Planning for the new year
By God's grace, I have come a LONG way in running my home in the past year. I say by God's grace, because it is definitely NOT my doing in any way. God has guided me to blogs, books, people, tips and scripture to show, convict and instruct me in the ways of mothering, wifing (wiving?) and homekeeping, even with a full-time job which 1) he has provided and 2) he has given grace to help me serve my family in spite of. And I am becoming so much better for it. The 5 o'clock Club has petered out a little due to Winter Break, but I am getting convicted to pick it back up again tomorrow (even though since we're both off, it might just be the 7 o'clock Club for the next three days). If you're considering this crazy idea of "rising early to sit at Jesus' feet," please, please, please go to the girltalk blog and check out their 5 o'clock club testimonials, etc. This has been such a blessing to me already, and I miss it since the schedule of the holiday season has gotten chaotic.
Life in our home this holiday season has been full of hospitality. This is where I say that I have seen definite growth in grace in my life; by nature, I am not a hospitable person. I don't want to wait on people, accomodate them, clean up after their messes (and meals that I've made), or do what they want to do. I am prideful and want to have my break selfishly. But God....(do you ever notice that those two words in scripture are the beginning of something amazing?) But God has changed my heart, slowly giving me a heart of service. Giving me a more and more unselfish heart. This cannot be of me because I never would have seen the value in being this way. It is only of God's grace and I praise His name for it (and I will when I rise early, purposefully, tomorrow morning.
Also, before I close, I wanted to guide you (pass on guidance, really) about quiet time. This is a dilemma I found when I started rising early....okay, so now what? And for the couple weeks before the holiday, I just re-read passages of scripture we'd been studying in church (so Ephesians, James, and a little Isaiah for Christmas) and of course, praying. But, reading the girltalk blog book Shopping for Time that I just bought with Christmas money, has convicted me that we need to follow a reading plan for reading scripture. How else will we learn what we do not know, grow in our faith and knowledge of God, or venture into the minor prophets? Check out this website for a great Bible reading plan, especially for the new year. Soli Deo Gloria.
Life in our home this holiday season has been full of hospitality. This is where I say that I have seen definite growth in grace in my life; by nature, I am not a hospitable person. I don't want to wait on people, accomodate them, clean up after their messes (and meals that I've made), or do what they want to do. I am prideful and want to have my break selfishly. But God....(do you ever notice that those two words in scripture are the beginning of something amazing?) But God has changed my heart, slowly giving me a heart of service. Giving me a more and more unselfish heart. This cannot be of me because I never would have seen the value in being this way. It is only of God's grace and I praise His name for it (and I will when I rise early, purposefully, tomorrow morning.
Also, before I close, I wanted to guide you (pass on guidance, really) about quiet time. This is a dilemma I found when I started rising early....okay, so now what? And for the couple weeks before the holiday, I just re-read passages of scripture we'd been studying in church (so Ephesians, James, and a little Isaiah for Christmas) and of course, praying. But, reading the girltalk blog book Shopping for Time that I just bought with Christmas money, has convicted me that we need to follow a reading plan for reading scripture. How else will we learn what we do not know, grow in our faith and knowledge of God, or venture into the minor prophets? Check out this website for a great Bible reading plan, especially for the new year. Soli Deo Gloria.
I am inspired by your discipline to wake up early to "sit at Jesus' feet". I am having trouble finding the "perfect" time to do this. Before the twins, I worked out religiously at 4:30 am. I even did this for a while after they were born, until the planning of their first birthday took place. I would stay up until 2:30 am planning the details of their special day and wake up at 6:30 am to get ready to be a mom before the kids woke up. My motivation to work out has disappeared for now, because I feel like my focus should be on being a wife and a mom first. I dread vocalizing this allowed. I think because my flesh would rather be a liar by making people still think I wake up early to work out. Why? Who knows? I am bothered by my lack of desire to keep my body in shape and my mind free of stress by working out. I know I will get back into it because unfortunately, I am too vain with my body image TO NOT, but for now, I want to discipline myself to start waking up early and be with the Lord. If I do not start this tomorrow, which I hope I will, I will definitely start it January 1st. Thank you for being the motivating factor to ME joining the 5 o'clock club.
ReplyDeleteYou can do it. I know people say this all the time, but if I can do it, anybody can. God's grace is sufficient.
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