Does anyone else waste a ton of time responding to email, texts, messages, etc? I think that just sucked up an hour, but it has to be done. I guess it's not really "wasting time," but I do find myself wandering through Facebook--of course--or even old emails! I would be so embarrassed if you saw the number of emails in my inbox. So many of them I thought I would get back to "one day," but you and I both know that day is never coming. Please, no input from you, Chad.
You usually catch me fresh and bright, first thing in the morning after a cup of coffee. Today is different, but today has been so good. Did you know that going to the gym can make your day amazing? I have known this for a very long time, but it's funny how that "voice" can convince you to come up with excuses: "You should really stay home and get the laundry done," "It's too cold to take Lincoln out there," and so on. (Do you see I'm on a quotation mark kick today? What's up with that?) I went ahead to the gym today with a very dear friend and I can't wait to do it again. Those endorphins are no joke!
To put it lightly, I've been slipping in the health department of my life. I have said "yes" more often than I should to the tempting sweet treat, and junk food has been way more tempting than usual. I've been chalking it up to the pregnancy, but it doesn't really matter why. The consequences will still fall on me: weight gain, sluggishness, crankiness, etc. After I went to the gym, my head was on right and I was able to pick out some healthier options for Linc and I. It helps that I am responsible for his diet too--not to mention the tiny human I am growing. If they become sugar-holics, that's on me really. We all know that sugar is super addictive. So, time to make some better choices. I'm getting a head start before January and then planning to kick it to the next level come Jan. 1.
New beginnings are great, right!? What I try to remember is that I don't have to have a particular date to start doing something different or new. My new beginning can start tomorrow, or this afternoon! I have been so excited to realize that I am in control of what happens in my life. So silly, right?! I think it's an obvious statement that we are in control of our lives, but for so long I didn't get that and I would let life take me down whatever path I happened along.
One of the best changes I made years ago was to get up earlier in the morning than I needed to and read the Bible. I am so thankful! I don't know when or why I felt so strongly about this or why it stuck with me (I think it's because I love to take my time drinking that first cup of coffee . . . anyone with me?), but I am so happy about how it has grown me. Now, I have slipped a time or two and let the sleepiness take over, don't get me wrong. And when the new baby comes, I know that will be a different season, but looking back on where we've been and where we're going, I think God has been using these mornings to condition my heart.
I love this passage in the Bible:
"For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14
The Jews were going to be killed by the king and Esther, the queen, was being asked to go into the palace without being invited (this could be a death sentence). She was to plead the case for the Jews. She bravely does this and saves the Jewish people.
God does not need me to fulfill His plan, but uses me for the good that it does for me and my family. I am so thankful that I can be in a place to speak life and joy into others and encourage them. What I love most of all is being able to serve my husband and son in this way. God has been speaking to my heart for years to prepare me for this storm (and probably some other things I'm unaware of, but we must take it a day at a time). I hope this doesn't sound proud, I only mean to say that I feel a purpose for me in this.
Many times, I will be reading or going along in life and find the same passages or concepts keep coming up to me. I even posted about this last time, but I feel like God has been telling me to stay connected to Him. This morning, I read:
"Seek the Lord and His strength;
seek His presence continually!
Remember the wondrous works that he has done,
His miracles and the judgements He uttered" 1 Chronicles 16:11-12
This was yet another reminder to stay connected to Him daily. I think I just posted about what happens when I don't stay connected. That voice, the enemy, will tell me lies and speak despair into my heart, but we have so many miracles to remember and rejoice about! It is a constant vigilance to stay aware of my thoughts and filter them out if they are not telling me the right things. Please understand I am new to this exercise and continue to fail at it all the time.
That's a lot to chew on for today: get healthy, get connected to God, get busy fulfilling your purpose! Now, I have to pee for the 100th time today. GoodNESS!
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