Winter

Why is it so hard to get motivated in winter?  I should have all my indoor projects done since it's too cold to go outside, right?  Yet I just want to cuddle under a blanket and watch a movie.  Soon it will be warm, well maybe not soon, but eventually anyway.  When that one day comes, I am going to want to be outside in the warmth and I won't get any of my projects done then either.  I guess I am going to have to come up with some other to get motivated then. 

From Today's devotion time

For my Bible study, we are working throught the book of Ephesians.  This week's chapter was chapter 4.  There were lots of familiar verses of course, but then what's fun is how something new stands out to you every time you read it.   Verse 32 is one we all teach our kids "Be ye kind, tenderhearted to one another..." .  I love this verse and use it with my little ones all the time.  Today I was reading in the NIV and it says "Be Kind and compassionate..."  Think about that, it's not enough to just be kind but you also need to be compassionate.  I know for myself that I can be kind to people, but that is where I leave it, just enough to get by.  Compassionate, that's a big word, I mean big in it's meaning.  When I think of compassion, I think of a deep love for someone else, wanting to protect them, take care of them.  That's a lot more then not yelling at someone that does something annoying, or sharing some food with someone.  Compassion is a deep care and concern for a person's well being.  I think I am going to need a little more time with this thought.  My corrections with my children need to be changed a little to, because it's not enough to tell them just to be kind.

Memorization

I was originally thinking how can I help myself lose weight and I thought when I am busy or distracted I do pretty good.  I had to come up with a way to distract myself so I thought maybe I could work on memorizing my verses for my bible study.  I put up the verses in my kitchen over my stove, over the microwave, by the fridge water dispenser, on the snack pantry, etc.  The idea was that when I was going to eat I would instead take time to memorize a verse.  It works quite well.  I didn't realize how much wasted time you have while you are doing things like waiting for toast, or standing over the stove.  I am feeling pretty good about putting my wasted time to use.  I think I will add in some places like the mirror over the sink,for while you are brushing your teeth or washing your hands.  Don't laugh, but across from your toilet, you can't tell me that time doesn't add up in a day.  How about above your computer, on your steering wheel (of course that is just for red lights). 
Try it and see how many verses you can learn in a week or two.

Water, water everywhere.

I realize that we all have issues in our life that God allows us to deal with.  I'm not complaining because mine are very trivial in comparison to others.  I do wonder why all mine have to do with water. (waterleaking in my walls, roof, basement, hot water pipes, windows, etc.) I've been thinking about it, it seems a bit of an odd dilemna.  I'm not sure what I am supposed to learn.  I suppose patience and trust because what can you do about some of these.  Perserverance, maybe, I mean it is the same issue over and over.  I am trying to learn, Lord, so please take note. 
I am however glad I don't live on a houseboat because I think my house would have sunk by now with all the leaks we've sprung in our house.
 I will say to any problem we have in life God is still very good.   Thank you Lord for the trials that remind me that you are there to help us.  Thank you that we can call on you when we face hard times and that you listen. 

Here's the thing about Procrastination...

Here's the thing about Procrastination, once you are one, well I think you are stuck.  See once you start procrastinating well you are always too busy catching up with life and doing only what needs to be done to get ahead.  If by chance you do start to plan ahead for something well you probably had to procrastinate something else to make time to do the planning and the doing, which of course you procrastinated on.  So see it is a very vicious cycle.  I would like to help all my friends out and give them this advice in advance but alas I procrastinated and now most of you are past the point of applying this information before you have been thrust out into the cold cruel reality of life. 

Exercise

Now you are supposed to exercise to stay in shape but also to lose weight.  However whenever I exercise I only seem to gain weight.  Now I know that muscle weighs more than fat but if I am trying to lose weight seeing the numbers on the scale go up is not helpful.  I also am more hungry so I feel like eating all the time.  So all of this seems counterproductive once again to the losing weight theory of exercise.
I am going to stick with it and hopefully some day eventually it will all pay off I hope.

Finally

Do you have those projects around your house that just never seem to get done?  I have plenty of them.  I can scratch one thing off the list.  When we moved in there was nasty shag carpeting in the hallway.  Needless to say we ripped it up but the glue and staples remained.  I decided to work on my upstairs bathroom tonight.  One of the ugliest parts of it was the staples and glue by the doorway.  I pulled the staples and scraped/sanded the floor in front of it and a piece of the hallway.   I did fix the floor around the toilet, paint the walls and improvised the trim by the floor.  It looks so much better.
 Of course the rest of the hall is still covered with glue.  Oh well it's been there for 10 years a little while longer won't make much difference I guess.