Morning by Morning, Always Faithful to Me

Lamentations 3:22–24 says:

It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed,
because his compassions fail not.
They are new every morning: Great is thy faithfulness.
                                The LORD is my portion, saith my soul;
                                                therefore will I hope in him.

My daughter recently drew my attention to the beautiful “He’s Always Been Faithful to Me,” by Sara Groves.

Morning by morning I wake up to find
The power and comfort of God’s hand in mine
Season by season I watch Him, amazed
In awe of the mystery of His perfect ways
All I have need of His hand will provide
He’s always been faithful to me.

I can’t remember a trial or a pain
He did not recycle to bring me gain
I can’t remember one single regret
In serving God only, and trusting His hand
All I have need of His hand will provide
He’s always been faithful to me.

This is my anthem, this is my song
The theme of the stories I’ve heard for so long
God has been faithful, He will be again
His loving compassion, it knows no end
All I have need of His hand will provide
He’s always been faithful, He’s always been faithful
He’s always been faithful to me.

Merry Christmas!

 

Merry Christmas to you all!

I hope you know the Jesus of Christmas.

  

Jesus of Christmas
 

Praying for Godly Traits, Coming in January

Year ago, when my children will little and we were immersed in homeschooling, I found these traits to pray for your children. They were presented on a calendar in a magazine. Last time I searched for the author I could not find her. It may have been presented as an appendix in a book. If someone can identify the author, I wish to give credit for the original idea.

In January, I will present one of these each day for thirty days. On January 31, I’ll provide a summary. So you don’t even need to keep track. You will have a summary of all the traits with the verse references.

You can pray these for your children, for the children in your church or your child’s classroom. What about your own sisters and brothers? Could it be that these traits are good for anyone? They certainly are.

Mark your calendar for the start, on January 1, 2013!

Review of Resolutions for 2012

I had forgotten I even wrote out goals for 2012. That’s pretty sad, pretty pathetic. It is certainly not the way to make progress. A entire year later! and I just found this in the download of my previous, now defunct blog! Wow! Well, 2013 has to be better than that!

I have learned a lot about setting goals, and I intend to have specific ones in place by Christmas Day.
Everything I have been learning about goals since May suggests demands that the goals are broken into smaller pieces. I certainly failed to do that. I generalized and that was the end of it.

But here they are, my 2012 resolutions, as presented on my prior blog.

1. Meet my goal for weight loss.
2. Wear the diamond again, after losing weight.
3. Read through the Bible with the church plan.
4. Plan ahead for Christmas, including decorating over Thanksgiving.
5. Make my Christmas cards (must plan ahead).
6. Memorize Scripture.
7. List regularly on eBay, Craigslist, and Vegsource.

As time permits:

1. Play chess and other games with son or both son and daughter.
2. Watch some movies with daughter or both husband and daughter.
3. Cross-stitch, draw, watercolor.

Other plans include work on our home and our home business.

Our youth pastor had discussed resolutions, which made me decide to set some for 2012. I felt a vague sense of accountability by having a blog, so I gave it a shot. “No, it is better than that,” I wrote, “I’ll give it a strong effort.” Today I am reminded that that is not enough! Does a lack of success in accomplishing these bother me some? A little. But you will eventually see, as I share more about myself, that I did accomplish a lot.

For 2013, I will take a new approach. Will you?

Do not worry about the past failures.

• Be strategic as you work on your goals
• Keep the list in front of you in some way.
• Find lost hours by examining your schedule and plan how to use those minutes.
• Break the goals into monthly, weekly, and daily pieces to be accomplished.

Without Complaining

I have mentioned Steve Green’s Hide ’Em in Your Heart albums previously. One album included the verse Philippians 2:14. Here’s how the lyrics go for the song:

Do everything without complaining

Do everything without arguing.

So that you may be called blameless and pure children of God.

Without complaining, without arguing,

Do, do everything.

Do everything without complaining.

Do everything without arguing.

So that you may be called blameless and pure children of God.

Make a fresh determination to avoid murmuring. Some things just are what they are, and no amount of murmuring helps. Indeed, it’s more likely to tear down your spirit and the spirit of others if you allow it into your life. It’s oh so easy to be drawn into the conversations of others

There is no benefit for continuing to gripe. Let the other guy have the last word. Keep a smile on your face and a sincere desire for peace in your heart and . . . let it alone.

You are not likely to avoid having to do unpleasant tasks. You might as well choose to do them without complaining.

Make that part of your goals for 2013.

Complain less.
Now, how do you break that down into a specific plan? You will have to determine to make the right choices when you are tempted to complain.

How can you make this a part of your life? How? How? How?

How about memorizing the verse?

“Do everything without complaining.”

My Graduation, December 2011

“It’s official. I’ve graduated.” That’s what I wrote on December 16, 2011.

During the months of December 2010 into spring 2011,  I had worked out my final courses and I knew the rest of the game plan that would take me through fall to graduation. I was no longer planning what classes to take next. It was all laid out, and the end was in sight. It was so hard to grasp that I was really done!

