Friday, May 29, 2009

Psalm 57

Needed this a couple days this week.
Thank our Amazing Lord for using my devotions.
Check it out.

I especially needed these verses (but the whole thing is great):
v. 2, & v. 7
and I thouroughly enjoy that 5 & 11 are the same.

When it comes down to it, that's what's important.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

The challenge took an interesting twist

When I left work today, I was pretty sure I'd failed the challenge completely. My post at 11:30 (or whatever) this morning got me back on track, and I continued to listen to my music during the duration of the afternoon, but I just kept getting bogged down by frustrations, and too much to do in the time I have left in the week. I'm sure you noticed from my late-afternoon-post.

Plus, I had told a friend I'd babysit for her tonight, and as they are moving soon (out of state) I wanted to go; not only for the reason of helping her and her husband have a night out, but to see them once more before they leave. It doesn't hurt that I've watched their son since he was only a few months old (now he's about a year and a half), and love him so much I will really miss him as much as I'll miss his mom. As the day went on, all I could think was "Ugh, I have to go babysit after this." But honestly, I could use the extra cash it will provide, AND I really don't know when I'll get to see them if it isn't today. "I should go." So, I left work, stopped by my house for a book to read after he went to bed, and headed over to their house. I only talked to her for a moment, and mainly about the basics for the evening. (I know that when they come home we'll have a good little chat.)

When I got to the house, the little guy was pretty sad. He cried when he realized Mommy & Daddy were gone, and it was just him & me for the night. But, as I sat in the chair hugging him, trying to calm him down, he put his sad little head on my shoulder and hugged me back. He stopped crying pretty quickly and we just cuddled for a few minutes. Then he was happy and smiling (as usual) and we spent the rest of the evening playing and having fun together (he loves his baths!) which was a very nice change of pace for me.

After bath time, he gets put down for bed. I picked him up and told him goodnight, and hugged him a little. Immediately, he hugged me back and leaned his head on my shoulder to cuddle. This was unusual. Almost every time I babysit in the past, oh, probably 6-9 months, he is ready for bed - no cuddling needed or wanted. He actually reaches toward his crib as soon as I pick him up. So the hugs and cuddles were unexpected and very sweet. And, as I stood there hugging him back, it dawned on me: this is a very good, positive, happy way to end a day; with a child hugging you, and loving on you a little. It was especially nice for me as (obviously) I don't get that very often.

I prayed over him standing there, and then put him in his crib, said goodnight again, and headed down to read my book. As I picked it up, I realized that my attempt to take the challenge did not end up how I expected it to, but I did reach my goal. I started and ended my day with a positive attitude. I prayed ALOT throughout the day. When I realized this, I just had to share it with you. I (and only with God's help) reached my goal today.

I'll be praying even more tonight and tomorrow.
And with God's help, tomorrow will be even better.

Struggling at this challenge

I don't want to admit it, but I'm failing. Badly.

Jesus, help me succeed. Help me end today well. Help me fix my attitude. Help me be positive and encouraged and encouraging. And, please, don't let any more get added to our plates.


I don't even really feel like praying but I know that's what I need.

This challenge is hard...

Yup. We all knew it would be. And it delivered.
Or I should say: Satan knows what he's doing.
Yuck.

I am making phone calls, I am creating things.
I am editing things we thought we were done with. Things that have been sent on to those who need them to print. Things that have been through more than enough people already and should not be looked at again.

I am struggling to keep the attitude up.
And I hate the fact that this has become another post that is a downer instead of interesting or encouraging or fun.

Good thing God gave me a new Relient K cd to listen to today. And an older one that I love.
They are keeping me going, song by song; bit by bit - silliness, reminders of what God is doing/can do, etc. I actually really believe He did that for me, small though it may seem; it's huge for me today.

--Mood rings
--Gibberish: "Lirp crawn" "paravillintiniay"
--"nice to meet you, I'm your better half."
--"i'll never amount to the kind of person You deserve to worship You"
--"i'm getting into you because i've got to be; You're essential to survive. I'm gonna love you with my life."
--"i'll give until there's nothing else. give my all until it all runs out. and i'll have no regrets, i'll give until there's nothing left"
--Words of my Savior: "I am the Way. follow Me and take My hand. I am the Truth. embrace Me and you'll understand. and I am the Life and from Me you'll live again. for I am love.
I am Love.
I, I. Am. Love."

Praise my God, I'm back on track.

Challenge Accepted

That's right.
I accept the challenge I laid out for myself (and you) yesterday evening.

Today has begun with a positive attitude.
Not a great one, but a positive one.
I hope by the end of today to have a great attitude,
and to have had a great day.

I am jumping in.
Actually, I have already.
I started my workday with prayer.
--not just for myself, but for a friend too.
----and for another friend who is dealing with a hard situation.
------and for the others who are part of that hard situation.

Now, as I turned to my computer to continue my work, I thought I'd take a minute to accept the challenge and let you know how I have begun.

And you?
Do you accept?

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Overwhelmed

That is the general explanation of how I have felt today. I won't trouble you with the details, but I just wanted to take a second to try to encourage: you as well as myself.

Today I saw a friend had written something about the fresh perspective you get with the dawn of a new day...and then the comment that he needed a new day every 2 hours. When I shared this with another friend of mine, she remarked that she could use a new day about every 20 minutes. By the middle of my day, I would have said I could use a new day every 30 seconds or so.

Needless to say, it was a little rough, and I was overwhelmed.

Thankfully, I have some great friends/prayer warriors. They lifted me (and the situation) up to the Lord all day. They gave me words of advice and encouragement - some were easy to hear, some were hard. But I know that's what has gotten me through.

I know that I will face challenges even as I head home this evening. I know that when I come into my "fresh perspective" in the morning, it could very easily get tainted. But, since I know this is possible, and since I am thinking about it, I have a new goal tomorrow: Prayer. Constant prayer on my part. I didn't do too much of it today - at least not as much as I should have. Tomorrow I will pray. Tomorrow I will strive to keep my attitude in check. Tomorrow, I will accomplish what needs to get done without so much stress as today. And hopefully, tomorrow, my day will be better. That is my challenge to myself, and to you if you need it.

Tomorrow, I will check in and let you know how I did.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Leadership

I have lately found myself facinated with leadership. I am not sure when it started; perhaps around the time I realized I am something of a leader at my church. (That feels very strange to say, because I really do not feel like that most days. I feel like little-ol'-me just doing what God has asked me to do. Then again, maybe that is part of what a leader should be.) Since discovering this, I have been in meetings, seminars, classes, etc., that have at least touched on leadership. I have read books, been recomended speakers to listen to, had conversations, etc.

As you can see from the sidebar, there are a few blogs I read fairly regularly. I don't read them everyday, or even every week. However, these are people who's storytelling abilities are fantastic, who's insights are amazing, who's opinions are valid, and/or who's experiences and advice are worth listening to. One of them (The Hope of 'What If?') is soley about leadership and it's different aspects. Lately several of them have touched on leadership in one way or another.

These are a few leadership posts that I came across in the last week or so that really challenged me and/or inspired me. The guys who write them are leaders. Their leadership is demonstrated different ways (from each other as well as depending on circumstance. They ask tough questions. They point out what they have learned to encourage others along the way. The list could be longer if I had more time to sift through them all, but here you go:

1. Bottom Leaders
2. Encouragement
3. Habit
4. Questions to Help Me Avoid the Real Issue

I encourage you to check them out.