasins you don't know what the other person is going through? We should be about encouraging each other, supporting each other in love and compassion.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Giving thanks just came to mind and I love the above scripture. Give Thanks. How many times have we neglected to just give thanks? Not just to God, but also to family. When the paycheck is brought home, do we say 'thanks' for working and bringing in a check? When we get taken out to dinner, do we remember to tell others 'thanks' when they buy us a meal? Sometimes it is even rewarding to say 'thanks' when we take someone out, for they have shared their time with us.
I think I love that part best. I love spending time with family - I don't even care they don't buy - I just enjoy being with family and being a part of their lives. Sometimes they let me feel they are glad I am a part of it. Sometimes they are just too busy to deal with me. And that is ok too. Sometimes.
Family is a lot like making soup. You get the little onions, the carrots, the green chilies, the cumin and coriander, all that put together and mix it in with the beans and chicken, mmmmm, you get good soup. When you take a few children, add a mom and dad, and sometimes others, it is flavored just enough to get a good mixture.
But it also requires discipline. If I put too much spice in the soup mix, too many onions, the soup will not taste very good. Like our families. If we let our children take control and let them make all the decisions, pausing only to yell when it doesn't suit us, you are destroying the mixture. It's out of control. The soup won't turn out and neither will the family unit. I have to be sure I put the exact amount of ingredients needed in the soup. As a parent, you need to give the right amount of love, and discipline in love, that will allow your children to grow and nurture within your family unit. Just as in the beginning stages of soup, you can ruin it, or you can help it taste perfect. If you put unhealthy attitudes and actions in a home environment, not only are you unhappy with the results, others are too.
So how is the "soup" you are making going? Is it warm, cohesive, blending together well? Is there too much of one thing and not enough of another? Sit down and write on paper what it is that you want out of your family "soup". Then begin to work on it today. One of these days it will be too late and you will wonder where you went wrong.
My rambling has started as my mind starts to wonder, so I guess it's time I quit delaying and get started on some things I need to complete this weekend. Think I will stir my soup first. I can't wait for it to finish!
Blessings!
Friday, January 4, 2013
4 days in the new year...
so how are you doing thus far? Has it been 'business as usual' or have you truly taken steps to change and improve yourself?
I realized last night that I haven't even started to exercise yet - what's up with that?! I do know that I have been working long hours the past two days - 10 and 11 hour days. Today I plan to not do that and get back on a daily schedule. We have to get the previous month inputted into the system as soon as possible the beginning of the next month for finance - and with having December 31 and January 1 off as holidays, and the weekend prior to that, we definitely were behind. I cleaned out my folders by yesterday and until I look this morning to see what is put in there, I can say I was caught up when I left for home last night.
Wednesday evening I worked until 5:40PM. I knew there was a worship and praise service to start at church at 6:30PM and I was flip-flopping on whether or not to go. I wasn't sure how long it would take me to get home and I was tired. I told hubby that we ought to go - so I anticipated him being ready when I did get home. As I started on the road home, I prayed that if we were to go to the praise and worship service, that God would get me home in time. I pulled out of the parking lot at 5:46PM. I made my way to I-10 and things were flowing smoothly. I'm still thinking it will be close to 6:30PM before I get home as it is usually a 45-60 minute drive. I get to the I-17 split and traffic comes to a complete halt. I begin thinking, ok I'm not supposed to go tonight. Again I voiced a prayer that if we are to go, the traffic will open up and I will get home in time.
Immediately the traffic started moving and all lanes were spread out and moving quickly. I got home at 6:15. Unheard of for the 21 miles I have to drive between I-10 and I-17. I walked in and told hubby I think we are to go. He offered to take me out to eat instead, but I told him that I had prayed that if we were to go, He would get me home in time - and He did. So we went, and I'm glad we did.
Tomorrow is Saturday and I know I have lots of things I need to catch up on at home. I know I have a meeting next week and I still don't have the minutes typed from the previous meeting, so need to get that done for sure! Lots of little things I need to work on and right now, I don't think we have anything going on. That is always subject to change. Especially if it is a fun thing.
But as I mentioned above, I realized last night that I haven't started to exercise yet so I need to get that worked into my schedule somehow. I'll have to do it in the evenings somehow, for my mornings are taken up with my quiet time, getting ready for work and getting out the door by 6:15AM. Although I don't HAVE to be at work until 8AM, I like getting through the traffic before it gets too crowded and having some time to relax before starting work. Got to start to work it in.
4 days in to the new year and I'm still working on changes in me and and getting things done. What about you? Have some things been revealed to you that you would like to see changed in you? In others? Of course it isn't up to you to change the others - but when YOU change, you can see others change too. Don't expect changes immediately in others, but it will happen. Especially if you pray about changing yourself, and allow God to work in you.
I Corinthians 13:4,5 Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boaastful, proud or rude. Love isn't selfish or quick-tempered. It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do.
