What is Benificial?

So what is beneficial? That is the question I've been asking myself this week. It is a very hard question to ask because we live in the present and for the now. We seek pleasure to satisfy the desire we seek. We live in a world where instant gratification is the norm. 

When we step back and ask ourselves "Is this beneficial?", our lives begin to take a turn from instant gratification to that of carefully thought out choices. 

I had an opportunity this week where I believe God was really trying to speak to me. After playing with my 3 and 5 year old in our freshly fallen and drifted snow, they asked for hot chocolate. It is our tradition after playing in the snow. I really wanted to join them, but the question popped up, "Is this beneficial?" and here is the conversation I had with God:

Grrrrrr. Really God it's one cup of hot chocolate. I'm spending time with them. Isn't that beneficial? It's not like I do this all the time. It's only one time and it's fun to sit with the girls and drink hot chocolate with them. I know they will enjoy it.

Yes the reasoning with God had started over a cup of hot chocolate. It still seems so stupid, I mean come on I'd rather argue over a big piece of chocolate cake than a cup of hot chocolate any day. After making their hot chocolate, I put on my tea kettle so I could have some tea instead. I came to the wisdom of God that yes time with my girls is beneficial, but there are other ways that I can do that AND set a good example to my kids. 

My diet hasn't changed too much since I started this study. My focus has been on my portion sizes and snacks. I have been waiting until I'm hungry to eat and I mean often hearing my stomach actually growl. Having an extra helping at supper is not beneficial but a snack of apples and peanut butter is.

When I look at what is beneficial in my life it is this: showing my daughters how to take care of themselves and others. To love them and show them how to love others. All my actions have to show this in my life on a daily basis.

So as you go through your day and are faced with choices, ask yourself is this beneficial? Everyone is going to have a different answer and there won't always be a right one. But asking the question and waiting for guidance, will help you chose the right decision and you will feel good about your choices.

Weekly Goals

I really am not sure if my goals are just out of reach or if it's me that just needs to figure if the goals are maybe not attainable the way I've expect them to be. I have made a few changes in my goals because maybe they just aren't practical in my life.  One thing I know is that I need to keep working on my goals.

Last Weeks Goals:

Personal:

• Practice the piano for 2 hours this week
• Wake up at 5:30
• Participate in Made to Crave Online Bible Studies
• Read two chapters in No More Perfect Kids, Dare to Discipline, The Purpose of Love and Marriage
• Run 1.2 miles for 5 days
• Drink 8 glasses of water a day

Family

• Have girls do chores daily
• Read every night with the girls 
• Game night (or some other family activity at night)
•  We had a family day at Mall of America. Tuesdays are Toddler Tuesdays so wrist bands are $11 a piece for 5 hours and kids eat free at several restaurants with each adult meal. We ate the The American Girls Bistro and they had a great time. They loved all the pink of course, girly everything, and picking out dolls to sit and eat with them. (They don't have any AG dolls but we may get them one for their 6th birthdays) It was so nice to get out of the house for the day.

 

 
Around the house

• Keep kitchen clean every night
• Work on the 3 year old's quilt 

This Weeks Goals:

Personal:

• Practice the piano for 2 hours this week
• Wake up at 5:30
• Participate in Made to Crave Online Bible Studies
• Read two chapters in No More Perfect Kids, Dare to Discipline, The Purpose of Love and Marriage
• Run/walk 1.2 miles for 5 days
• Drink plenty of water each day (I am finding that sometimes I don't need 8-8oz glasses of water. My body seems to know how much it needs every day. It's between 6-8 every day.)

Family

• Have girls do chores daily
• Read every night with the girls 
• Game night (or some other family activity at night)

 Around the house

• Keep kitchen clean every night
• Work on the 3 year old's quilt 

  

In My Weakness . . .

Have you ever felt like God was trying to tell you something? Not just trying to tell you something but really try to get His idea into your head. Every where you turn His message is there. It's like He's jumping up and down waving trying to get your attention and then picks up a giant snowball and knocks you over with it. That's what it has felt like since I started this study. 

Three weeks ago I was reading 2 Corinthians 2:19 and I was very moved by this verse. For everyone participating in the Bible Study over on Proverbs 31 Ministries, this verse should be familiar.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me.

 That week was about determination. It may seem odd that I would link the two together but hear me out. My weakness is exercise. I give up easily because I struggle with pulmonary issues. It was and continues to be a weakness. BUT, because God tells us that "[His] power is made perfect in weakness", I know that He will carry me through. 

I have seen God work through my weakness before in different times in my life. When my middle child was 3 months old, she contracted Whopping Cough. It was one of the hardest times I've ever gone through and I can tell you there is nothing worse then being able to do nothing for your child except be there (click here read the story). It was in that moment that God was able to show His strength and power to me. I was on my knees a lot for about a month. 

