I have never read the Harry Potter books, nor seen any of the movies. When the first book came out I was 8 and not allowed to read them because they were "witchcraft" but I also didn't have a huge want to read them anyways. But almost 16 years later it's still a huge hit, so I decided to start reading them. I read the first one from 7 PM - 4 AM the other night. Straight on through. It was good. I bought book 2 and 3 the next night, and read half of book 2 last night. I watched the first movie which was good. I want to go to Islands of Adventure where they have the Harry Potter world. Will I become a fanatic after like so many? I don't know. However, for now it's a good series.
At our first Slovakia meeting a few weeks ago we discussed the basics of getting things together, and this Sunday will be our 2nd meeting. I'm excited about it.
Today it was 75 degrees out with strong winds. So weird! But beautiful weather. However, no snow yet for Georgia... :-(
Friday, February 24, 2012
Friday, February 17, 2012
Inventory of your life
When I worked at Lifeway Christian Bookstore we did inventory once a year, after hours so everybody got paid extra, and it took hours and everyone had to be there to do it, even people who didn’t work there. At Starbucks there’s a small inventory done each week during regular hours, and a larger one each month. Although it’s not fun for the manager and shift leaders to do that so often, it also keeps everything on track and prevents from longer ones.
Our lives are like that.
How often do we take inventory of our own lives? If we let it go too long, it ends up hard to correct. So I would like to challenge you to take inventory of your life more often, as I am going to try to do as well. It doesn’t have to be a specific day each month or a set schedule, but the more often you do this, the more often you can realign to what you’re looking for instead of waiting until you are very far off of where you should be.
Coming at this from a Christian point of view, these questions will be based on what a life following Christ would look like. So here are some questions I will be asking myself, and hopefully you will ask yourself too. While my list is long, there may be questions you can skip through quickly with a check mark, where others you have a harder time with.
- How are you doing with your free time? Are you wasting it or using it wisely?
-Are you serving?
-How often do you pray? And how deep?
-Are you listening for God or just talking the whole time?
-How are your quiet times?
-What gets you most excited? What gets you most upset? Is there a chance that the answer to those things could be competing with God? (Saw those questions in the book, “Not A Fan,” by Kyle Idleman)
-Are you too busy? What can you do to slow down a bit?
-How are your thoughts? Are they often negative, mean, lustful, jealous, selfish, etc? And what consumes a lot of your thoughts? Does it match up with Philippians 4:8 (Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praise worthy…think about such things.)
-Even in times in your life when you’re not where you want to be or when you’re in a frustrating situation, God can still use you. Have you asked Him to do that? Are you trying to do that? What does that look like?
-Where do you want to be a year from now in my job/relationships/financially? What can you do today to start that process?
-How are you spending your money? Are you tithing? Are you saving? What are you paying too much for on something you don’t really need?
-How much stuff do you have? Can you donate or give away anything to Wellspring / organizations that help others in need, yard sales for those going on mission trips, or homeless shelters?
-What’s coming out of your mouth? Are you gossiping and tearing others down or building others up? Do you constantly complain or find ways to be thankful no matter what?
-Is there anyone you need to forgive?
-Is there any person that you put too high on a pedestal that is competing with God for your trust, satisfaction, contentment, or love?
-If God has said no to something you’ve asked for, are you still trying to work against that on your own and turn it into a yes? Are there things you just need to let go of?
-Are you praying for those who don’t know Him yet, or don’t follow Him?
-Are there any sins in your life that seem too big to handle or out of control? What can you do to help fix it? Who can you talk to about it?
-Are there people in your life you can be honest with and hold each other accountable? If not, find them.
Our lives are like that.
How often do we take inventory of our own lives? If we let it go too long, it ends up hard to correct. So I would like to challenge you to take inventory of your life more often, as I am going to try to do as well. It doesn’t have to be a specific day each month or a set schedule, but the more often you do this, the more often you can realign to what you’re looking for instead of waiting until you are very far off of where you should be.
Coming at this from a Christian point of view, these questions will be based on what a life following Christ would look like. So here are some questions I will be asking myself, and hopefully you will ask yourself too. While my list is long, there may be questions you can skip through quickly with a check mark, where others you have a harder time with.
- How are you doing with your free time? Are you wasting it or using it wisely?
-Are you serving?
-How often do you pray? And how deep?
-Are you listening for God or just talking the whole time?
-How are your quiet times?
-What gets you most excited? What gets you most upset? Is there a chance that the answer to those things could be competing with God? (Saw those questions in the book, “Not A Fan,” by Kyle Idleman)
-Are you too busy? What can you do to slow down a bit?
-How are your thoughts? Are they often negative, mean, lustful, jealous, selfish, etc? And what consumes a lot of your thoughts? Does it match up with Philippians 4:8 (Whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praise worthy…think about such things.)
-Even in times in your life when you’re not where you want to be or when you’re in a frustrating situation, God can still use you. Have you asked Him to do that? Are you trying to do that? What does that look like?
-Where do you want to be a year from now in my job/relationships/financially? What can you do today to start that process?
-How are you spending your money? Are you tithing? Are you saving? What are you paying too much for on something you don’t really need?
-How much stuff do you have? Can you donate or give away anything to Wellspring / organizations that help others in need, yard sales for those going on mission trips, or homeless shelters?