Just because someone has done something that you don't like time and time again, don't hold it against them. Pray about it and trust that God will change you. It may be that it isn't them that needs to change - but you.
Hope that you have a blessed day and continue to look at how you can be a better spouse, a better sibling, a better parent, a better friend.
Blessings!
I realized last night that I haven't even started to exercise yet - what's up with that?! I do know that I have been working long hours the past two days - 10 and 11 hour days. Today I plan to not do that and get back on a daily schedule. We have to get the previous month inputted into the system as soon as possible the beginning of the next month for finance - and with having December 31 and January 1 off as holidays, and the weekend prior to that, we definitely were behind. I cleaned out my folders by yesterday and until I look this morning to see what is put in there, I can say I was caught up when I left for home last night.
Wednesday evening I worked until 5:40PM. I knew there was a worship and praise service to start at church at 6:30PM and I was flip-flopping on whether or not to go. I wasn't sure how long it would take me to get home and I was tired. I told hubby that we ought to go - so I anticipated him being ready when I did get home. As I started on the road home, I prayed that if we were to go to the praise and worship service, that God would get me home in time. I pulled out of the parking lot at 5:46PM. I made my way to I-10 and things were flowing smoothly. I'm still thinking it will be close to 6:30PM before I get home as it is usually a 45-60 minute drive. I get to the I-17 split and traffic comes to a complete halt. I begin thinking, ok I'm not supposed to go tonight. Again I voiced a prayer that if we are to go, the traffic will open up and I will get home in time.
Immediately the traffic started moving and all lanes were spread out and moving quickly. I got home at 6:15. Unheard of for the 21 miles I have to drive between I-10 and I-17. I walked in and told hubby I think we are to go. He offered to take me out to eat instead, but I told him that I had prayed that if we were to go, He would get me home in time - and He did. So we went, and I'm glad we did.
Tomorrow is Saturday and I know I have lots of things I need to catch up on at home. I know I have a meeting next week and I still don't have the minutes typed from the previous meeting, so need to get that done for sure! Lots of little things I need to work on and right now, I don't think we have anything going on. That is always subject to change. Especially if it is a fun thing.
But as I mentioned above, I realized last night that I haven't started to exercise yet so I need to get that worked into my schedule somehow. I'll have to do it in the evenings somehow, for my mornings are taken up with my quiet time, getting ready for work and getting out the door by 6:15AM. Although I don't HAVE to be at work until 8AM, I like getting through the traffic before it gets too crowded and having some time to relax before starting work. Got to start to work it in.
4 days in to the new year and I'm still working on changes in me and and getting things done. What about you? Have some things been revealed to you that you would like to see changed in you? In others? Of course it isn't up to you to change the others - but when YOU change, you can see others change too. Don't expect changes immediately in others, but it will happen. Especially if you pray about changing yourself, and allow God to work in you.
I Corinthians 13:4,5 Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boaastful, proud or rude. Love isn't selfish or quick-tempered. It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do.
Just because someone has done something that you don't like time and time again, don't hold it against them. Pray about it and trust that God will change you. It may be that it isn't them that needs to change - but you.
Hope that you have a blessed day and continue to look at how you can be a better spouse, a better sibling, a better parent, a better friend.
Blessings!
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Happy New Year!!
January 1 - the day that is supposed to be of new beginnings. But, beginnings of what? For some it will be getting over a hangover. Others it could be setting resolutions, dreaming of new things, or just making the decision to make some changes, good or bad. All in all, all January 1 is - are you ready for this - all January 1 is - is the first day of the first month of the next year. Big surprise, huh? Come to think about it - why do we make such a big deal of it? Staying up late isn't what it used to be so we were in bed by 10:30PM. We DID watch the ball fall in New York, but other than that, no big deal. Are we getting old? Naw, that can't be it! One is only as old as they feel - and I don't feel old!
It does seem we put a lot of emphasis on January 1 - but why not on the February 1, or March 1 or September 1? They are the beginning of a new month. So January 1 is the start of a new year. Big deal. If one wants to make a life change - lose weight, read the Bible, start to exercise, be nice to the spouse, etc - why wait until January 1? Does that mean that if they don't succeed on February 1 they will do it again? Or will they wait until NEXT January 1?
Ok - so I'm being cynical. Where is that coming from? Or is that even the right word!
I spent my morning grilling and baking ribs and making coleslaw for lunch. I'm always afraid I won't have enough ribs - and again had more than enough that the three children were each able to keep some. By the time lunch is over the smell is enough that I don't want any for awhile. I did fix ribs yesterday for us and took some over to my neighbor.
We spent the afternoon over at my daughter's house and I was glad to see most everyone came. Well, the youngest son came over but didn't bring his children. I'm grateful he came and spent time with family. We left a little bit ago and kind of chilling out here at home. I had left Marley with a big bone so she was happy while we were gone. She was also happy to see us.
