Sole Mates

One week ago today my precious husband and I walked a mile and one half after we took our little one to school and before he went to work.  The fellowship was sweet and with him by my side, I was so encouraged.  The next day we did not walk, because we had to be up bright and early and ready for our new washing machine and dryer to be delivered.  What we thought was going to be an easy process ended up turning into a nightmare.  In the end, as a result of the negligence of the man installing our washing machine, the entire back half of our house was literally flooded. Our master bedroom and bathroom along with our home office was completely saturated with water - FLOODED!!!!.  We stayed at a hotel for four nights while wonderful people from ServePro worked at drying out our home.  Jeff and I have both been stressed, but we were able to laugh some (believe it or not) - AND it was in those moments that I was once again reminded of how very thankful I am to have a "helpmate" that God designed specifically for me. I am VERY THANKFUL that God created the institution of marriage to mirror the relationship that we should have with our Heavenly Father.  So, the plan is to once again start walking together each morning (AFTER we are freed up in the mornings from waiting on floor contractors and insurance adjusters).  Until then, we will have to exercise at home with videos and exercise equipment.  Either way, time spent together with my helpmate is precious! 
God taught me something else that is of even greater worth to me than the remembrance of having such a wonderful husband.  My best exercise partner is my Heavenly Father.  He is with me every step of the way.  What better way to keep my focus than to realize that I am never walking alone! 

"For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:'I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God,and they will be my people.'" 
- 2 Corinthians 6:16b

Choices and Motivation

Ok, I AM STRUGGLING!!!! Tomorrow will be exactly one month since I have posted and it is all because I have made poor decisions for the last month and have therefore lost my motivation.  For the last month, I kept wondering WHY I was struggling, and to be honest, it was because I was trying to do it on my own and MY STRENGTH was depleted quickly.  Because summer was so hectic, I made poor choices in every area of my life. So, as I am COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT on here, I am going to list my bad choices and the results thereof.  HOPEFULLY I am not the only one who can and will learn from my mistakes. 

• BAD CHOICE #1 (and the most detrimental) - QUICK QUIET TIMES  

For the last month, my time with God has been reduced to reading my small devotional Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young - Now don't get me wrong, that is a GREAT DEVOTIONAL, but I had begun to lean on it in a quick manner and forfeited really digging into God's word on my own.  Let NOTHING be a substitute for your time of actually moving the pages of God's word with your hands, looking at the gems of scripture with your eyes and even feeling the words on your tongue as you read aloud the promises of God.  When your time with God is cut short, the quality of your life is cut short as well.  God has given us eternal abundant life on this earth, STARTING NOW, and it is our fault if we miss His blessings by failing to live out that powerful point in our own lives.  My next word of caution is to make sure that you are not replacing God's word with a devotional, but rather let that be the icing on the cake after you have spent time in the pages of God's word yourself. 

• BAD CHOICE #2 - POOR FOOD CHOICES 

QUICK and CHEAP is most likely the unhealthiest form of  choosing food to eat.  I LOVE what The Biggest Loser trainer, Jillian Michaels, said one time.  She said that if our food doesn't come from the ground or it doesn't have a mother, then we should leave it alone. You know, she is right! The last I checked, double stuffed Oreos weren't growing in any one's garden, and Lucky Charms Cereal surely isn't birthed by anyone.  So, for the last month, I have been making poor food choices and I would challenge you to examine your choices.  Make "Drive-thrus" "Drive-bys" and that is a great step to making better food choices. 

• BAD CHOICE #3 - MAKING EXCUSES 

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses.....We all know how to make them, and we all know that behind every excuse is one of two things, either a feeling or a lie. For the last month, I have been making excuses for my not eating right like " I deserve it" or "It's the summer" - The fact is that I was experiencing great feelings of depression and therefore was trying to eat as a way of "comfort" I didn't deserve it...that was lie.  The fact was that the feeling of depression over my brother and his wife moving to Hawaii and the fact that I LOVE THEM BOTH and MISS THEM SO MUCH was something that I tried to work through with food instead of my Savior.   The next time you go to make an excuse, stop and think, WHY am I doing this? What feeling or lie is behind me making this excuse?  If you ask yourself those questions, then you will be amazed at how quickly truth comes into perspective.

So, as you can see, there have been several variables as to why I have been unsuccessful for the last month, but it ALL STARTED with quick quiet times.  Then, it snowballed from there. 
The older I get the MORE AND MORE I realize just how VITAL our time with the Lord is each day, because if we slack off the least bit, IT WILL EFFECT EVERY AREA OF OUR LIFE - whether we want it to or not.

Let me leave you with this thought and the verses that God has given me about how to better CHOOSE HIM as I seek HIS WISDOM.  The thought is this:  The less room we give to Jesus, the more room we give to Satan.  How much of Jesus permeates your life? Do you need His wisdom? We all do,  All we have to do is meet with Him each day, and HE will give us "knowledge and understanding," (Proverbs 2:6). 

"My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as silver and search for it as hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of Christ.  For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding." - Proverbs 2:1-6 (NIV)