-What’s coming out of your mouth? Are you gossiping and tearing others down or building others up? Do you constantly complain or find ways to be thankful no matter what?
-Is there anyone you need to forgive?
-Is there any person that you put too high on a pedestal that is competing with God for your trust, satisfaction, contentment, or love?
-If God has said no to something you’ve asked for, are you still trying to work against that on your own and turn it into a yes? Are there things you just need to let go of?
-Are you praying for those who don’t know Him yet, or don’t follow Him?
-Are there any sins in your life that seem too big to handle or out of control? What can you do to help fix it? Who can you talk to about it?
-Are there people in your life you can be honest with and hold each other accountable? If not, find them.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Time
Do you know how precious time is? The words that come to mind when I think of most people and how they use their time: lazy, wasteful, hesitant, waiting, haphazardly, without care. And when I say most people I am including myself. When I had homework to do, I was aware of my wasteful time on facebook, the internet, too many naps, etc. Since I haven't had homework, my free time has had no demands, and I have seen a lack in my ability to get things done. In a ridiculous sense of things. I have not cleaned my room in I don't know how long. It's so crazy that there's a section of my room I can't walk in - stuff blocks my way to the closet so I just haven't worn any of those clothes. I pile up papers and mail on my dresser, my desk, and my chair that goes to my desk. I don't fold my clean laundry - it sits in my basket - and the dirty clothes on the floor. I didn't put my calendar up until yesterday and I've had it since November, so I missed the whole month of January. Why? Because I didn't feel like going in and writing the birthdays from the previous year. Still haven't - it's a blank calendar hanging on the wall. I painted two pictures two weeks ago that I want to hang on my wall - they're propped up against the wall on the floor behind my door next to my laundry basket.....in such a way that I can't open my door very far when I go in or out.
I told my friend Joy yesterday - it doesn't matter if I teach right now, I have 60 years to teach. She grinned and replied, "You're not promised tomorrow." I don't live that way. I live as if I will die when I am 100. Ok, hopefully 85ish because I don't want to live to 100! Oh hey - I want to go back to Disney World and Islands of Adventre... soon. And I want to visit my extended family... soon. I want to go on a cruise... after I get married. I want to go on mission trips around the world - ooh, I am this summer, so that's good! Besides our goals and chores we should stop procrastinating on, there's something more important, more time pressing - furthering God's kingdom. Because while I may have 80 years left of my life, someone else that I know might die tomorrow. Not a Christian. And if it was me... then what would God say to me when I stand before Him about how I spent my time?
While we aren't killed in America for being a Christian like other countries are, we are killed spiritually by distractions, massive amount of time spent at work, sucess, entertainment, etc. We are thrown into the idea that we should make ourselves happy, along with our friends and family. Not a bad thing in itself, but not the only or main goal that should be in our lives.
I just finished watching the movie, "Courageous," and in the movie a 9 year old girl dies and the parents regret not spending enough time with her. A man goes to jail for stealing drugs and realizes he let his family down and is going to be in prison for a long time - his time is gone.
An awareness of this is one thing, but an action to break this cycle is another. It's evaluating your time, cutting back on wasteful things, but also adding the correct things. I sometimes try to take breaks from facebook, but then end up on pinterest as much as I would have been on facebook. Or try to take a break from the internet and end up playing a computer game for a ridiculous amount of time. If I don't get on the computer, thinking it would save me time, I then find something else silly to fill that time. What a frustrating cycle. Self-discipline is incredibly hard. To break that laziness is hard.
Tick, tock. Watch the clock - don't wait til you have something bad happen before you make good decisions with your time. Same for myself.
I told my friend Joy yesterday - it doesn't matter if I teach right now, I have 60 years to teach. She grinned and replied, "You're not promised tomorrow." I don't live that way. I live as if I will die when I am 100. Ok, hopefully 85ish because I don't want to live to 100! Oh hey - I want to go back to Disney World and Islands of Adventre... soon. And I want to visit my extended family... soon. I want to go on a cruise... after I get married. I want to go on mission trips around the world - ooh, I am this summer, so that's good! Besides our goals and chores we should stop procrastinating on, there's something more important, more time pressing - furthering God's kingdom. Because while I may have 80 years left of my life, someone else that I know might die tomorrow. Not a Christian. And if it was me... then what would God say to me when I stand before Him about how I spent my time?
While we aren't killed in America for being a Christian like other countries are, we are killed spiritually by distractions, massive amount of time spent at work, sucess, entertainment, etc. We are thrown into the idea that we should make ourselves happy, along with our friends and family. Not a bad thing in itself, but not the only or main goal that should be in our lives.
I just finished watching the movie, "Courageous," and in the movie a 9 year old girl dies and the parents regret not spending enough time with her. A man goes to jail for stealing drugs and realizes he let his family down and is going to be in prison for a long time - his time is gone.
An awareness of this is one thing, but an action to break this cycle is another. It's evaluating your time, cutting back on wasteful things, but also adding the correct things. I sometimes try to take breaks from facebook, but then end up on pinterest as much as I would have been on facebook. Or try to take a break from the internet and end up playing a computer game for a ridiculous amount of time. If I don't get on the computer, thinking it would save me time, I then find something else silly to fill that time. What a frustrating cycle. Self-discipline is incredibly hard. To break that laziness is hard.
Tick, tock. Watch the clock - don't wait til you have something bad happen before you make good decisions with your time. Same for myself.
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