The idea of weakness has forever changed me. If you think back to Jesus ministry, those who followed and listened were those deemed weak by society. Those that were deemed strong and powerful were the ones who schemed to have Him killed.  Jesus blessed the weak and condemned the strong. Why is this?

When we are forced to rely on God because we have no where else to turn, then and only then can God really work in our hearts. We can only make room in our hearts for God when we remove other things that are taking up space. For many of us it's food. Some it might be TV, cleanliness, money, or other material items but it is a job I know our Heavenly Father will willingly do for us. Getting down on our knees and asking God to take this burden from us because we can't do it on our own, will give God the opportunity to open our life up to so many amazing miracles. If we are weak, He can make us strong. His grace is sufficient to meet all our needs whether its a financial burden, relationship troubles, or an addiction of any sort including food. He will be there and He will use His power.

So what exactly has God taught me, it's ok to be weak. I don't need to wear a mask for anyone, especially God. He knows my weakness. He's just waiting for me to admit it. He wants to help. He's just waiting for me to ask. He knows what to do. He's just waiting for me to be ready. He is with me. He's just waiting for me to turn around and realize it.

Weekly Goals

I can't believe I forgot to do my goals last week. Well here they are for this week. It's Monday and I'm trying to get the week start off right. 

This Weeks Goals:

Personal:

• Practice the piano for 2 hours this week
• Wake up at 5:30
• Participate in Made to Crave Online Bible Studies
• Read two chapters in No More Perfect Kids, Dare to Discipline, The Purpose of Love and Marriage
• Run 1.2 miles for 5 days
• Drink 8 glasses of water a day

Family

• Have girls do chores daily
• Read every night with the girls 
• Game night (or some other family activity at night)

 Around the house

• Keep kitchen clean every night
• Work on the 3 year old's quilt 

The Blessings of Obedience

If you haven't noticed I've been involved in the Blog Hop over at Proverbs 31 Ministries for their current online Bible studies. This is my first Online Bible Study with Proverbs 31 Ministries and the book they have chosen is called Made to Crave by Lysa Terkeurst. 

This week the topic I chose to blog about is obedience to God. This is something I have learned over the past year. My husband and I started our journey of budgeting last December and when we were obedient to Him with what he gave us, we were blessed beyond anything we every thought possible. Last year we also decided to start homeschooling. We have preschoolers now but our oldest just turned 5 and we have already started kindergarten lessons with her. It is an amazing blessing for us to see her learn and have that excitement to learn. 

This brings me to where I am today. I do struggle with food. Sometimes because I overeat and sometimes because I don't eat at all. When I do it's not healthy and providing my body with what I need. Neither is good for me. The reasons usually are unhealthy too. Stress and depression are the most common reasons for my bad eating habits.

Food seems ridiculous to worry about unless you are severely overweight, but what I have learned over the past few months is this is wrong. Food isn't about food but whether you can look at something and ask yourself, "do I need this? Is this good for me? What does God think? Am I honoring Him with my choices?" Just because something is available and everyone else is eating it, doesn't mean you should too. Can you practice self control when there is a piece of chocolate cake calling your name? 

How much difference is there between us and someone addicted to alcohol or drugs. Is food used to sustain you or to give you a small thrill? When you choose food are you doing it because it comforts you or because you are sustaining your growling tummy. 

On Tuesday I participated in my first fast. Our church does this once a month and ends with a prayer meeting. I wasn't able to attend the prayer meeting but I was praying a lot that day. It was a way for me to take my focus off food on put it on my Savior. I can say this was really hard and I was ready to throw in the towel at lunch time. I had no energy all day, fell asleep on the couch, my stomach was growling constantly and there were times when I just felt awful. Those low points sent me to my knees asking God to help me make it through the day. I'm pretty sure I was also asking Him to somehow speed up time.

I can honestly say that I felt a huge struggle to be obedient to him but when my fast was broken at supper time, I enjoyed a huge fulfillment and didn't feel guilty at all about my supper. I enjoyed being with my girls and felt extremely proud of myself and I'm sure God was too. I learned one important thing, it is OK to let your stomach growl. You will NOT die.

One thing I know is this, God calls us to be obedient. God also promises to bless us. What that means we may not know.

We've seen in the Old Testament story of Job that God will bless us when we are obedient. God gave Job many things. Then everything Job loved and cherished was taken away. He could have given in to Satan and disobeyed, but he stayed firm in God's love and was obedient to Him. God blessed him with even more then what he had lost. 

We will go through times when it's easy to obey and times where it seems impossible. In the end God will bless us and more then that, He will be there if we ask Him. It was never His intention to do things alone. Ask Him to join you in your journey, keep seeking His face and being obedient to Him and you will be blessed beyond what you can imagine in all aspects of life.