Throughout the fall semester, I was asked many times by coworkers, “Are you going to walk for graduation?” Another person asked me, “Why do you want to walk for graduation?” I didn’t have a great answer for that at first. I had never considered missing it. I just assumed it was the final step in the process. Practically, I think that because I knew I would not be jumping into some great new job but staying where I was, walking for graduation is the only thing that acknowledged and celebrated the accomplishment. Also, since I work at the university, I wanted to walk before my colleagues at the university, with the students (many of whom I helped in my work). Commencement recognizes the value of the work required to get a degree. It is the capstone for all the hard work. Yes, I walked!


This spring, my son will be graduating. How cool is that!

Looking at the Past

Do not allow yourself to be focused on the past. Why? Well, there are two ways to look at this:

1. When you dwell on past failures, you may feel defeat and hopelessness. Look at the past enough to learn the lessons, but then move forward.
2. Be aware of your attitude toward past successes and victories. Build upon them, but don’t let those feelings cause pride, which can sidetrack you, even blind you to problems as you work on goals in the here and now.

Yes, you do need to gain confidence, build hope, keep your dreams in mind. Watch for ways to make changes. Turn the dream into a vision. The vision is more detailed. As you define the vision, you may be able to determine real goals to help you reach it.

Think about it. Got any dreams that you should be thinking about? Have you tossed them off? Is it time to resurrect a dream and see if it might be possible?

The dream doesn’t have to be huge. It can be something that you would love to see come about, and, yes, perhaps a bit out of reach. Stop dwelling on the problems you have had in the past.

 Thomas Edison said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

Can you think about things in a new way?

Spanish—As a Goal?

Last year I took Spanish for two semesters. My daughter took the class with me. I had taken four years during high school. I still have all my high-school Spanish textbooks, and I have since bought others. I also used CD set that I bought for homeschooling my children during the eighteen years I stayed at home. I also listened to the series with “Johnny Spanish” from Discover Spanish.

I was thinking of taking the intermediate level during this school year, but I decided to focus on other changes. I do intend to work on Spanish now and then. I do not see it as a major goal for the coming year. A member of our team at work is Hispanic and works in a position that requires his use of Spanish.

Thinking through my goals for the coming year has helped me to see that I can delete the Discover Spanish podcasts from my iTunes. When I study, I will prefer to use online tutorials and other resources as well as my textbooks.

Do you have any goals like this?

Recognize that goals can change as you discover new directions in which you want to go. You may be certain about your goals now, but allow for the direction to be changed has you move along. Perhaps you will see that other goals are more beneficial. Maybe you need to focus on sorting things out. But be sure you make set some goals. Look at your hopes and dreams, and do not dismiss them. Be willing to set some goals that will challenge you, but do not set so many that you lose all hope.

If you are timid about it, pray for strength and guidance.
Read the Bible (paying attention as you read and seek).
Set some goals to take you through the first quarter of the year.
Be specific about that period of time, and then break it down to monthly goals.
Now go further and see what can be done, week by week.
So what will you need to do each day to be successful?
Do you know that success doesn’t necessarily mean you fully accomplish each goal?
Do you know that you will miss on some things?

Set goals anyway!

Never Give Up!

I have a dozen posts in various stages of readiness, but I still have some research to do before they are ready for posting. I want to provide links for things I reference. And I keep gathering new information and ideas.

It feels a little frustrating right now. I want to write all the time.

Do you ever feel that kind of frustration? Have you noticed that when you set out to do something, like setting goals and getting a fresh start, that you get knocked down?

Someone says you can’t do it.
You feel guilty—without the help of anyone else—about taking time to set goals.
You come down with a cold.
You decide it’s not worth it.

Never give up, never, never, never.

Winston Churchill said something like that. But when I searched to document it, I came up with a fair amount of variation.  So you can run it through your favorite search engine and see what you discover.

Regardless, the principle is good. So no matter where you are in your process, stick to it.

Never give up!

Good to Great!

Good to great! That’s certainly a goal worth shooting for.

I work at a university. When the administration changed a couple years ago, these books were key in the approach they took.

I got them  immediately and read them. This was the start of my discovery of the leading motivators of today.

Jim Collins, author of Great by Choice and Good to Great, discusses the idea of having the right people “on the bus” and in the “right seats.”

Are You Going to Set Written Goals for 2013?

Planning for and aiming toward new things with a dream and a vision is what I should be doing. It is what you should be doing. Are you a little afraid? Do you feel like you are not able to make forward progress? Do you feel like you have failed in the past? Could it be that you never really set concrete goals? I always thought my orderly and goal-oriented planning was enough. But as I have listened to podcasts and read motivational blogs, I see that my inconsistency did not give me a strong enough foundation. Really, my goal setting was half-baked!

You would think I would have had this figured out by now. But it has only been since this past summer that I have found these motivational tools. Dan Miller, of 48 Days, has his goals set for the new year by November 15. I have not yet written out my goals. While I do make lists every day, I have always thought of goals for a new year as resolutions, which, for some reason, I took some sort of pride in not setting. How whacky is that!


How about you? Are you going to set some goals?

Faith for Your Goals

Sometimes it is a lack of faith that gets in the way of our reaching goals. When you are trying to reach a goal, you may need to take a look at your relationship to God. If you have accepted His gift of salvation, you have the most powerful sources of help. The Bible, the Spirit of God living in You, and access to God at any time.

Yet, too often, faith is left out of the picture when it comes to setting goals. Somehow it is easier to take full responsibility. Certainly, you must do your part. God expects us to make plans, to be orderly, to seek to be our best, to take care of ourselves, to look to the future. But He is still in control.

