12 New Things – August

Sarah Mae decided to put out a challenge — for herself, then see who wanted to join her — to learn 12 new skills in a year! Sounds exciting and scary all at the same time! Have you already joined us? If not – it’s not too late to start 😉 It would be your choice completely: a) only learn 11 new skills, or b) learn 12 new skills beginning in September! Join us over here:

See Sarah Mae’s new skill learned in August & Link up with us: Homemade Bread!

My 12 New Things

New Skill, August – Working with others on Maximizing Your Mornings! Helping us to use our mornings for God! Scheduling Quiet time/Bible Study, Worship, Exercise, Daily to do’s, & Dinner!

I was inspired by Michelle at the beginning of August to join her for Kat’s Maximizing Your Mornings over at InspiredToAction!

I’m sure if you took the time to visit the links above… you can see I had LOTS of help to get me in gear! Michelle provided accountability through our blogs and twitter (using #HelloMornings – as our hashtag)! While Kat provided the inspiration with her e-book and continues to encourage with her blog, resources like prayer calendars, etc and even motivate us with prizes! Can I just say… I spent a lot of time over at Kat’s place – LOVE IT! (Thanks for sharing your talent’s Kat! I’m thanking God for you!!)

Soooooo… the last two weeks have been a little rough, YES – rough. I’m surprised and thankful for God’s support, strength, and deliverance of August! No, I’m not saying… I’m done – no more maximizing for me (teehee). I’m loving how even through depression, insomnia, and life over here: I kept plugging away, pressing on, persevering =-= as God would have us do! I did try to stop, but God wouldn’t let me!! He sent my mentor to call and come by for prayer daily & accountability, He gave me songs in the morning to awake and overcome negativity, He even had school start this week so I would HAVE to get up early, then… when I drove instead of walking to the bus stop thinking we’re going to miss the bus – He even gave me my precious dogs to take for a walk!

Goals:

1. Awake by: 8:30 (Week 1 & 2)
   8:00 (Week 3) 7:30 (Week 4)
   7:00 (Week 5)  6:45 (Week 6)
2. Quiet Time – Spend at least one hour daily
3. Worship & Praise – Listen to at least three songs & Dance (it’s exercise too!)
4. Exercise –  15 min (Week 1) 20 min (Week 2)
   25 min (Week 3) 30 min (Week 4)
   While this may look good… this is just the timing. Changing to show; I’m only half satisfied with my exercise routine! I made the time, but not the goal of exactly WHAT the exercise routine was going to be daily.
   Goal = Steps every other day; PraiseMoves the opposite days. Walk via treadmill or outside daily.  Still need to set a goal of WHY.
   I didn’t keep up with the PraiseMoves DVD’s; but do highly recommend them!
5. Accountability
   Here again… not completely satisfied because while continued with my mentor, I didn’t so much tweet.
6. To Do’s – Week 1 2 3  4
7. Bed Time:  By 11:30p   Week 1 2 3  4
   I went to bed … just couldn’t stay there all the time because of my insomnia, didn’t want to disturb my hubby. But I did reach my goal 3 out of the 4 weeks so far to go to bed before 11:30p – it helps to write it down!

COMPLETE!
FAIL 8^(

Maximizing my mornings has helped me with completing things!

I have shrunk the weekly overview to half a regular page, so it will fit in my day-planner and included sections for time awoke & time to bed; as well as this format giving me more room to list songs I want to check if I already have on my iPod or need to buy.

To help Maximize my day – mornings – I started using a suggestion (sorry I can’t currently remember from where) to plan daily chores with the letter of the day:

1. Monday – Menu & Planning/Prep (to include running errands)
2. Tuesday – Toilets, tub, towels (laundry)
3. Wednesday – Wash & Windows (windows only done once monthly – it’s the slider that needs weekly – sometimes daily – attention)
4. Thursday – Tables cleared & Dusting
5. Friday – Floors
6. Saturday – Shopping

I love how I can glance back at this overview and see quickly where I’ve been in Bible Study! Just to continue to remind me. One piece I look forward to add – as it’s currently on the back: our weekly memory verse we’re (my youngest son & I) are working on! Additionally, since there is a planning section daily – it helps me to remember to take out whats needed for dinner in the morning!

