Mid-Week Motivation

Starting Your Day out Right
Scripture, Short Devotion

“These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”~~Matthew 6:32-33(NLT)

Trading Up
My sons, Stephen and Solomon, are 1 and 2 years old. Being the eldest, Solomon usually has the upper hand, as in this instance. As Stephen clutches the shiny red truck, Solomon eyes it greedily. He reaches to take it by force, but Stephen has grown stronger. He will not give it up without a fight. Solomon spies a simple green plastic cup, laying on its side in the corner. A strategy is brewing as he goes to pick it up. He brings it back to place it before his brother, who looks up to examine the offer. The cup is new, he hadn’t noticed it before. He gladly accepts the trade, freeing the treasure from his grasp. Solomon has made off like a bandit, again.

As I watch them, I can’t help but wonder how often I trade the treasures of heaven for the frivolities of this life. How often do I disdain the disguised miracles the Father lays before me, discarding them for the simple things that draw my attention? Like unopened presents, the opportunities He has invested in my life can lay untouched and unnoticed as I busy myself with the cares of this world. Let’s take time today to seek Him and what he has planned for us. We are so often distracted from His best by what are really only green plastic cups.

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

My friend Stacy rolls her eyes in annoyance. “Heidi just isn’t satisfied with anything. She won’t eat her sandwich, asking me for another kind instead. I end up making three different dinners each night–one for Heidi, one for Jason, and one for Eric and I. I’m too tired to argue with them or to force them to eat what I’ve made. It bothers me that they aren’t thankful for what they have.”

Stacy is exactly right. Giving children, especially young children, too many choices in their daily routine is the preface to a really stressful battle later–for you and for them. How much later depends on the child, but one day it comes upon you with a vengance. Well-planned meals turn into a free-for-all. The nice warm bath isn’t good enough without bubbles. The new outfit should have been pink. The restaurant doesn’t serve to her taste. The designer jeans don’t have the right label.

Begin now, by giving your sweet angel two choices at mealtime: Eat, or don’t eat. Teach him that there are times when life graces us with a choice, and there are times we need to just be thankful for the opportunity we have before us. This may sound harsh, but think about it: would you rather the instructor for this lesson be you, or a cold and indifferent world? Either way, your little lovie will be faced with reality one day. Better to ease into it now than to allow all the carefully shoved away “teachable moments” to finally topple over her in a landslide.

Afternoon Pick Me Up
Writing Inspiration

You’ve probably heard of an exercise called “free-association” in the psychology arena. Just for fun, let’s do something with it now.

Read each of these words and on your own paper, jot down the first word or phrase that comes to mind.

1. Path

2. Pillow

3. Teacup

4. Heart

5. Tornado

6. Garden

7. Smoke

8. Shell

Now, read over your list carefully. Some of the things you have associated with my list might be seemingly illogical; put those aside for now. Consider the others as you write a descriptive sentence about each item. When you have finished, return to the more random associations you came up with. Trace the path your mind took to from each word to the one you wrote. Use this path to write some descriptive sentences that may be more symbolic in nature. In your present project, consider using free association to capture your emotions or the connotations you associate with some objects and places, making sure you connect the dots for your reader when necessary.

What’s For Dinner?
Traditional Baked Brisket

You’ll need:

Medium-sized beef brisket (3 1/2-4 lbs.)
Spice packet that comes with the brisket or 1 Tbsp. whole pickling spices
sliced onion
sliced carrots
sliced celery
1/3 c brown sugar
1 tbsp. prepared mustard

Wash the brisket. Place in a dutch oven or crock pot and cover with water. Add the seasoning packet or pickling spices, onion, carrots, and celery. Simmer for 3 1/2-4 1/2 hours, depending on the size of your brisket.

Allow the brisket to cool in its own broth. Remove and place in a shallow roasting pan. Score the fat. Mix the mustard and brown sugar. Rub the mixture over the brisket. Bake at 300 for about one hour, basting occasionally with the drippings.

This makes a great meal, and you can thinly slice the leftovers for lunch meat. Enjoy!

A Restful Night’s Sleep
Scripture for a restful sleep

“Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”~~Matthew 6:34 (HCS)

Grace for today
Look back over the day you have just experienced. In every circumstance–every blessing, and difficulty–didn’t the Lord sustain you? Even as you consider the on-going struggles you faced in this day, as you sought Him, didn’t He give you what you needed to press on? Know that the tears you may have sown today will give way to a joyful harvest someday. Know also that the gifts bestowed on you today are to be treasured, no matter what worry may threaten to overshadow them. He is faithful who has promised our provision. Thank Him for being your sufficiency today and honor Him by giving Him your tomorrow right now.