I’ve heard this quoted many times over the years. It holds a lot of truth.

“Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.”

—St. Augustine

If you are a Christian, you should set goals in order to accomplish as much as you can toward becoming the person God wants you to become. Let’s ask:

Does he want met to settle for where I am?
Is it showing discontent to make plans and work toward becoming a better you?
Is God pleased when you are careless, hopeless, and apathetic?
Does God want us to sit back and let Him take us to where he wants us to be?

The answer to all of those questions is no.

It is indeed okay to make plans. You are to make plans.

I do believe it is okay to set goals and make plans to better myself in all areas. 

Proverbs 3:5–7
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.

Note that it says He will direct your paths. This assumes that you in motion, looking for the next step. You are to acknowledge God—bring Him into the picture—as you make plans, as you go through your daily life.

Proverbs 16:8–10
Better is a little with righteous than great revenues without right. A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.

Clearly, it is okay to plan. Scripture says that man devises his way. But note that it is God who directs each step, opening and closing doors. You see, though, that if you are not approaching doors—looking at new opportunities—you will never know if the door would be opened or closed. And for that part the depends on you, you need to prepare yourself, take care of yourself, do your best to be your best, and be actively in pursuit of goals.

Who Wins?

Is there a struggle within? If you are a Christian, you may have some areas where struggle still take place.When I look back over the years at my efforts at setting goals, I find that I have sometimes decided it’s too much work. Or perhaps I expect that I won’t be able to succeed. Life will come at me and I will have to just muddle through.

As a Christian, I know that it is not God’s plan for me to muddle through. He wants me to accomplish any goal I set that will honor Him. Those can be big goals, God-sized goals. I have usually been a little hesitant to step out and set God-sized goals.

I want to anticipate right now, as I’m thinking about goals for 2013, that the devil will try to keep me from reaching those goals. He will even try to keep me from setting goals by challenging my thinking. We often accept lesser goals because we don’t want to seem like we are not pleased or thankful for what God has given us. Why, if I aim to make more money in 2013, isn’t that ungodly?

From career goals to homemaking and eating right, I will set goals that are beyond my reach on my own. They must challenge me to grow beyond what I think I can accomplish.

If you are attempting to reach particular goals to help you make progress and accomplish more, it is likely that you will be facing a battle with the devil.

Ephesians 6:12
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

What about your goals?
If you find yourself holding back on setting goals, ask yourself what is causing your hesitation?
Is it past failures? Is it a fear that you are showing discontent?
Will accomplishing this goal help you succeed in other areas?
Will accomplishing this goal honor God?
And, what it you do not reach the goal? As you break it down into pieces, can you see that you will be further along to accomplish part of the goal? Do you understand that you are not a failure if you do not do every bit of the goal? Do you see that aiming high and making some progress is better than having no goal at all?

If you aim at nothing, you can reach it easily. I would rather set up the target—the goal—and miss the bullseye than not even know where the target is or what the goal is.

Do you suppose it is God who is suggesting you do not have goals? Does He want you just sit where you are and let life happen to you?

Spiritual Health

Statistics are mixed on how many churchgoers or how many Christians read the Bible. But as I was beginning to search for stats, it occurred to me that what other people do doesn’t matter much. And even my own report on how frequently I read the Bible is of no great value.

At our church, we have just started a series about reading the Bible. And, though I have been taught similar approaches in the past, I was ready for this fresh reminder. Just “reading the Bible” is not as effective as reading with a specific plan. My past experience with reading with a plan involves a notebook and pencil, several Bible translations, and a Bible dictionary. I love to study the Bible that way—looking up words, breaking the verses down to understand the meaning.

Somewhere along the way, I got this idea that it was not a good idea to “read the Bible” that way. Why, it just takes too much time, I reasoned. And I would even say to others, “When I try to keep up with devotions, or quiet time, I just get so carried away, because I like to study and look things up,” as if it were a bad thing. So I reasoned myself straight out of a regular quiet time.

Quiet time—in whatever form it takes, because I really am allowed to do it in any manner I choose—will be a goal for me for 2013

Bible Food for Thought

The video program we are using at church identifies three dynamics we need to be aware of in our reading plans.

Listen
You won’t be able to understand if you aren’t able to hear the Word—to take it in. Don’t be in a hurry. Plan enough time, or don’t decide ahead of time how much you have to get through in each session. Sit down with time to read, study, and listen for what God can teach you through His Word.

Understand
I very much enjoy the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible. For the most part, it is the version I use for memorization. But I do have other translations that put the Scripture in more modern language. I like the New American Standard Bible because its translation uses the same words that I often hear pastors use to explain a word in the KJV. I also enjoy The Living Bible, for its easy reading.

When you look for a Bible, you just need to know that it is a good translation that is accurate and communicates well. Our pastor mentioned the Holman Study Bible, which you can find at Christian Books, Amazon, Family Christian Stores, and other places.

Respond
This means you take a point you have learned and apply it to your own life. Find a way to live out that point that you just came to understand.


“Apply yourself wholly to the Scriptures, and apply the Scriptures wholly to yourself.”

—Johann A. Bengel, German theologian and scholar

What do the words mean?

Do you need to look them up?

