Joyfull Living

In the 5 Weeks 5 Disciplines 5 Challenges, I've been challenged to work in the areas of the body, using my time, disciplining the spirit.  Body: I've been exercising daily, really pushing myself and feel great! Time: Being conscious of time management, making lists to keep focused and staying alert to time wasters. Spirit: Reading God's Word first thing in the morning and trying to take what was read through the day. This week focuses on the mind.  So much begins in the mind - thoughts which lead to action and actions which lead to habits...all start with a thought.  Every single one of us probably has thoughts things that we would never share.  It's a given that our mind will be tempted...but the discipline part comes in when we analyze those thoughts against God's Word.  Philippians 4:8 gives a guideline for our thoughts:   "...whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever ...

Happy Monday!! Are you a Monday lover or a Monday hater? Mondays can symbolize the end of the weekend, the end of fun, relaxing and doing what we want to do days. But it can also symbolize the newness of opportunities, another chance to do better, work harder, accomplish what we are working towards. Regardless of our Monday attitude, it comes along once a week! I enjoy the challenge of a new week. Currently, I'm striving to be a little healthier. Eat a little better, exercise a little more. Weekends allow me an indulgence, to eat some things I love, but may not line up with my quest for a healthier lifestyle! Mondays allow me to get back on track!   My goal to be more healthy and fit will bring the reward of greater energy and a toned and fit body.  But, there is no shortcut.  It takes discipline to eat right and exercise.   This week in the 5 Weeks- 5 Disciplines- 5 Challenges , the challenge is for our spirit - discipline in our spiri...

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.  II Corinthians 4:7 Often in ancient times, items of precious value were stored in earthen vessels or clay pots. Today, we hold a treasure in our earthly bodies – the indwelling Christ who lives in all Christians.  The focus is on the treasure, not what holds it.  A clay pot can become scratched, marred and even crack.  In our lives today, we may be imperfect or a cracked pot, but our aim is for others to look beyond our weaknesses to see that we in ourselves are not everything, but the excellency of God’s power is what drives and equips us.    We  hold a treasure, but it’s all about HIM!

It's been a nice, but interesting blog break for me!  Not updating a blog each day has helped my time management skills, but there was a bit of a health hiccup that went on during my break! Good health is one of the blessings that should never be taken for granted.  As one who has enjoyed incredibly good health and a pain free life, a herniated disc in my neck put me on the sidelines.  This month long issue dealing with incredible pain and being able to handle only the basic necessities of daily life - cooking, cleaning etc. which took all the energy and effort I had, taught me some great lessons and created a sense of compassion and greater understanding for others.  A steroid injection in the neck has brought great relief and I feel much better, equipped with energy and renewed vitality.  Since good food habits and exercise went by the wayside for a while, I am renewed with purpose to re-establish healthy habits. 5 Weeks - 5 Disciplines - 5 Challenge...

While changing my profile picture recently, I noticed the date of the beginning of my blog was August 2007.   I also noticed the post numbers recently - they are over 1,000!  It shocked me that I found enough to say to write over 1,000 posts??!!  There is just something in my personality that takes things seriously.  I hate to fail, so I try to do a good job!  When it come to something that I like (like blogging), it just becomes a part of me and sometimes, consumes me! The purpose of this blog in the beginning was to encourage women in their walk with God, in their roles as wives and mothers to grow and become all they can be with God's grace and strength. Several times a day things that I did or learned would become blog topics!  I learned and long to share that God can do a transformation in the heart of those who are willing and that He is never finished with us.  This is a journey that we as women are...

February has flown in from out of nowhere!  Although this is the month of love, the next quality to work on in my Journey To Excellence is FAITH! I struggle with faith.  Not in the fact that I put my faith in God because of all that He is or that I'm unsure of His salvation, but my struggle lies in exercising and growing my faith. My temperament and personality are mild, easy going and peaceable.  I don't rock the boat, try not to cause trouble, hate conflict and like to glide easily through life.  I like 'comfortable faith'!  Secure faith that I can wrap my mind around. But, faith is like a muscle.  It must be exercised, tested, tried.  Comfortable faith is dull and lifeless while excellent faith is vibrant, exciting, strong and secure. Through the last few months, my faith has grown.  Through some trials, tribulations and battles, my faith was exercised because these things reminded me of my weakness.  When my ...

Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. II Corinthians 9:10-11 Growing up in the city, seeds, gardens, soil were not terms I associated with food!  Planting and harvesting were as a foreign language, never spoken of! Moving to the country as a teenager, then marrying one who was raised in the country, seeds, planting and garden harvests became a way of life.  Still, it never grows old, seeing how a small seed planted in the ground, breaks the ground open and grows into a treasure to be harvested, a living thing!  As a Christian, the terms, seed sown, fruits, harvest also apply to our lives.  We know what we sow, we will also reap.  We know about the fruits that should be growing in our hearts – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, etc. We know ...