"In…Summer!"

Who doesn't love Olaf? Arguably the most lovable character in Disney's Frozen, this adorable snowman sings and wishes for summer. Obvioiusly, this snowman doesn't realize he's going to be a puddle in summer. I do hope my wishes and dreams for summer aren't so unrealistic.
I believe I've mentioned before; I like a plan. A friend challenged me to think about a Rule for Life (from Peter Scazzero's book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality). Not a legalistic rule, but more like a plan for a holistic life. I've met amazing people who claim a mission statement for life, but I've always wondered what that looked like in day-to-day real life.
I began by listing what things in my life were both important and necessary: work I need to do, goals for spiritual growth, relationships in which to invest and rest or recreation that refreshes my spirit. I researched books, I made inquiries, I wrote reoccurring items in my calendar.

I trust God will work and direct my plan.
My steps are established by the Lord,
when I delight in God's way;
though I may mess up, I will not be devastated,
for the Lord holds my hand.
You see, I have gray hair and therefore I have perspective,
I know that God always works for the good of His children.
Psalm 37:23-24a, my paraphrase

I know I'll mess up. I always do. I will lack discipline, get distracted, forget, change my priorities… But I trust God gave me this vision and passion and He will unfold each day in order to fulfill His will for my life. I can trust God because I readily recall His faithfulness throughout my lifetime. He will not stop now.
Last week, I wrote about every day being an opportunity to be joyful because Jesus became a gate I can enter through to eternal life. He gave me this summer to rejoice, to become transformed into His image "in…summer!"

Now I must choose commitment to my rule for life, because it is a righteous plan that leads to holiness. Romans 6:19b, my paraphrase

God's given you this summer to be joyful and become more like Him, what are you going to do with it?

Margin

In a discussion with dear friends, margin was the topic. Margin is the difference between load and power; where Power is energy, skills, time, training, emotional and physical strength, faith, finances and relational support and load is represented by work, problems, obligations, commitments, debt, deadlines, interpersonal conflict, etc. Margin is the amount allowed beyond that which is needed. "Marginless is not having time to finish the book you’re reading on stress; margin is having the time to read it twice.” (Richard A. Swenson, The Overload Syndrome, 1998 and Margin, 2004.) Marginless is is wondering if anyone has seems a robin. Margin is listening and seeing the spring birds migrate north.
Contemplating, discussing and analyzing margin, I begin to think different people are wired to need different amounts of margin. I think my body needs more margin than most.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ...Titus 2:11-13

Maintaining margin seems to be an example of living the self-controlled, upright and godly life that Paul instructs Titus. Dr. Richard Swenson shares some steps to attaining margin in your life:

1. Save the spaces in life for what really matters
2. Plan for the unexpected
3. Be intentional
4. Say no to non-priorities
5. Tame TV and technology
6. Periodically disconnect; control interruptions
7. Nourish relationships
8. Stop the hustle, slow the pace
9. Use the gift God gives for enjoyment (free time)
10. Define and defend your boundaries

My week reiterated this discussion with friends. My load was fruit basket upset. No school Monday, therefore fun times but my load was increased without an increase in power supply (time). However, so reassured, our family Tuesday morning devotion reassured me that God always directs our steps. My "hiccups" or surprises are never a surprise to Him, they are part of His plan to transform me and use me. This same morning was full of meetings and commitments followed by a call from the school nurse. Wednesday was a high fever and numerous plan Bs curtailing un"necessary" trips to the grocery store and errands. Thursday was having a day of well-children, away from home all day and envisioning the catch-up that would have to wait until Friday. And Friday morning longing for some rest and reprieve (margin), God stopped me in the creation story. Every day God used to create earth is summed up, "And there was evening and there was morning, the ___ day." Evening comes first. The dark. The time of rest and replenishment. Then comes the day. Again, I hear God telling me His rest comes before the activity. This is when I resolve to spend the beginning of my Friday resting in Him. Not running the errands that have been waiting since Tuesday. Not going on a run. Not cleaning the house. But curling up for at least an hour with my coffee, Bible and maybe my writing to rest in Him. Then the day will come and make time enough for all the items that need me.
Not thirty-minutes later, "My head hurts and my tummy hurts." Oh, those viruses are contagious? Of course, sisters share everything. So again, God directs my day and I believe He directs me to trust in His provision, His timing and His rest. Yes, there will be items I can't check off my list (anything having to do with leaving the house) but there will be margin, time. And that's when my ailing little golden head says, "Mom come quick, look at that bird." Two red-necked male finch perch on the deck railing. In His time, in His way, He's teaching me margin and rest.
How much margin do you need? How much rest do you need? How is God methodically arranging your day to create both rest and margin? Will you choose to trust His perfect timing?