Do you have study Bible?

Do you have a Bible commentary?

Do you have a Bible dictionary?

What do the word pictures mean?

Do you take time to ponder the Scriptures? Meditate?

Have you allowed time for Bible study?

Do you see that a quick reading of a few verses will not have the same impact?

What should you change to make this happen?

Do you need to slow down?

Do you need to change the time of day?

What if you got up earlier?

Are you asking God to help you understand what He is saying?

Do you know that you might come back to this same scripture later and gain new understanding?

Have you made room for God in your emotions?

What kind of evidence would you see in someone who delights in the Word?

I will set a specific goal for Bible reading that will help me to see spiritual growth in my life.

Memorizing the Fruit of the Spirit List

Galatians 5:22–23
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. (RSV)
 
Love
Joy
Peace

Patience
Kindness
Goodness

Faithfulness
Gentleness
Self-Control

Different translations use different words to express the meaning. I like this version for memorizing because it has a pattern. Three sets of words with increasing numbers of syllables.

One syllable: love, joy, peace

Two syllables: patience, kindness, goodness

Three syllables: faithfulness, gentleness, self-control


When my children were little, we wanted to find Scripture set to music. That’s when we discovered Steve Green’s Hide ’em in Your Heart  CDs. Two of them. With songs that taught my children—and my husband and me—the verse about the fruit of the Spirit, as well as all the others on the two albums.

I was not immediately struck by the stylings of all the songs, but the more I listened the more they appealed to my ear . . . and I was learning them—hiding God’s Word in my heart, right along with my children.

I recalled the verse about it, Isaiah 55:11, that says:
So shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: It shall not return until Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.


Please find this music for your family!

This is Volume 1
 







This is Volume 2
   

A New View of Goal-Setting (for Me)

I have never been one to make resolutions. I do love fresh starts, new beginnings. So January 1 is a good time to start toward new goals.

Dan Miller of 48 Days to the Work You Love begins to work on his goals for the coming year in November (at least). Listening to his podcasts is inspiring for many areas of life. I have heard and read how important it is to write down your goals. And I have done that before, but I am beginning to get a better grasp on it. Key for me is to understand that I won’t be able to get everything done that needs to be done. However, I can certainly set goals that are realistic yet challenging. Dan suggests that you have our goals in place for the coming year by the middle of November. Well, I’m still working on mine. It may be the first time I have put this much effort in to setting goals that make a difference for me throughout the year. Dan has a Goals Sheet  (an 11-page PDF, mind you) to help you set goals in seven areas:

• Financial
• Physical
• Personal Development
• Family
• Spiritual
• Social
• Career

When I started this post last week, these are areas that had come to mind for me from looking at “Life Wheels” online.  So how do my areas match to Dan’s areas?

Fitness/Health/Exercise/Weight Loss
Under Physical

Spiritual Growth/Quiet Time/Prayer
This, under Spiritual.

Personal Growth/Self-Talk/Reading
Clearly under Personal Development

Entrepreneurial Efforts/Blogs/Home Business/eBay
Career

Relationships/Family/Extended Family
Uses two categories: Family and Social

Home/Cooking/Organizing/Decorating
Clearly, he has missed the goals for wife and mom. Right?

Until I did this categorizing, I didn’t realize he has missed the wife/mom area. But it is indeed not seen in the seven areas he identifies. So I still might work on my own guide.

For what areas are you thinking of setting goals?

Wrong Thinking v Truth and Hope

At 60, it’s probably a fact that I am about two-thirds of the way through my life here on this earth. Is there a reason I would need to expect to finish out at status quo? I have decided that the answer to that is “No.” It is the negative self-talk that rises up—this kind of stuff:

• Nothing has happened so far. Why do you think you make things any different?
• These are pretty wild goals. What makes you think you can come close to reaching them?
• Money? Why are you aiming for more money? That’ll never happen.
• You are stuck where you are. Nothing can change enough, so why bother?
• Aren’t you supposed to be content? Isn’t that what the Bible says?

Well, I do know for sure that such thinking is not from God. I know it’s not good for taking positive action. So I need to change that thinking.

Reading the Bible is key to recognizing truth. Another area for improvement in 2013.

Master’s or No Master’s

I had completed two years of college when I decided to get married. For some reason, it never occurred to me to complete my degree. It wasn’t even discussed. Looking back, I can see that I was never encouraged by my high school, my family, or my friends. And I myself had no thought for my/our future. I went to college for two years, but it simply to not even cross my mind to continue my schooling. I don’t even know why.

In 2009, I decided to complete my degree, and I graduated in December 2011. The options were limited for online classes, so I chose Human Services as the major. I considered going for my master’s (in an education area), and I was actually signed up and ready to start the first class when the impact of what it would require made me stop short. By this time I was listening to Dave Ramsey, EntreLeadership, and Dan Miller via podcasts. And dreams began to build up again.

I questioned the whole idea of getting the master’s, wondering:

How long it will take to earn the degree?
What will a master’s do for me as a career?
Is the degree going to allow me to work in a field I want to work in?
Is this what I want to be doing while my son is finishing his final year of college and living at home? Even if I can teach, will I still need to work full time anyway to keep benefits?
What else will continue to be left undone in my home business?
Is it better to work on improving the business Web site?
Is it better to work toward editing jobs, work that I love?