We usually have a paper to complete at my daughter's and we get last year's listing we did - only she forgot. I just text'd her and got an OMG I totally forgot! Oh well, they can save them until next year - maybe I'll reach whatever ti was I put. I think I wrote it down somewhere but I'd have to find where I put it. Doesn't matter - I write pretty much the same things every year.
Will this year bring anything different? I do have specific things I am praying about - and starting today I am also going to be more concentrated in praying for specific things. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I have a list of 11 things - one of which is a red convertible. Let's see which ones God chooses to answer! Although I must admit I don't expect the red convertible any time soon, I don't and never will, underestimate God's love for me and His ability to bless me and give me things that I desire.
Perhaps I will share these answers as they happen - will have to see how God answers. Sometimes He chooses not to answer specifically how I've requested, but in His way, which is always better. My job is to keep praying and see what He will do. That, my friend, is something to look forward to.
I also want to be better about writing in my blogs - the past few months haven't been very good, in my opinion. I think I probably voiced my opinion too much, and didn't use this blog for what I want it to be used for. But then, God always changes things up - so guess I'll see what He gives me to say.
Jeremiah 29:11 is one of my favorite verses.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
I am trusting in His plan for me, that His plans will give me hope, and will provide my future. He says He plans to prosper me and not harm me. In that, I can trust.
My brother posted something on a message to my sister and I this morning and I feel it really hits home for everyone. Please slowly read it and think about the message.
Be positive all year would be an excellent New Years resolution. Remember it's a lot like religion. Keep it when things don't turn out the way you wanted. Set yourself some reachable goals and stay positive to reach those goals. If you slip, remember its your goal to stay positive. Do something positive everyday or don't go to bed. Think over your accomplishments every morning and every evening. No matter how small they look....Be proud of them and look at what you have accomplished. Don't remind yourselves of failures, DO remind yourself of successes. Amen.
May your 2013 be brighter and more successful in every way; may 2013 be all you want it to be.
Blessings!
It does seem we put a lot of emphasis on January 1 - but why not on the February 1, or March 1 or September 1? They are the beginning of a new month. So January 1 is the start of a new year. Big deal. If one wants to make a life change - lose weight, read the Bible, start to exercise, be nice to the spouse, etc - why wait until January 1? Does that mean that if they don't succeed on February 1 they will do it again? Or will they wait until NEXT January 1?
Ok - so I'm being cynical. Where is that coming from? Or is that even the right word!
I spent my morning grilling and baking ribs and making coleslaw for lunch. I'm always afraid I won't have enough ribs - and again had more than enough that the three children were each able to keep some. By the time lunch is over the smell is enough that I don't want any for awhile. I did fix ribs yesterday for us and took some over to my neighbor.
We spent the afternoon over at my daughter's house and I was glad to see most everyone came. Well, the youngest son came over but didn't bring his children. I'm grateful he came and spent time with family. We left a little bit ago and kind of chilling out here at home. I had left Marley with a big bone so she was happy while we were gone. She was also happy to see us.
We usually have a paper to complete at my daughter's and we get last year's listing we did - only she forgot. I just text'd her and got an OMG I totally forgot! Oh well, they can save them until next year - maybe I'll reach whatever ti was I put. I think I wrote it down somewhere but I'd have to find where I put it. Doesn't matter - I write pretty much the same things every year.
Will this year bring anything different? I do have specific things I am praying about - and starting today I am also going to be more concentrated in praying for specific things. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I have a list of 11 things - one of which is a red convertible. Let's see which ones God chooses to answer! Although I must admit I don't expect the red convertible any time soon, I don't and never will, underestimate God's love for me and His ability to bless me and give me things that I desire.
Perhaps I will share these answers as they happen - will have to see how God answers. Sometimes He chooses not to answer specifically how I've requested, but in His way, which is always better. My job is to keep praying and see what He will do. That, my friend, is something to look forward to.
I also want to be better about writing in my blogs - the past few months haven't been very good, in my opinion. I think I probably voiced my opinion too much, and didn't use this blog for what I want it to be used for. But then, God always changes things up - so guess I'll see what He gives me to say.
Jeremiah 29:11 is one of my favorite verses.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
I am trusting in His plan for me, that His plans will give me hope, and will provide my future. He says He plans to prosper me and not harm me. In that, I can trust.
My brother posted something on a message to my sister and I this morning and I feel it really hits home for everyone. Please slowly read it and think about the message.
Be positive all year would be an excellent New Years resolution. Remember it's a lot like religion. Keep it when things don't turn out the way you wanted. Set yourself some reachable goals and stay positive to reach those goals. If you slip, remember its your goal to stay positive. Do something positive everyday or don't go to bed. Think over your accomplishments every morning and every evening. No matter how small they look....Be proud of them and look at what you have accomplished. Don't remind yourselves of failures, DO remind yourself of successes. Amen.
May your 2013 be brighter and more successful in every way; may 2013 be all you want it to be.
Blessings!
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