Magnify His Name

When I started this year out and kick-started this blog, I had a list of goals and plans.  I had more ideas and thoughts.   There were to be all sorts of things posted by now and goals checked off.

But this is a blog about Magnifying the Name of God and bringing glory to Jesus.    I should have taken into account that all my planning might get blown away by the breath of God on any given day.

When prayers get answered and life happens, it generally doesn’t come wrapped in a beautiful DaySpring gift bag!     Oh, please don’t get me wrong, many beautiful and wonderful things can come in a DaySpring gift bag, but God is much bigger.   And so it has been with this year and in particular the last couple of weeks.

We did join a small group, which was on my list.  So far we have seldom met due to sicknesses and unexpected ministry opportunities.

I can’t seem to get the last five verses of James memorized to save my life.  But goodness knows how many of the verses I have memorized saved my sanity in the last weeks.

The Bible reading plan I printed from rachelwojo.com has been a great guide to the anchor in the midst of the raging seas.    I seriously cannot imagine going through the daily challenges of life without spending time in the Word of God.   Endless strength has been received from the pages of Scripture and time in prayer.

My reading plan got stuck thanks to Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts.    Is it possible to read this book without taking notes, stopping, pausing, praying and applying what she writes?

Dreams of tackling the FlyLady cleaning plan have amounted to little more than just getting by, but have kept us from total C.H.A.O.S.   I believe that is her main point anyway.

I have had the great pleasure of spending two hours in a coffee shop with a beautiful young woman who has been delivered from more bondage than I can imagine.     She is a child set free and she gives all the glory to Jesus Christ.

Managed to have one date with my husband and counting the days until the next one.  In light of all the activity around here lately, we may be renting a movie from the local RedBox and having a pizza delivered.

In the weeks to come, I plan to write more about what has gone on over the last month.  Right now we are still in the middle of God’s miraculous answers to prayer and need to tend to those people that God has asked us to minister to and love.

My kitchen smells of fresh baked banana bread that will be served to guests this weekend.     I will catch up with you next week.

Last week’s goals saw little action and therefore little achievement.    But I am not discouraged.  I learned a lot this week about changes I need to make in my daily life and in my thinking.

Sometimes I want to secretly rebel against my to-do lists.  They seem petty and unimportant.   However, they are important to me.  I function well with a to-do list.

For several weeks last year, I had a small list that I kept with me at all times.  It was SIMPLE.    It included all the tasks I truly wanted to do daily – even if I didn’t always get them accomplished.    Everything from taking my vitamin, to reading my Bible, to doing the dishes and more was on my daily list.

I can do all of those things without a list, but somehow with the list I am able to accomplish even more.

There was one other thing that I realize I am going to have to implement: a daily and weekly plan for each of those tasks. I wasn’t breaking down my goals far enough and I failed to effectively incorporate them into the rest of my duties for the week.

Last week’s goals: 

Personal:

Memorize 5 more verses of James Chapter 5.  (Yes I know that my goal is to  memorize Colossians, but I have to finish James first)     I did memorize 3 verses.

Read  Real Simplicity.   Made great progress – almost finished. 

Exercise 4 times this week.   Only exercised twice. 

Complete the FlyLady daily missions

Marriage/family:

Dinner with our son.

At least one act of encouragement to my husband.

Ministry:

Send two note cards of encouragement this week.

Purchase items for food pantry.

Drop off donations to our local Domestic Violence Shelter.

This week’s goals: 

Personal:

Finish memorizing James.  (Yes I know that my goal is to  memorize Colossians, but I have to finish James first)

Finish Real Simplicity, start Make Today Count and The Blessing.

Exercise 4 times this week.

Complete the FlyLady daily missions

Marriage/family:

Dinner with our son.

Time with extended family and our children/grandchildren.

At least one act of encouragement to my husband.

Ministry:

Send two note cards of encouragement this week.

Purchase items for food pantry.

Drop off donations to our local Domestic Violence Shelter.

I know that many, or maybe most of you, will say that you have been making fleece blankets for years.   So I am a little behind in this game, but I haven’t really had the motivation to make one until recently.   Now I have not one, but two little reasons to make these adorable blankets – grandchildren!

So while I didn’t send my cards of encouragement this week, I did make fleece blankets for my grandchildren.

In an effort to make our home more of a sanctuary for our family, I wanted special blankets for my grandson and granddaughter to use when they visit.

For Simon

For Anna

For cuddling!  I can’t wait to bless them.