I chose to postpone the pursuit of a master’s and then backed out entirely by midsummer. Instead, I decided to purchase books to create my own “master’s program,” to allow me to shoot for entrepreneuerial goals. I created a small but growing library and became excited about turning some dreams in to reality. Hope had come back and I thought I could take a year to prepare and then be a great place to even consider quitting my day job. Well, the summer brought a lateral job change to a new area, with potential for promotion, or so I thought.

Sad to say, I have yet to read any of the books.

So reading books is becoming one area for goals for the coming year.

Inspiration

One area that will help me to reach goals, maintain motivation, and build confidence is to take in inspirational information. I tend to be a fairly positive person. I was inspired years ago with available motivators such as:

Zig Ziglar
Zig had a cassette series called “The Richer Life Course,” which I purchased in 1977. I still have that cassette set! It might be worth pulling those cassettes out again to listen to them, but I’m not sure that would still play well.

Tom Peters
Peters wrote the book In Search of Excellence. I just replaced that book in my library and it’s on my reading list for 2013.

So I had touched the “motivational” world, but only on the surface. I went on about my life with no long-term goals. I had not seen the big picture. I didn’t know of any programs. I didn’t have any idea that anything was wrong with my planning or, better stated, my lack of planning. When I was completing my degree (2009–2011), I took a personal financial stewardship course that used Dave Ramsey’s The Total Money Make-Over book. I had read the book several years before, but I did not feel like I was in a position to make it work. I set it aside. During the class, I decided to listen to some of Dave’s television programs on Hulu. I listened to nearly every one that was available at the time. Then I discovered podcasts and found a reason to use the iPod I had been given for a birthday present months before. So I began to listen to Dave Ramsey’s podcasts. They were fun and inspiring!

Through Dave, I learned about “The EntreLeadership Podcast,” hosted by Chris LoCurto, which led me to Dan Miller’s “48 Days” podcast. I began to hear things that inspired me! I was feeling like I could take a new look at my future. Maybe I didn’t have to stay where I was. I began to dream impossible things. I also began to check out other blogs. Many are identified as “leadership” blogs, but they are full of motivation. Because I know these leaders and bloggers are Christians, and I can be confident in their foundation of thought. These are some of the blogs I enjoy:

Chris LoCurto
Jon Acuff
John Maxwell
Dan Miller
Mike Hyatt

Any suggestions of good blogs are welcomed!

As a Man Thinketh

My son came across this book through a college class and shared it with me. Once I had read it, I knew I wanted to own my own copy. The title is based on the scripture Proverbs 23:7a: For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.

You can do a search for this title and find it available in various forms. I chose to find a copy to purchase. The 4 1/4” x 6 1/2” is a lovely size.

I recall that Shay Carl was wowed by this book as he began his own business this past summer. I have searched to find the YouTube link where he talks about it, but so far no luck.
(If you find it, let me know, please.)


In the first chapter, James Allen helps you to see how much you are in control of your destiny.

“Man is made or unmade by himself; in the armory of thought [my emphasis] he forges the weapons by which he destroys himself; he also fashions the tools with which he builds for himself heavenly mansions of joy and strength and peace.”

It is easier to see that some positive thinking can help one to take action. We understand this as we contemplate goals and look for resolutions for the coming year. But when it comes to recognizing how frequently we are forging weapons that destroy us—negative thinking—that’s a different story. Just spend a day purposing to check your thinking. Almost any goal can serve as an example. How often do the thoughts come: I can’t do this. I’ve tried so many times, and I know I’m going to fail again. I think I am doomed to be right where I am. 

These are all lies in our thinking. Changing our thinking is a key to changing our behavior.

2 Corinthians 10:5
Casing down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (KJV)

Upon this scripture, you can determine to take those lies, those weapons of destruction, and cast them out of your mind. Picture yourself literally picking up those thoughts, or weapons, and throwing them on the ground and stomping on them.

Then, replace those thoughts with uplifting words of hope, such as these:

Philippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (NKJV)

Take time to work on your thinking. When you catch it going wrong, get rid of it and fill that space with truth and hope.

Hope always!

Zig Ziglar: Don’t get cooked in squat.

Zig Ziglar recently passed from this earth to heaven. Author of many books, including See You at the Top, Zig was a motivator for decades. Dave Ramsey mentioned Zig’s passing on his radio show, which I listen to by podcast. Dave pointed out that he would actually be seeing Zig “at the top” one day. Indeed! Those of us who know Christ as our Savior will one day join Zig at the top, in heaven, where is now in the presence of His Savior.

Yesterday I talked about Hope. I have come to realize, more and more, that Hope without a plan, without action, leaves you right where you are. Oh, yes, Hope is good, but too many people sit in that spot, waiting for good things to come to them, to happen to them.

Years ago—in the seventies—I listened to Zig Ziglar’s series on cassette tapes. Among his many inspirational thoughts, the one that comes most quickly to mind for me is, “Don’t get cooked in squat.” Zig explains: When I was a small boy in Yazoo City, Mississippi, we lived next door to some rich folks. I know they were rich because they not only had a cook, but the cook had something to cook. In the 1930’s that was a sure sign of wealth. I was there for lunch one day, as I tried to be most every day. On this occasion, the cook brought out a pan of biscuits. Since they were no thicker than a silver dollar, I asked, “Maude, what happened to those biscuits?” She reared back, laughed, and said, “Well, those biscuits squatted to rise, but they just got cooked in the squat.”

