Ephesians 1:11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,
No question, God has a very specific purpose for each of us.
So often we think we have followed after Him and chosen Him, when whilst He has chosen us before the foundation of the world.
God works out ‘everything’ align with that purpose. There is a bigger hand in everything we see around us. The almighty God!
Prayer: How magnificent You are Lord. I bless Your holy name today, because You are almighty and powerful and You have a destiny for me and have chosen me. I am so grateful that I am part of Your plan. Help me to yield to You in every way I pray in Jesus name. Amen.
I spent several days this past week discussing morning routine with others and what it means to have one. We all know people who sleep till the last minute, jump in the bathroom and clothes and then make the mad dash out the door with a honey bun and Sundrop. They haven’t made their own bed in years and there is no plan to make the best of the morning.
I’m proud of my morning routine, one that has developed over the years to bring me to what I hope is my best self in the morning, “before the world starts asking for pieces of you!” That is a famous celebrity quote about morning routines. I am a firm believer that mornings shape the day. But just as people are different, so are and should be morning routines.
A good morning routine is one that fits your schedule, energy and goals. It helps start the day with clarity and control. You don’t need a 10-step routine, nor do you need to be the earliest riser. What I have found is that many have no routine and don’t want one, but those who care about their body and mind functioning at their best have developed at least some form of routine. Part of the early discussions most fitness trainers will address with clients are about their morning practices.
Although many morning routines fail for various reasons, the first and possibly most important thing is to set the wake-up time correctly. This will probably adjust with success. Routines should start with positives that you are already doing. Coffee, water, bathroom, nourishment, exercise. Some morning rituals need momentum and energy, some need calm. Music might work here, and possibly news and weather. Most experts say that as the routine develops, the orderliness of the morning eases worries about the day and other anxieties. Estimate the time that each of your segments should last, add the total and see if it works for you. Know always that more segments likely will require an earlier wake time.
If you don’t have a routine yet, there are many things worth considering for a portion of the valuable morning time. Consider more options like making your bed, opening curtains, listing intentions and goals for the day, brushing your teeth, prayers, journaling, reading your Bible or devotions. Start small and then add as desired, with the goal of developing a sequence and priority.
I read that experts suggest a 15-25 minute minimum for beginners, 30-50 minutes as a moderate time, and an extended routine of 60 minutes or more for those with time available. Morning exercises would generally fall into the extended time routine. As you proceed, track what is working and what’s not. Adjust with deference to the wake-up time. Develop a consistent rhythm and make the morning routine a habit. Weekends might be different too, a time that is possibly longer and more relaxed, and therefore even more productive.
I am totally addicted to my morning routine, and on the rare day that I overslept, I am out of sorts at least in the beginning, as I have to delete or shorten segments. I want my list done by the time my feet first hit the pavement, usually between 5:20 and 5:30am. If so, I know that my morning is off to a successful start.
On tap for next week is the 29th Annual Run for the Greenway at Overton Elementary School. Race day is July 18th and start time is 8am. The race is sponsored by City of Salisbury Parks and Recreation and all proceeds with help with Greenway expenses. Look for great awards, commemorative shirts and Steve Clark’s collection of big-time refreshments.
We now know much more about the only other July/August event remaining locally. The SRR Prediction Run on August 29th will have a pair of new shoes for the winner and a pair of Topo’s, one of the hottest shoes on the current market, and six pair of Feetures socks as door prizes. SRR will also include a drawing for free races and the September beginning runners class.
Look for these events and others upcoming at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org
July 11, 2012 – written 14 years ago, so of course a lot has changed. But as the writer of the gospel of John would say, there’s so much else I could write, but the world wouldn’t hold all that. =)
Once upon a time there was a young man in high school. He had just started dating this girl. He took a chance and asked her to a casual Bible study where she met the Lord. She told her two sisters who also trusted Christ. Two years later the young man married this high school sweetheart. Through the years they had three daughters. Her sisters also each had three kids. All but one is married now. From that family here’s a few of their summer activities this year:
Two are training for triathlons; one just swam clear across Lake Norman
Two had major roles in Bible School at their churches
Two are hiking the Appalachian trail, taking a six month adventure break
Two are in Kenya doing survival and language training as missionaries
One is headed to Haiti for a summer mission trip taking supplies to an orphanage
One is working her way through Bible college in order to train young people
Several lead Life Groups and Bible studies in their homes
Two are expecting babies this fall
One just delivered
One is paper pregnant
Two continue to faithfully serve as pastor and wife at their church
One is a lawyer who helps missionaries get their paper work [wills, etc.] in order
Many faithfully work wherever they are needed in various vocations and churches
One is a youth leader; he and his wife just witnessed 27 kids accepting Christ and 30 others re-dedicating their lives to the Lord at summer camp
And it all started because a young man in high school took his girlfriend to a Bible study.
Happy Birthday David! Thank you for loving me and our family for forty years! Thank you for willingly serving wherever the Lord leads. Your example is a testimony of what God can do with one obedient faithful man! This verse sounds just like you:
“You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.” -2 Tim. 2:2
PS:
The moral of the story is that while David would never take credit for all the wonderful things his family is a part of, we never know how important our simple acts of service and obedience are in the grand scheme of things.
Steve Hartman tells the story of a tall man who didn’t want the fame and fortune of being a basketball player. BUT what happens if you fail when trying to reach for your dreams??? Watch and see…. ENJOY!!!
