365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 342

Self-control over what comes out of your mouth is SUPER challenging for me. It is most especially difficult when in a stressful situation. The other day I actually prepared myself for the frustrations that would occur at work by focused praying and yet I found myself later that day in a surprise I need this now situation. So, I scrambled to get together a couple of spreadsheets that could be used for a test import meeting that was starting as I spoke. Really?! You couldn’t have thought of this in the morning so I could have some time to prepare them. So, off I went rushing to get these spreadsheets done and sent when in comes what we like to call the “pit bull” co-manager because she is on top of things to get them done. My frustration was coming out of my mouth but I explained that I just got the call that this was needed which she didn’t realize so she leaves me be for about another minute and comes back. I tell her I am working it and have almost got it ready and then in SO my temperament way I said, “I can’t magically pull these out of my butt”. Well, she thought it was funny, which is what I intended for it to be to get her to back off. Unfortunately, she goes into the other manager’s office where the meeting is going to take place and tells those that are in there. They all were laughing about it but the co-worker on speaker phone in our Texas office was offended by it. So, I got a talking to about my language. Ugh. I felt so wounded and defeated and honestly was feeling like God didn’t help me. So, I was cranky and depressed for the rest of the day. The good news is I got over it and had to realize that with my forgiveness from God I had to forgive myself. I ended up reading from The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth by John Maxwell and was just awed by how God works. He gave me some wisdom on this whole self-control over my mouth thing and gave me what to do. Here is an expert on the Law of Consistency chapter:

You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. That means developing great habits. Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments, and that bridge must be crossed every day. Over time that daily crossing becomes a habit. And ultimately, people do not decide their future; they decide their habits and their habits decide their future. As author and speaker Brian Tracy says, “From the time you get up in the morning to the time you go to sleep at night, your habits largely control the words you say, the things you do, and the ways you react and respond.”

So, I thought to myself how can I make my responses to people become loving, gentle and kind even in the midst of impatience, frustration and stress? I already had memorized this scripture but realized it was something I had to use constantly for every action, words I say and responses and reactions I make. Scripture is the sword of the spirit. It can overcome my weakness in my self-control over my mouth but it will take patience and persistence. Growth doesn’t happen instantaneously which is where my down on God attitude came from the other day. God is patiently persisting in working on and refining me. So, I thank him for this wisdom and will work on using his word as my daily defense against the weakness within me to turn it into a strength that glorifies God.

Psalm 19:14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 311

My world was rocked yesterday! Literally! I was sitting in my manager’s office discussing a work issue when suddenly the whole room tilted. My immediate reaction was thinking it was an earthquake. I spent the first 27 years of my life in California so it was no surprise I thought this way. I reached out and grabbed my manager’s desk in front of me and the room righted itself. It was a 2 second moment when my whole world was not right. My manager knew something was wrong and kept asking if I was okay. It took me a minute to even speak from the shock of it all. Others rushed in to help and 911 was mentioned at which I said no need to call 911. My heart was fine and I was not having any symptoms related to a heart attack or a stroke. It was definitely a case of vertigo but why? I was pampered for a while as concerned co-workers came and put on their thinking caps to trying to ascertain what might have happened. Blood sugar came up because of my Paleo whole 30 challenge so I was given treats to eat and told if it is low blood sugar that eating something sweet will do the trick in about 3 minutes. I still didn’t feel any better and my ear was starting to hurt so I called my doctor’s office and was told it sounded like maybe an inner ear infection and to have someone drive me to urgent care as my doc’s office had no openings. So, thankfully my hubbie was home from his 5 day trip to Vegas for work and my son was off school. They both drove down and my son drove my car home while we went to the urgent care. I was not surprised to hear from the doctor that my ear was fine. The cause was my TMJ. I have had more stress lately at work due to project after project loaded on me and have been feeling a tick under my right eye because of it. So, I am not surprised that my jaw muscles were flaming up and per the doctor the ear canal is extremely close. The swelling in my jaw directly affected my ear canal producing the vertigo. It has happened before but not in such a dramatic way so it all makes sense. It is definitely time to get this body really exercising to relieve the stress I am under. So Cross Fit here I come…

I am thankful to God it was nothing serious and pray he will guide me in dealing with the stress.

Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 

365 Days of Spirit-Filled Fruits Challenge-Day 190

Yesterday I found myself stressing and later thought about why I was stressing. Indeed, why? The Lord has my back. He’s got it covered. But the control part of my temperament has a need to control everything so when things are not in the control I like, I get stressed. The busyness of life has taken over and my prayer life has been little bits here and there but I need to take those moments much more frequently and reverently; not like I am in a hurry. Peace comes when we are one on one with the spirit of God inside of us. So, I may get caught today with my head bowed in prayer looking like I am doing nothing but it really is everything.

Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 257

I am a sucker for a happy ending. I just don't like much the bizarre or negative endings that movies and books can come to. As I was finishing up my book yesterday, I wasn't sure what the ending was going to bring. It ended up being a happy ending or maybe I should say the ending that I wanted it to be. Our life is like that with God. We will go through lots of struggles, illness, grief throughout our life but in the end our story has the happy ending. We will go to be with Jesus and no longer live with pain, fear or stress. Our life will be the fairytale ending we always want for ourselves in heaven with our Lord. Are you like a book with a bizarre ending or a negative ending? Don't know what the next life will bring you or do you even believe in the next life? You can change the way your story is written and change the ending simply by looking to and believing that Jesus came to earth to save us from our sins and is the son of God. Living your life knowing you have that happy ending won't take away the fear, pains and stress of our lives but it becomes that much easier knowing you have a God who loved you so much he sent his only son to save you so you could have eternal life in the happy-ending place.  It's your choice how you want the ending to be and like all choices it should be done thoughtfully and with all the information you need to make an informed decision. Go to the Word of God in the bible and find what you need to make your decision if you haven't already.

Revelation 21: 6 He said to me: "It is done." I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give the drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 161

Big or small, important or not, everything needs to be praised to the Lord for without him, none of it would be. So, I am praising being able to get on a treadmill after 6 months of injury and pain that kept me from excerising. I had to take it slow and hold on after a while because my back was feeling it too. I am just thankful that I am able to be without any pain and start working on getting this body God gave me back in shape and feeling stronger. When life gets overwhelming, complicated and stressful, we tend to let go of those things like exercising and eating right because it's easy to let them go. I have tried to keep to the eating right throughout this period of non-exercise so that I wouldn't gain too much weight. Funny thing is God has given me a weight gain warning detection system. It's called acid reflux. When I get to a certain weight that shall be nameless, I start getting heartburn. Ouch! No fun at all but it is a motivator to get back to thinking more about what I am eating and making wiser choices. Like our relationship should be with the Lord, eating right and exercising has to be intentional. It doesn't just happen. It takes effort. My plan is to get back into yoga and get this body feeling good and strong in all ways. I am going to start by putting my yoga mat out in the living room as a reminder to get on it and off the couch.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.