I want to take that to heart as I approach 2013.

New Month, New Day, New Start

I love new beginnings.

Here is a great opportunity! December 1, 2012. It’s a mental boost! I have attempted blogs in the past, using the blog to chronicle a journey that spent too much time bemoaning the struggles instead of sharing victories. I will take a different approach with this blog by sharing hope and motivation and victory.

Progress does follow that sort of pathway, doesn’t it?

Hope
Hope really is the point of beginning. I can see the need to make changes, step it up, and move forward, but as long as I am focused on the past failures, progress is difficult. I’m pretty good at maintaining Hope. Even when I struggle, I tend to keep a good grasp on Hope. But what am I doing about it, really doing about it?

Motivation
Once I have see some light of hope, motivation is needed. That’s an area that has been lacking for me. I get so wrapped up in the routine of life that I sit in the place of Hope for too long. I somehow feel some sort of “righteousness” in all that I have to do. But I am no different than other people. God has equipped me for the circumstances in which I find myself. I need to take advantage of online resources that are available to motivate.

Victory
That’s where I want to come out of this—in Victory!

Thomas Edison
I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward.

My Diploma, Finally

Yesterday, I finally received my diploma. I graduated in December and I understood that diplomas would be ready in February. I never got mine, so I just let it ride, waiting to see if I would be notified. Last Friday, I left a voice mail about a student who needed her diploma, and I identified the student (me) with just the ID number. Next think I know was that I was being asked about a class that was showing as incomplete, and it was from 2008-09, before I even applied for admission. So that was all worked out and I was given my diploma yesterday. Now that I’m moving into a new office, I will have a wall on which I am permitted to hang it. So I just may go ahead and get the frame from our bookstore when it’s on sale in December.

New Job, Refreshing My Spirit and My Goals

Hey, People!

I have a new job. I’m still at Southeastern University, but I will now be working for the Dean of Extended Education. The job is a lateral move, but it takes me to work I will love and I anticipate that we will take the enrollment to a good level and will need to have help and I’ll be promoted into a position created for me. That’s my goal. My interview with the new boss was great. We’re so looking forward to making a difference at SEU with our efforts.

My own department is in the midst of a shake-up, with a former employee coming back to take the position of Director of Student Financial Services. Other changes have been surprising. The former director is now a counselor, taking the position of the former counselor, who moved across the hall to the Admission Department (under the same VP). A Student Accounts Counselor moved down to the Business Office to become the AP Coordinator. She was replaced with a wonderful new employee, whom Andrew and I have trained over the last five weeks or so. After disregarding the openings for Financial Aid Counselors in the past, I applied for this one. After not hearing anything for a month, I decided to apply for a second position, the one I have now accepted. In the middle of this, after I had already had a second great interview, our director was moved into the position for which I had applied within our department. Next another long-term Financial Aid Counselor resigned, and that same evening I was offered the new job. Before I accepted it, I learned that about the new director. I would have been quite happy to work under her, but I wasn’t sure about other parts of the structure. And I am so happy to know that I will not have to be encouraging people to get loans as the only way they can go to school, because it’s a “worthwhile investment.” I could have thrived in the new environment. I could have even offered input. Indeed I have been discussing things with the new director, because she is my friend first and incoming director second. In fact, she wrote letters of recommendation for me for both jobs. Turns out that God really moved for a change for me, taking me out of there before I had an opportunity to give much thought to staying. I start on August 8, but I’ll come back to help some as needed, including Orientation weekend.

So much has been going on that has eaten up the time I was supposed to have as Instead of Master’s. I have also taken more time for husband, watching some television and movies. But feeling pressed to accomplish more, I will adjust my schedule so that I can be more diligent to accomplish the goals before me.

• Changing from BrightHouse to FIOS meant changing e-mail addresses everywhere.

• Job opportunities meant completing the application twice, revising the estimate twice, and getting letters of recommendation twice.

• It meant a one-hour meeting with the potential new boss, a twenty-minute meeting with the VP, then another two-hour interview.

• Refinancing effort involved two meetings at the bank. One to set it up, one to take it away.

• It meant taking time off to tidy extra before the appraisal.

• It meant an upfront payment, which we are now trying to have reimbursed.

• It meant rethinking blogs, which I now have figured out. For this blog, I could not write until I had resolved many of the issue.

Ahhhhh. So onward and upward, forward for the challenges and joys of the days ahead. I intend to start a Web site for writing and editing, which Jo will help me with. The goals for our business continue to foremost, and I will be tackling my tasks with renewed strength immediately.

I have, today, just spent about three hours blogging about my thoughts and goals, so now, at 3:30, it’s time to start down my list of things to do today.

kitchen, sort lettuce, fix Monday lunch

do mail, cash sheet, prepare worksheet

do wrap-ups

sort and reorganize papers

church this evening?

And that’s it for now.

BrightHouse to FIOS, and More

I’m trying to get caught up so I can get ahead. I have developed some dreams for the remainder of my life that will require some planning and action. Much of that action includes catching up, deluttering, and taking care of business things. We just switched from BrightHouse to Verizon/FIOS, which has taken many hours of address updating. I also messed up my dieting blog address, so I’m working with Google to see about restoring it. I’ve gone through several steps with them, and I hope to know this week if I can restore the old blog title and e-mail address. The diet blog has helped me to drop 18 pounds, but I have a long way to go on that project.