One of my earliest memories as a young girl is being outside with my mother and baby brother. I had a bright yellow balloon in hand from my dentist visit, but whether it slipped from my wrist or I accidentally released it, the yellow orb drifted away. It felt like a slow-motion view of something happening quickly. I remember asking my mom if she could reach it for me. She was realistic but kind with her reply. I then thought that perhaps she could get a ladder to grab it. Still, the answer was no.
They say our earliest memories are pretty foundational to how we see things. I guess I have always been looking for yellow balloons. They are the cheeriest of colors, radiating with sunshine and joy. I am pretty serious; some may even call me intense when they first meet me. Introverted and painfully shy as a child, I was slow to warm up and willing to sit in the wings and wait my turn, unless a bright, bubbly thing noticed me and invited me into the excitement.
I call these people my “yellow balloons.” They are the ones who are usually very optimistic, exuberant, joy-filled dreamers, hope-filled encouragers, often spontaneous, entering a room with a bright smile, never meeting a stranger, sometimes with a healthy dose of FOMO (fear of missing out) – much to my opposite.
They have helped me through life. Several have seen something in me that could handle a job or opportunity I would not have sought. Others have pushed me toward fun or challenges I would have let pass. They make me belly laugh at their silliness and fearless approach to humor, even in public. Their optimism and hopefulness of the future challenge me to be the same.
But, they need me, too. What am I? I affectionally call myself the balloon weight that keeps the balloon grounded at the party. I have my own pizzaz – or rather, interest. I help keep my balloons in place so they don’t drift off into ways beyond reality. I bring my own flavor of encouragement when windy and cloudy days come, reminding them of seasons and the beauty in each and the promise of their end. I stick to plans and goals, find connections, and help them to figure out how to make dreams come true. I remind them of truth when emotions blow them into storms. I am slower and more deliberate at times, helping them slow down, enjoy Sabbath, and notice small wonders in life.
We need each other for balance. Sometimes it looks like a true marriage of opposites – a covenant recognizing the need for dependence on another for a lifetime. At other times, it is a held-fast friendship. The dynamic can even show up in mentoring, coaching, and teaching relationships. Both gain wisdom and encouragement from the other.
If we are surrounded only by those like us (all balloons or all balloon weights), it becomes a silly mess. We were not made to drift about or be inflexible. Are you a yellow balloon with your head in the clouds? Call your steady balloon weight and thank them for keeping you grounded. Are you the steady weight in a relationship? Text or send a note to your yellow balloon and thank them for stretching you a little and helping you dream.
Ashlie Miller lives with a few of her favorite yellow balloons in Concord, NC. You can email her at mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com.
The older I get the more I realize the human body is miraculous. We can feed it all kinds of things and it does amazing things. The deeper revelation with our bodies is that as we age there are more opportunities for things to go wrong. Doing a simple task such as washing your hands can make your back hurt. Age steals your endurance. Our tolerance for heat and cold is reduced. The systems of our body can easily be upset and it takes a while to restore them.
The other day I hurt my back and it is taking a while to feel better. In fact, I told my Sunday school class that I was going to start a new cologne trend for older people called, “Icy Hot.” That earned me a good laugh and the realization that many in the class had tried that same brand of cologne. I am grateful for over the counter pain relievers and creams.
Those don’t work for all the various pains we face as we age. Sometimes the hurt is in our hearts for loved ones who have gone home. That’s a whole different kind of pain that no pain reliever will help. We have to be understanding of others because that pain takes a long time to heal. It takes family, friends, and the body of Christ to help us move forward in those difficult times.
We have to learn to walk through those times with God’s help. Grief is a process that we have to work through, but the good news is that God promises that we don’t have to do it alone. The first stage of grief is denial. How can this tragedy be true? The second stage is anger. There is a strong sense of helplessness because we can’t change the situation. The third stage is bargaining. If only I had been there! What if things had been different? The fourth stage is one that catches a whole lot of people for a long period of time…depression. When we face losses it is natural to be down and discouraged, but we can’t stay there. We have to learn to move on, and we move on into the final stage, which is acceptance. This isn’t to imply that we forget the person who is gone or that we stop missing them. This means that we come to the realization that they are gone and we begin to take steps to move forward in life.
The grief process is mainly applied to the loss of our loved ones, but it is not excusive to those losses. We may have to work through the grief process over the loss of a job, divorce, loss of a friendship or romantic relationship, personal failures, facing serious surgeries or life threating health issues, moving because of a job change even if it’s one you desire, and moving into a retirement or nursing home. All of these traumatic events in our lives could trigger us to have to walk through the stages of grief.
Some people might think you could escape having to work through the grief process through faith in God. While I believe God can circumvent our necessity to work through the process, I believe He is much more interested in walking with us through the process. He wants to build our faith and trust in Him. He wants to reveal His strength in our weakness. He wants us to know that He is sufficient for our needs.
I want you to know that God sees you if you are struggling with this process. God is with you as you walk through this process. It’s not easy, but walking by faith is never easy. I think it is vital to know that you are not alone. You aren’t the only one who is going through a difficult time. Find others and share each other’s burdens. It’s strange how two people going through a difficult time in life can bring encouragement to each other.
I want to encourage you to trust in God to help you put the pieces back together. He is willing to work with you at whatever pace works for you. He wants to help you move forward. Moving forward doesn’t mean you forget, it means that you live, bloom, grow, and become a stronger you. I believe that as God helps you through your pain He will use you to help others who face similar circumstances. God is good and His love for you is beyond what you can imagine. He is intimately involved in your situation and wants to help you move forward.
