Mid-Week Motivation

Starting Your Day Out Right
Scripture, Short Devotion

So, as those who have been chosen of God,
holy and beloved,
put on a heart of compassion, kindness,
humility, gentleness and patience;
bearing with one another,
and forgiving each other,
whoever has a complaint against anyone;
just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.
Beyond all these things put on love,
which is the perfect bond of unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,
to which indeed you were called in one body;
and be thankful.
Colossians 3:12-15 (NASB)

Forget cooking, cleaning, laundry, ironing, reading to little ones, listening to older ones, and all the multi-faceted ways we parents are called to serve in our homes! These few verses in Colossians are a full-time job in and of themselves. They are also those things which we so often want to do, but don’t do. They look good. They are good. But they are so. very. hard. for us to do in our human frailty.

We can be easily frustrated with our failures in doing such good things. We can quickly overlook the beginnings of such verses when we become discouraged. But don’t overlook the beginning of these verses: “As those who have been chosen…“

Chosen! This time, you weren’t the last one picked, like the clumsy nine-year-old waiting to play kickball. This time you weren’t overlooked, like the businesswoman hoping for a promotion. This time, you weren’t the “alternate” for All State Band. You. Were. Chosen.

Holy and beloved! Not trying to be holy. Not seeking love. Already holy in the eyes of God. Already loved. Beyond any stretch of the imagination. More than we love even our children.

It changes our motivation, doesn’t it, to aspire to those traits in the remaining verses?! We can speed full-force into our day. Encouraged. Inspired. Loved.

Is your house in order?
Cleaning, parenting, marriage, organization tips, etc.

As an elementary schoolteacher, I quickly learned that supplies needed to be accessible to my students. Easy for them to reach. Easy for them to put away. It offered them independence. More importantly to me, overworked and overextended, it took some of my responsibilities and placed it on their small, but capable, shoulders.

When I traded the schoolteacher role for that of mama, it was easy to duplicate this in my home when it came to toys and books. I placed toys in open baskets so that even my toddlers could put their things away without much assistance. Books, too, were kept in baskets rather than on shelves. As my daughters grew, though, they could be responsible for more than just their own things. How could I invite even preschoolers to participate more fully in the care and keeping of themselves, and in sharing household responsibilities?

One area in which I wanted to encourage more independence was the kitchen. For a homeschooling family, three meals a day plus snacks equals significant time in the kitchen preparing food and cleaning afterward. One simple thing I wish I had done earlier was to move the plates, bowls, and glasses to the bottom cabinets. It has taken some adjusting to reach up for pots and pans, rather than down. But the benefits far outweigh any adjustment period. Not only are my daughters very self-sufficient when it comes to getting their own drinks and snacks, they can easily set the table without my help and unload most of the dishwasher! As my husband commented after the first week, “Why does anyone put their dishes and glasses up high? This is great!”

Afternoon Pick Me Up
Writing Inspiration

“As you participate in the creative process, that process will, quite frankly, work you over. It will teach you about yourself. It will perform therapy on you. It will heal you. You are called to a process that you actually need for your own well-being. And don’t give the world any gift that you don’t first partake of yourself. You, after all, are the very first audience for the work you are creating. You’re the first to visualize that stunning scene, to hear that particular harmony. you’re the first to “get it.” Did you ever think about that? Every creative work you produce you also witness. You are the first witness. When you witness creative power and wisdom, your life will be changed; it’s inevitable.”
~Vinita Hampton Wright, The Soul Tells A Story: Engaging Creativity With Spirituality In The Writing Life, InterVarsity Press

What’s For Dinner?
Lentil Soup

Ingredients

• one pound dry lentils
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 pound ham or sausage
• 2 small onions
• 2 stalks celery
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 chicken or beef bouillon cubes
• 8 Cups water
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation
Sort and rinse lentils. In large saucepan, heat oil. Stir in ham or sausage, onion, celery and garlic until tender. Add lentils and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are tender and soup gets thick. Add more hot water if necessary. Serves 8

A Restful Night’s Sleep
Scripture for a restful sleep

Many, O LORD my God,
are thy wonderful works which thou hast done,
and thy thoughts which are to us-ward:
they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee:
if I would declare and speak of them,
they are more than can be numbered.
Psalm 40:5

My thoughts swirl as I crawl between the faded flannel sheets. Reviewing today. Planning tomorrow. Contemplating the future. Peace only comes to my fast-paced ADD mind when sleep finally comes.

It astounds me to consider that as many thoughts as I have each day, God’s thoughts for His children and toward His children, are infinitely more. To say nothing of the content and quality of His thoughts for, and of, us! Let alone everything He actually does.

If your mind is racing tonight, steer your thoughts Godward. Consider His works. His thoughts. Remember: You are chosen. Holy and beloved. And sleep well.