Jo is going to help me set up a web page so I can do editing and print design to help wisdom meet these passions.

I want to blog more regularly. I want to study Spanish before class starts again in August. I need to get a lot done around the house. And I think I can do it! As soon as we resolve the issues we have had in getting FIOS, we’ll be able to move forward.

Our door-to-door rep was offering us a deal that was comparable to our BrightHouse deal, or so we thought. In the end, we have only one recorder instead of two. I called him two times and got one response. Then Bill and I have called at least six times, and he has not called us back.

So I’m putting out a few little fires here and there. Once those are taken care of I hope to be on target and feel like I’m moving forward with entrepreneurial things. I’ve got a great library of books to read, and I’ve started with As a Man Thinketh, by James Allen. Soooooo good!

The “Instead” Is Developing!

As the semester ended, I was busy with the final project and preparing for the final exam. Immediately after that, company came for nine days. So it was just this weekend that I am discovering what it means to be out of school, not doing a Master’s, not even doing Spanish, and being able to think about new ideas. So I’ve been doing some dreaming and planning.

And I’m going to start a new blog to chronicle the process. I’m expecting great things because of diligent action and the help of God. I am so very much at the beginning stage that I don’t even know the direction I’ll be taking or where I want to come out. I continue to hope for a career change at Southeastern, although every attempt to change positions has so far been unsuccessful. Hoping for the right thing to open up to me. I’ll keep looking. Andrew will graduate next spring and the matter of tuition may no longer be important. We have plenty of time to consider that.

I’ve been listening to Dave Ramsey’s podcast for at least a year. Last week I just discovered Dan Miller’s podcast, and I’ve only listened to about five of those. Dave also has EntreLeadership podcasts, which I shall also listen to. I also bought some books that will help. But all of this will go to the new blog. I’ve considered how to manage the blogs, and I need to realize that “Write at the Moment” is personal. It’s more of a scrapbook, a montage of things to remember and things to share, maybe to inspire just a wee bit. Hmmmmm, now three blogs to maintain, but I can do as I please. I can write as little or as often as I choose. No one is holding me accountable to maintain a blog. It’s in my hands.

Moving Past the Plans for My Master’s

Instead of Master’s

I have been writing of “Insteads,” for which you can do a search. I have decided to definitely postpone the Master’s degree. I will not be staring in the fall of 2012. I’ll see where God has me as I look to fall of 2013. I will focus on the Spanish and the many other projects that I should take care of as wife, mom, and entrepreneur.

Bookkeeping and Taxes

I got my bookkeeping as well reconstructed as I could. I had lost the file and had to start from scratch on the bookkeeping, mileage, medical, and other records for 2011 before I could get to the taxes. I went ahead and loaded up the TurboTax, which also had to be started from scratch because that entire record also was lost.

Spanish

Once that was accomplished, by April 17, it was time to catch up on some other things and focus on the project for Spanish class. I ended up with an A in the class. Jo and I did study a lot in the last week, but I didn’t study on my own as much as I would have like to. This next year I will take Spanish again. I also intend to study Spanish much, over the summer. I want to be sure I completely have an understanding of what is in the Aventuras textbook. I also intend to finish up with the Coffeebreak Spanish podcasts and look at the Spanish textbooks and others I have, as well as online programs—just wanting to focus, focus, focus on it.

AutoTach Web Page

Before that, however, I need to get the AutoTach page really in a shopper mode. I’ll need help on that. I wonder about getting a program. Dreamweaver? Frontpage? No idea! So I will need to research that. In the meantime, do I try to continue with my own HTML efforts, using PayPal shopping carts?

What Happens at 65?

I also need to begin to research retirement, Social Security options, and transfer of the business ownership from Bill to me. As I thought about this yesterday, it occurred to me that I need to dig deep for information, as if I were doing a class assignment. I must do the research, take notes, ask my already-there sisters, perhaps ask someone at school, and do whatever it takes to become knowledgeable about this.

RC

Bill’s friend from Ohio will be coming soon, for eight days. Good for him, good for Bill. They need their time together now and then, and it’s been awhile. He would have come sooner, but I requested a delay until taxes were done and school was out.

Credit Cards and Phones

Still, the credit card payment option is not in place. So that’s another goal for this summer. I must, must, must get the phones switched out so we can save the $250 to $300+ a month from that cost. Then I’ll decide if we want to use a credit card plan from Sam’s, the Square Up, or something else.

Raise Prices, New Ad and Order Form

This is a toss-up with credit cards and phones as to which is more important. However, when I realize that neither project needs to take weeks, but only days, maybe I can get both done by the end of May. It’s a reasonable goal.

Ramsey Recommendations

I want to order and read several books recommended by Dave Ramsey, including 48 Days to the Work You Love, by Dan Miller. I also found information about writing, such as writing instruction manuals. I could do that very well. Just today I have discovered his podcast, so I’ll start through those to become more motivated and informed.

Writing and Editing

I would like to get into writing and editing, and I want to have a web page in place. I could write instruction manuals, I could edit papers for students and professors and authors.

