Nothing Without Him

Temperance: To be balanced and exercise moderation in all things, according to the Word of God. The ability to exercise self-restraint, and to life a life absent of extremes in all things that are unnecessary. To be content and satisfied with only those things that are approved by God.

A diet without exercise, exercise without rest, worry without sleep, acquaintances without friendships, friendships without love, love with out commitment, commitment without work, work without play, chocolate without the peanut butter-what is the point to striving for physical well being if there is no balance?
I was reading in 1 Corinthians 15:44, It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
If I am not able to get my natural body in balance how will I be able to do it for my soul?
It was then I realized that I can't.
"I "can't.... Not that I won't.
I can't do anything without Him. All things come through Him.
Lord, it is my desire to have temperance in my life for you. Please touch my mind on what it takes to be a mature Christian. I would like to rise and shine for you.

Love One Another

It is difficult to explain what chronic pain feels like. What has been the most trying for me is that I can't always do everyday things. I used to run six miles a day. I won't say those days are over but these days sure aren't those days.
The best thing I could have ever done with my life is to serve the Lord. He said, "This is my commandment, that ye love one another as I have loved you." Loving the people and being in the service of others gets my mind off myself. Days when I could have stayed in bed I choose to help or give of my time. It's easy to forget my own wants, complaints and pains when I do for others what i can.
I don't have to be in physical pain to know what it's like to have the pain of needing someone to care.
Lord, it is my desire to have a tender heart towards all people. Please create in me a clean heart and renew the right spirit within me while I wait on you.

He Called

He called those things that be not, as if they already were. I read that in Genesis one day.
It made me think about how the Lord has a people in mind for a family. Although he knows everything he doesn't want any of us to perish. He sees all of us in a positive way.
He sees us at the finish line.
I am no one of consequence. But by his mercy and grace I have an opportunity to have eternal life. I'm glad he doesn't grade me on how I am now, but on the heart I have to be just like him.
He called those things that be not...as if they already were...
Thank you, Lord!

Standing in Awe

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PS 4:4 (KJV) Stand in awe, sin not. Commune in your own heart upon your bed and be still. There are so many things that I am amazed over in this crazy life. I know if I dwell too much on the negative it would happily swallow me up. The Lord has done so much for me. Leaning upon Him in all His ways means I have faith He will guide me though any situation if I yeild.
Yeild.
Not walking through life with a lead foot on my own ways but letting Him take the steering wheel.
Seeing the Lord in every situation seems to be the antidote for sleepless nights and worry.
I really love the Lord. Lord, if I have found favor, please create me a heart to see you in every troubling situation. Having a heart to see you until I can one day see your face (by your sweet mercy and grace).

He'll Do It Again

"These 'friends' aren't working for me."

I suppose the type of vibe you give off is the types of people that surround your life sometimes.
When I fell ill with some conditions I was around a lot of individuals that had the same diagnosis I had. Fine and dandy but negativity was one of our outstanding features...
Armed the that defeatist attitude, I felt like I was simply existing.
A home made cupcake that no one wanted to eat.
It didn't help that my friends around me felt the same way. The only time my friends and I disagreed was when I tried to be positive.

Me: "Hey guys, at some point we have to pull ourselves up by our boot straps."
The friends: "First you have to have boots, though."
Me: "Awe, come on. Let's stop thinking about negative stuff."
The friends: "I not negative. I'm an optimist masquerading as a realist."
Me:"Is there anything happy you can think of?"
The friends: "Like what? Seriously. Why don't you go first."
Me: "How about we start out by saying, 'Good morning' or something?"
The friends: "Oh. Sure. Let's start out the day lying to each other. Great."

My friends weren't working for me. I couldn't change them but I could change myself and be around like minded people. It reminds me kind of like our own salvation. It's an individual walk and I was ready to start walking strong. Making a change in my thinking felt a bit awkward at first, but I knew all things were possible through God. Hope unseen is believing He can do something when I couldn't.
Thank you, Lord....for doing that thing you do again.

a spiritual battle

"Who says nothing is impossible.

 I've been doing nothing for years."

It's easy to let my mind go to negative places if I am not alert. Negativity takes the path of least resistance. I wonder if that's why people say they are "down"? Gravity has a way of taking hold spiritually, too I suppose. I read about how we must bring all thoughts into captivity. It's possible to control many aspects of my life just by eating right, being around positive people and exercising but there are some things I need help in. There are somethings only Jesus can help me with regarding...well, regarding me.
I know that striving to be a good Christian takes controlling my actions, but much deeper than that, my thoughts.
There is so much good practical advice in the Bible. Striving to be a good Christian is a 24 hour job. Thinking of whatsoever things are pure, lovely, and of a good report. What sweet scriptures for doing a spiritual battle.