Chicken and broccoli

CLANK, CLINK, CLANK-CLANK. Looking up to the noise overhead, I spy the aphid heaving its little shell body into the light fixtures above. Pausing a moment, I realize, that's what I've been like the last 10 weeks. Clanking, banging around like (as my mother used to say) a chicken with my head cut off.

"Love more and more, and aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one." 1 Thessalonians 5:10b-12

And while we haven't ceased to have food to eat and the house isn't in shambles, it's likely a pace that's not beneficial to all in my family and thinking about Paul's decision in 1 Corinthians 8:13, the lady bug gives me a new understanding or application.

"Therefore, if my busyness causes my family's relationship with Jesus to falter, I will never run around crazy, if it makes my family fall away from Jesus." (my application of 1 Corinthians 8:13)

Reading on in Corinthians,

"For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them." 1 Corinthians 9:19 

"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God…not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved." 1 Corinthians 10:31,33b

I feel called to lay aside some of my own preferences so that I might serve for God's glory. Loving a plan of action, I make my list of tangible ways to love and serve those within the walls of my home. This is the creative part that comes easily for me…but the day to day rubber meets the road application is definitely tougher! However, if I don't apply God's Word to my life, it would have been better to not even had read God's Word or listened to His conviction.

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing." James 1:22-25

Not applying God's Word and personal convictions in my life is like looking in the mirror, seeing I have a chunk of broccoli stuck in my teeth and walking away without doing anything about it. And who wants to be that person? No, I will remove the broccoli; I will take the steps to love and serve my family.
When God convicts your heart about something, do you respond? Will you take the principle and put it into action? Or will you walk around with broccoli stuck in your teeth?

Caving while I wait

We love superheros. It should little a surprise the volume of superhero movies resurfaced in the recent past. Just in time, at the climactic moment, the superhero sweeps in and saves the day. Do I see God as a superhero, expecting him to sweep in and save the day when I deem appropriate?
Studying in 1 Samuel 13, the beginnings of Israel's first king, Saul, we read that King Saul disobeyed God's law and though, not a priest,he offers the burnt offering to God himself instead of waiting to Samuel, the priest, (13:12).  To King Saul's credit, his back is against the wall, the moment of crisis at hand! The ginormous Philistine army approached the Israelite few. Picture 4000 Israelites versus the Philistines troops that looked like the sand on the seashore (not to mention the 30,000 chariots and 6000 horsemen, 13:5). Outnumbered hardly begins to describe the situation. Further, the Israelite troops are deserting. King Saul has been told to wait at Gilgal seven days and Samuel will come over sacrifice for Israel (10:8), and on day seven the King Saul ceased to wait any longer and took matters into his own hands. Of course, right after King Saul disobeys, Samuel shows up. King Saul waited, but didn't wait long enough. Samuel confronts King Saul's sin and Saul responds by blaming the Israelites for scattering and Samuel for delaying (13:11). Unfortunately for Saul, God takes away his kingship over Israel (13:13-14).
I do not judge Saul; I relate. When I am hard pressed and tempted to sin, I do pray but I don't wait long enough for God's wisdom or strength. Last week, I shared an instance when I didn't know how to parent; I prayed, waited and God gave a solution. I don't usually wait long enough, act prematurely (outside of God's best plan) and then have a mess on my hands and guilt to go with it.
Comfort food for example. The calculating one is pushing all my buttons as we argue and she disobeys. As I prepare a snack for the boisterous one, I am tempted to deal with my stress by turning to food. I pray Matthew 4:4, "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." Without taking a breath, I repeatedly shove cracker and frosting into my mouth. What's worse is I blame the golden heads  for stressing me out. See?  I'm just like Saul.
And I'm just like our western culture, in love with superheros. Too often, I expect God to be a superhero, expecting Him to come instantly to my rescue. He can choose to do this, but sometimes He wants to teach me in the waiting.

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it. 1Thessalonians 5:23-24 

He will do it: this work of making us holy. I need to learn to wait. I've not met a soul who's said, "I've got all the patience I need." I need this fruit of the Spirit. I have faith God hears my prayers of intercession but, I lack the patience to wait for His response. I read recently, patience can't be learned but through experience.

I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry.
He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my get upon a rock, making my steps secure.
He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.
Psalm 40:1-3

Do you relate to King Saul? Do you cry out God, even in the moment of panic, expecting His answer will be to swoop in and save the day as a superhero? What game plan can you develop to "wait patiently for the Lord," as the psalmist David wrote?

Your plan and steps

The plan was adventurously simple: we'd hike a 5-mile trek along the Superior Hiking Trail. Not simple was the volume of people involved: twenty-four. Within ten-minutes, the first handful of our group began following a different trail on the opposite side of the river. Unable to communicate with the wayward, we did not know how long they would hike before realizing the remainder of the group (including the one with the map) were not behind them. After a rescue attempt was made and the large group reunited, the loaded question (that taught a lesson) was asked, "Who had the map?" Follow the one with the map. 