2012 Bookkeeping

And then there’s the matter of the bookkeeping for 2012, as of yet not started. That needs to get going and then be maintained and . . . BACKED UP!

Clean Garage

I cleaned the garage several times over the years, prior to going to work in February 2006. It hasn’t been done since. Andrew worked it around once, but things are disordered and piled up. It needs my touch.

Declutter, Garage Sale, eBay, VegSource, and YooOffer

All of this goes together. I need to get things decluttered, cleared out, tossed, donated, or sold. YooOffer is a new listing site recommend by Kim Komando. Bill is ready to just toss, especially when it comes to things that belong to someone else in the family. So we just need to keep on the same team and work together to decide how to handle things. The unfortunate thing in Florida is that our attic is small and too hot, and there’s no basement. Storing things in the garage or on the porch long-term is not good because of the heat and humidity. I might be able to move some things to the garage temporarily, but that cannot happen until I clean the garage.

Yard Work

That back corner mound of green and weeds must be cut down. I’m sure it has snakes and bunnies, but it’s only going to become more and more overgrown. I’m good with the palm tree that’s there, but otherwise it needs to be a planned space.

Pool

The pool is a grand dilemma. It failed us years ago and we are maintaining it at half or less than half its volume. But the cost to fix it is prohibitive. Although I may be getting to stage in my life in the next several years where I might want to use it, the funds may not be available then any more than now. So we talk of taking out the pool. It’s another area for research. Do we need a permit to take it out? How does one remove a pool? Bit by bit? What are the legal issues?

Fitness

This is an area where I am having some success. I’ve lost thirteen pounds on my down to a range of acceptable weight. That’s about a sixth or seventh of my way to the goal area. I have been keeping a food blog and a calorie journal. I need to lose only seven more pounds to be ready for the second set of before and after comparison photos, which should show the difference much better at twenty pounds than it showed at ten pounds.

Music Ministry

I still play piano at church now and then. I would like to be able go to the weekly practice and play every morning and evening, but I can’t justify that practice time with the many other things that have yet to be done. I think I could overcome the issues of being on the platform for the first part of the service, and maybe one day I’ll be able to do that again. The worship leader uses a very narrow file of music and readily admits he does not know many hymns.

Housekeeping

Everyone in the family is busy at their own activities and my touch is needed for suggesting areas where I need help and for doing the things that just need my touch. It has not been easy even to assign chores with the schedule I have had. This can and must all change.

Fun Stuff

Blogging has fallen behind, but it’s one joy I hope to be able to continue. The food blog must continue as support for the weight loss. I would like to draw and watercolor and cross-stitch. Maybe even sew some clothing for myself. I also have lots of reading I want to do. Besides the Dan Miller book, there are others recommended by Dave Ramsey. I also want to finish a series I started to read to Joanna when I was still at home, not working at SEU. I want to see finish the series and know how it all turned out. I’d also like to do more Bible study and photography.

And this, you see, is why I cannot image working on my Master’s.

Interesting or Interested?

Quoted by Jim Collins in the intro to his monograph Good to Great and the Social Sector. As a teacher, he writes, he asked a mentor, Professor John Gardner (Google him), how he might become a better teacher. Gardner answered: “It occurs to me, Jim, that you spend too much time trying to become interesting. Why don’t you invest more time in becoming interested?”

Applying the Truth I Know

I went to Sunday school today for the first time in about a year I’m guessing. I hope to keep it up even when I start on my master’s. TB is the teacher, and he is just finishing a series on prayer.

He mentioned how the devil/demons are able to “push our buttons.” It made me think again of the question about how that happens when the devil cannot read our minds. He is not all-knowing. I talked to TB about this after class a bit. He pointed out that the devil does know the points on which to challenge any believer. Our guardian angel is standing for us against the demons, who want to ruin our testimony and take us down. I need to study more about that, but I gained some new insight.

He also taught about the importance of remembering the good things God has done for us. We must remember specific ways that God has moved in our lives. And we discussed the importance of knowing the Word, memorizing scripture, and meditating on the Word. The devil cannot plant his ideas in places that are already filled with scripture. I must move beyond just reading through the Bible, using the plan our church is using. I must take time to study the Word. I want to know for myself about how the devil is trying to take me down. I have knowledge of that, and I have thought it is enough to know that I should know the Word. But I have not truly been studying the Bible on a regular basis. I have spurts but that’s all. And I know that God multiples my time somehow when I commit to studying His Word. And then I need to apply it.

How can it be applied immediately? I know I do not want to have the idea that I won’t be able to apply the teaching I already know unless I am doing such and such—so many minutes of study, this amount of effort, or that amount of prayer and Bible memorization. But I know that I must meditate on the Word more. And I need to apply what I do know. I need to act on it. I need to stand on the verse that says to resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Here’s the full section, James 4:6–8:

⁶But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

 ⁷Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

 ⁸Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Ahhhhh, and this is why it is so important to memorize scriptures. There’s so much more to this than just the portion I knew by heart. I am to submit to God. Overall I would always answer that question by saying I am submitted to God. But I recognize that I conveniently separate out the difficult parts of my life. Well, clearly, those areas have not been submitted to His authority. That needs to change. God help me! What must I do? Get into the Word. Apply what I already know to apply. Get it out of my head and into action!