A Sweet Smelling Savor

Protect me from knowing what I don't need to know. Protect me from even knowing that there are things to know that I don't know. Protect me from knowing that I decided not to know about the things that I decided not to know about. Amen......
Lord, lord, lord. Protect me from the consequences of the above prayer.
 ~Douglas Adams, Mostly Harmless

I was at work one day and feeling pretty good. Having practically no pain is such a blessing. I was in the staff room when I said, "Thank you Jesus, I really appreciate you." A co worker was standing there and I nearly jumped out of my skin when she spoke. "Who are you talking to?" She asked.
"Jesus," I smiled- panting somewhat, "I was just thanking Him for this wonderful day."
"You thank Him?"
"Sure."
"For a wonderful day?"
"Of course."
"Oh....I only call on Him when I am in trouble."
At first I laughed because I thought she was joking. She wasn't.
I don't know or pretend to understand everyone's relationship with the Lord. I am by no means perfect. In my own understanding and love for Jesus I wouldn't want Him to be a fair weather friend to me. I  look at the flowers and they appear to praise Him each morning. I consider it a privalege to praise Him-in all the seasons of my life. I want my prayers to be edifying and give off a sweet smelling savor to Him.
Lord, in my heart, I truly wish to be thankful to you in all situations and keep a good spririt. Even when the hour seems darkest you will still let me see the stars....

The Lame Sacrifice

"Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon."
~Doug Larson

Treating our body like a temple is a discipline in itself. I know that I would like to be as healthy as possible and it was pretty clear in reading the bible that the Jews just didn't eat everything they wanted. The Lord clearly made a distinction between clean and unclean animals in the Old Testament.
I the New Testament Paul said we could eat everything as long as it was done with thanksgiving (Excluding things given to idols, of course). Quite frankly, I don't think everyone had a free for all in eating, though. I can still see the disciples remaining disciplined in eating even for health reasons. Luke was a physician and probabally was prevy to a lot of knowlege for those times.
Why am I saying this? In my own walk to trying to be a good Christian I feel I have a responsibly to take care of the health that the Lord gave me. Health is a form of prosperity. When I feel well I can think clearly, take care of my husband, work and run the household much smoother.
When I feel eat well I can concentrate better on my reading and praying.
I don't ever want to my sacrifices to the Lord to be in vain or lame because I am unappreciative or willful.
Lord, help me to keep a pure heart in all situations...

Walk and Not Be Weary

If you're going through hell, keep going. ~Winston Churchill

In the scriptures, The Lord gave the people the land flowing with milk and honey but they still had to keep fighting for that land.
Perhaps if we had everything we ever wanted there will always be battles we must fight for to even keep what we have.
I am not one to take no for an answer. That can be good or bad. I have decided to use it for good when it comes to dealing with obstacles in my life that cause me to become negative and derail me from goals I wish to meet.
I would like to spend more time with my family, friends and eventually run again. The fatigue keeps getting the best of me until I did some research.
I found some shoes called Z Coil at a really great Sacramento store with excellent customer service. The gentleman who helped me, Gordon Miller spent over an hour with me…there are over 200 ways to adjust these shoes for comfort and stability. I felt a bit like The Princess and the Pea.
They were quite an investment but as soon as I put them on and walked around I nearly started crying.
No pain. None.
They are not exactly fashion forward but when something works it works.
I have been everywhere now. They are made for running and incidentally…so am I.
I do believe Mr. Churchill’s quote may be incomplete, though (with all due respect). The last line…until He answer’s you.
One a scale of one to 10…10!

Bullard Uniforms

819 Howe Ave

Sacramento, Ca 95825

1916-569-2874

www.bullarduniform.net

Home Organization

“The healthy and strong individual is the one who asks for help when he needs it. Whether he's got an abscess on his knee or in his soul.”
~Rona Barrett

Once a decision is made to be healthy I looked around my house.
Holy Mackerel! Was I ransacked?
I guess I was living the way I felt. Cufuffled.
No…..it’s not a word.
I made it up.
It’s a combination of ‘confused’ and ‘ruffled’.
I figure if the word ‘Labradoddle’ can exist (Labrador and Poodle combo) why can’t I have my cufuffled?
So….ahem, being this unorganized I decided to get some help.
This is huge mind you. I ask no one for help.
I looked online….
Home organization ideas, went to the library for books, I got bins to sort my stuff.
I cleaned and purged.
I had heard about this program called Life Skills 411. Their slogan is “Success Skills for the Motivated”. A few years later I went and loved it. There are many ways you can go with the steps to making a decision to organizing your mind to be healthy. I know that when my home was cluttered and stuffy….I felt that way too.
I simply couldn’t think straight or be healthy.
Taking control for me was telling the pain I was taking charge and managing it….I had this disease, but it no longer had me.
On a scale from 1-10……
10 For Fabulous.

Questioning....

"We have no right to ask when sorrow comes, "Why did this happen to me?" unless we ask the same question for every moment of happiness that comes our way."
~Author Unknown

Running from trouble or unhappiness? There isn’t any place that far…..
All that running made me tired enough to slow down and make some decisions about what I was going to do next. I simply had to start organizing my life if I was going to think straight.

I never thought God minded questions much. After all, He knows all the answers, anyway. Perhaps it has a lot to do with the motive behind the questioning. Is it doubt, a lack of faith, or even unthankfulness?
My mother always checked me on my tone as a little girl. And when I think of how Esther prepared herself to go for a request before the King it really got me thinking.
She asked if she had found favor in his sight, if what had done anything good and pleasing. There was such a humility there.
For apostle Paul he was told, "My grace is sufficient."

So the same God, the one that speaks to Kings and Priests, He hears me. It's clear for now His Grace is sufficient.
So with great honor, I am content.