What if no one had a map? Is there a map in your life charting out your path? Such a plan would direct your decisions, money, time and resources. Without goals, we're hiking without a map. 

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12. 

This has been the realization of my heart in the past week. As I reflect on goals that create my plans and then allowing Him to direct my steps. 

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand. Proverbs 19:21. 

It would be foolish not to set goals for myself, but also unwise to not allow God to direct my steps.  

In all my ways (my goal setting) acknowledge Him and He will direct my path. Proverbs 3:6

God gave us minds to think, process, contemplate and He will use open or shut doors to direct our paths.

Before I committed to my goals, I reflected on the praises, accomplishments and victories from 2013, giving glory to God. Then I acknowledged the challenges in my life that I needed to commit to Him in 2014. These two written exercises led me to goals in multiple areas: Career, financial, family, physical, social, spiritual, intellectual. Goals should be specific, measurable, yours, time-sensitive and written down (daveramsey.com).

Each of my goals includes steps of implentation. I plan to revisit my goals in six months to measure my accomplishments. (Don't worry, it's in the iCal now.) Sometimes I don't reach my goals. Sometimes my goals change. Sometimes God closes a door. But goals must be written down.

If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time. Zig Ziglar

If you have not written down any goals for the 2014 year, select one area and write one goal along with implementing proactive steps toward achieving it.

A peaceful home starts with a plan

Contemplating how to be a Titus 2 woman, I'm simmering on verse 2: be "working at home." Whether you work outside the home or not, a woman has work to do at home.
When you read of the Proverbs 31 woman, the listing of her tasks is dizzying! From shopping, to fashioning, trading, to serving the needy, the woman of this Proverb has a full plate. But notice verses 27-29:

She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and her praises her:
"Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all."

This woman, worth more than precious jewels, is a worker at home, looking out for her entire household. She is not "sitting around watching Oprah and eating bonbons." What I infer is that if her family thinks so highly of her, they must feel peacefulness in their home; lack of worry and fear. This woman is wise and her family doesn't fear the future.
James is a book of Christian lifestyle application and I was struck in my studying this past week regarding wisdom:

Earthly wisdom wich is unspiritual and demonic, motivated by jealousy (keeping up the the Jones') and seeking it's own way, will yield a life of disorder, chaos and evil. But the wisdom from God is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good consequences, doesn't show favoritism and is sincere. This godly wisdom will yield a life of righteousness because it is sown in peace by those who make peace. (James 3:15-18, my paraphrase)

Do you see the contrast of a home marked by chaos and a home marked by peace? Part of our job as workers at home is to sow peace into our home. For me this peaceable home begins with a plan. Years ago, I was taught how to keep a focus notebook. My application has shifted with technology. Six years ago, a Focus Notebook meant hauling around a 1" binder wherever you went...with the invent of smart phones and iPods, we can make our load much lighter and smaller. We'll uncover five topics

1. Daily Focus
2. Calendars
3. Menu Planning
4. Shopping
5. Addresses and Mail.

Today, I'll start with the Daily Focus. This is meant to help prioritize time. Every day of the week, you set to accomplish a list (no more than five things) that are a priority for that day. If nothing else is accomplished, these will be. And when they are accomplished, if you have time left over, you can do other tasks or things you enjoy. Everyone has different priorities. I remember that gal who taught me this saying (to a room of young moms), "If it's a priority that you get a nap every day, then put a nap on every day's focus." This way of organizing your time, will not allow tasks to become "long over due." (Like mildew growing in the bathroom.) It also allows you to focus on the important, yet not urgent things in life (because you've completed them before they became urgent).
Here's an example of my Daily Focus:

Monday

Run 30 minutes - squats, lunges & abs
Preschool
Menu Plan with Coupon Clipping and make Grocery List
Wipe down Kitchen
Laundry 

Tuesday 

Walk/Bike 40 minutes - triceps, biceps & abs
Preschool
Clean windows & dust
Blog 

Wednesday 

Run 30 minutes - shoulders, back & abs
Preschool
Shopping
Intentional discipling girls 

Thursday 

Walk/Bike 40 minutes - squats, lunges & abs
Quicken/budget/bills
Community Bible Study 

Friday 

Run 30 minutes - triceps, biceps & abs
Vacuum & Mop
Clean bathrooms
Storytime
Laundry 

Saturday 

I like to leave this day open...in case something comes up.

It's also a good idea to stop every now and then and have a good "think." (A concept I borrow from a Billings mentor, Ann Streeter.) You know how Pooh bear would just stop and think? So should we stop and think about how things work (or don't) and adjust according to try accomplish our goals.
Begin today to make a list of the things you need to accomplish on a weekly basis and place each item to be accomplished on one day. Remember to leave Sunday (or the day of your choosing) blank so that you are obedient in observing a sabbath. Also, if you have an app that you find aids you in your Daily Focus, share it by placing a comment below.