Mid-Week Motivation

Starting Your Day Out Right
Scripture, Short Devotion

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword. As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ~Romans 8:35-39

During the months of January and February I engage in an annual battle against Seasonal Affective Disorder. Some studies have suggested that as much as ten percent of the population is affected by S.A.D. Even more people are affected to a lesser degree by what is commonly called the “Winter Blues.”

So often on my worst days, I sit and inwardly groan and know that though I can not even give voice to my innermost thoughts, longings, and desperate pleas, it in no way affects God’s ability to know me, to love me, and to care for me. I have become intimately acquainted with the truth that God’s love for me is not dependent upon my Bible study, my prayers, or my attendance at church. Each has its place in being a follower of Christ, indeed. But God does not love me any more or any less for how much time I spend in one or how much I neglect another.

In “good” times, my spiritual development may wax or wane depending upon how much time I devote to things of the Kingdom. In “bad” times, my attitude towards those struggles will likely be affected greatly by how much time I devoted to things of the Kingdom in times past. But in the worst of times I am reminded in so personal a way that my life in Christ is not dependent upon me, but upon Christ alone. In difficulty ~ indeed the worst of difficulties ~ I am granted the opportunity to once again grasp and cling to the promise that nothing can separate me from the love of Christ.

No matter your own difficulties today, you can cling to that promise, too.

 

Is Your House in Order?
Cleaning, parenting, marriage, organization tips, etc.

I love being a homemaker. But only because it is so much more than housekeeping. Housekeeping is far from one of my gifts. I like to have a clean house. And I do have one…from time to time. Maintaining it, though, somehow eludes me. In their book, ADD-Friendly Ways To Organize Your Life, Kathleen Nadeau and Judith Kolberg describe a technique that works beautifully for our family, when we implement it.

Nadeau and Kolberg suggest that we “Think Like A Restaurant Server.” A waiter or waitress never leaves a table cluttered. He or she is constantly removing the old before putting down the new. Restaurant servers don’t wait until the very end of your meal to remove all of the plates. They remove them as soon as you have completed a dish.

As we go through our day, we are challenged to do the same. As soon as I am done with the phone book, it should go back on the shelf. When I bring the mail inside, I should put it in the appropriate bins. When my daughters are done painting, everything should be cleaned up and put away before they move onto a new project. I refer back to the mental image of a waitress clearing off the table often. If she should let everything accumulate until the end, there won’t be anywhere to put the bill, let alone dessert and coffee. For the naturally organized person, this seems like common sense. But for a born-Messie like me it can be revolutionary!

 

Afternoon Pick Me Up
Writing inspiration

In some seasons of my life I never seem to have enough time to write. Be it a spiritual insight for my blog, an encouraging letter for a friend, or a memory in the making for my journal, I go through my day composing drafts in my mind. Those are the days I have to force myself to focus on the very real responsibilities of homemaking and homeschooling when I would so much rather steal away to the den to peck at these keys.

But then there are those dry spells. Writing is a strain. The computer seems to stare at me and taunt me. I’m ever so glad for greeting cards because I can’t seem to string together a cohesive thought on paper. I update my blog’s sidebar, and links, and whatever else I can think of doing which doesn’t involve words.

Without fail, I find that when I have the least to say about life it is because I have hardly been living. Perhaps I’ve spent too much time sitting at the computer. Or maybe my seasonal affective disorder is at its peak and I find myself withdrawn from friends and fellowship. Whatever the reason, I have become me-focused, and there simply isn’t that much I can write about me. Not that anyone wants to read anyway!

When those moments come, the very best thing I can do is step outside of myself. I ask God to show me a way in which I might bless someone with heart and hands. He has yet to not answer such prayers. As I work with my hands, I pray that He would help me to hear His voice and to give me eyes to see what He wants to teach me. He is ever so faithful to do just that. Before I know it, I am writing again. Recording beautiful memories. Jotting down lessons from the Master Teacher. Sharing with someone how much it blessed me to be a part of their life.

Stepping outside myself is not always easy in those moments. But Jesus promised that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. We need not step out alone.

 

What’s For Dinner?
Comfort Food

This time of year my seasonal affective disorder is at its worst. My body is screaming for comfort food. But my energy is low, so comfort also has to be simple to prepare. This is a family favorite which is not only tasty, but easy to make:

Chicken Delight

Ingredients:

• 4-5 frozen, boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 envelope Italian dressing mix
• 1 (8 ounce) bar of cream cheese, cubed
• 1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
• 1/2 cup water

Directions:

1. Place chicken breasts in a slow cooker and sprinkle with Italian dressing mix.
2. Cook, covered, 4-5 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.
3. About an hour before eating, combine cream cheese, soup, and water in a saucepan.
4. Heat on medium high, stirring until the sauce is smooth.
5. Remove breasts from crock pot. Add sauce to juices and stir. Replace chicken.
6. (Turn crockpot temperature to Low if it has been on High.)
7. Cook for another hour.
8. Serve over noodles or rice. (We especially enjoy it with brown rice.)

 

A Restful Night’s Sleep
Scripture for a restful sleep

The steps of a man are established by the LORD,
And He delights in his way.
When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong,
Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand.
~Psalm 37:23-24 (NASB)

I am reminded how Amy Carmichael, missionary, would pray at night as a child. She would smooth her sheets on one part of her bed and she would say aloud, “Father, come sit with me.”

Tonight, before you drift off to sleep, extend your open hand out to the Lord. Invite Him, in your heart, to come and take your hand. Be assured that He has already ordained and approved whatever tomorrow may bring. He will be holding your hand through it all.