I know that around the end of December, people usually begin to have revelations about themselves and decide to make changes. I’m not big on New Year’s Resolutions. They are usually broken by January 10th, so what is the point? I don’t make resolutions on New Year’s Eve. Rarely do I make big life-changing decisions based on a holiday… especially not the kind that are made in haste and do not last.
Some things have become glaringly obvious to me in the past several months which I feel I do need to address:
1. My spiritual life tanked last spring when our 14yo daughter was having a serious rebellious stage. It was really thrown up in my face when I found myself struggling just to pray, and realizing I hadn’t been feeding myself spiritually on a regular basis in a very long time. This has changed drastically over the course of the past 7 months since J has been at Teen Challenge. While she has been in her insulated, Spirit-filled bubble down there at TC, the Lord has been developing my husband and I. We have learned that to be strong, we have to lean on Him. It’s just not an option any more. When the harder things hit, we cling closely to Him. It is amazing how much we have both changed. I needed a boost in my Bible reading though, and joined the Bible in 90 Days Challenge to help with that. Boy has it!! I love it! I began with the group on January 1st, but NOT as a resolution. It is more of an “I need to be fed spiritually, so I need to do this.” I’ve been trying to post weekly about that, so I will leave this topic for another post. Suffice it to say, this area is definitely being addressed. I am turning to mush. I find myself weeping in worship, weeping in prayer, and just weepy when I think deeply about life, whether it be happy or sad thoughts. Jesus is my love, my fortess, deliverer, healer, and friend.
2. My health is in jeopardy. I am about 40 pounds overweight. I feel lazy, tired, and very blah physically, most of the time. I am addressing this too, just this past two weeks, and I am getting serious about it. I will post much more about this issue, but the plan of action is really just your basic, get-healthy plan: Eat right, exercise regularly, drink water. Sounds so simple, yet so challenging for me. I am looking at myself and seeing the potential for health problems, potential for diabetes, cardiac problems, blood pressure issues, and whatever else goes along with being 40+ lbs. overweight, and I don’t want it.
3. I don’t get enough sleep. I tend to be a night owl, with my most productive time being between 8pm-1am. This doesn’t go over well with E, as he usually is ready for bed no later than 11:00, and the alarm goes off for both of us at 6am. Another problem with my staying up late is that I get hungry around midnight, and I don’t choose the best snacks at midnight. Understanding my favorite time is late night, but I also need to be up & going in the morning, the only solution is that I have to go to bed earlier. Along with this is getting my shower in the evening rather than the morning, because getting that done & getting ready eats into my Bible time before the boys get up…. and when reading 10-11 chapters each morning, I need that time to myself!
All three of these areas are big, for me. I know that I need to work on them, eliminate some bad habits, and create some good ones that I can stick with. I need to be healthy in body, mind and spirit.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!
Ephesians 3:20-21
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Interesting that we seemed to come to the same conclusions about the same time. It is amazing how the Lord brings us to the place where we need to be. May you be continually stretched and strengthened as He takes you on this new journey.
Elaine H´s last blog ..Monday’s Recap ~ February 8, 2010