So, while I sit here reviewing my weeks – I think I still need some work here… but am excited by what I’ve learned. I was discouraged & didn’t post earlier b/c everything wasn’t completed. But – we can’t be perfect. AND we need to remember – it takes at least 21 days of doing the same thing over & over to make it a habit! Just keep trying, pressing on, and persevering! Remember – With God, all things are possible!

If you want to journey along, won’t you subscribe to Like a Warm Cup of Coffee so we can walk alongside one another as we learn 12 new things? (It’s free!)

Thanks for joining me today! And GREAT Thanks to Michelle & Kat!!

WFW – Psalm 59:16

I really enjoy & love sharing Word-Filled Wednesday:

But I will sing of Your strength,
in the morning I will sing of Your love;
for You are my fortress,
my refuge in times of trouble.

Psalm 59:16

Join myself and some other wonderful ladies as we share at:

WFW is not about books, authors, artists.. it’s about God and HIS WORD ONLY. WFW is about celebrating the gift of creativity through God’s Word.

Thanks for sharing with me today!

WFW – Romans 12:2

Original photo by Eyob, used with permission

While I’m still focusing on this Scripture… I came across the above photo (which I requested to add the Scripture to & use here) and several different posts where Eyob shares his thoughts:

• Renew your mind and live your life with purpose
• Renew your mind and live your life with purpose (part II)
• Renew your mind and live your life with purpose (part III)

Take the time… read through his sharing and other Scriptures that have truly spoken to me this past week! I am honored to share God’s Word with you all and this picture!

Join myself and some other wonderful ladies as we share at:

WFW is not about books, authors, artists.. it’s about God and HIS WORD ONLY. WFW is about celebrating the gift of creativity through God’s Word.

Thanks for sharing with me today!

MYM – Week 2 Update

Hello there ~~~ Week 2 did not happen as planned 8^(
I fell off the wagon, or should I say, off the treadmill (no not literally) & did not keep up on my exercising this past week. I only completed my exercises one day. We were busy throughout the week, doing things together – as my hubby was off from work (but, really couldn’t count any of it as exercise). But I did continue to have Bible study daily, plan daily, and awake early/on-time except I awoke late Thursday morning.

Daily Goals:

1. Awake by: 8:30 (Week 1 & 2)
   8:00 (Week 3)  7:30 (Week 4)
   7:00 (Week 5)  6:45 (Week 6)
2. Quiet Time – Spend at least one hour
3. Worship & Praise – Listen to at least three songs
4. Exercise –  15 min (Week 1) 20 min (Week 2)
   25 min (Week 3)  30 min (Week 4)
5. Accountability
6. To Do’s – Week 1 2 3  4
7. Bed Time:  By 11:30p   Week 1 2 3  4

COMPLETE!
FAIL 8^(

Continue reading through Kat’s Maximize Your Mornings to keep the ideas coming and join us over at Michelle’s for our MYM journey!

Step 2: Create A Quiet Time Schedule

Read pages 6-10 of the eBook, “How to develop a doable Prayer and Bible Study plan.”

Kat gives many different and awesome suggestions for worship time music!

Read Step 2 on Page 20.

Complete pages 21-22 to create your Worship Action Plan:

1. Select morning worship music. (Select 1-5 songs or use the ones [Kat] mentioned in the ebook.)
   I thought I’d add to Kat’s suggestions:
   a) Natalie Grant “The Real Me”
   b) Nicole Nordeman “Brave”
   c) Shelly E. Johnson “Lead Me,” “One Day,” Anything by here really!
   d) Tenth Avenue North “Let it Go”
   e) Rascal Flatts “Stand”
2. Create or select a Bible study plan.
   For my Quite Time/Bible Study/Prayer I start with my Sunday School lesson book, as it gives five days of lessons a week! Then I move onto either the book my mentor & I are reading or the book my mentee and I are going through depending on the day of the week – so I’m prepared to meet with them!
3. Create or print a prayer calendar. (Located at the end of the eWorkbook.)
   Week 2, I received a suggestion from my Sunday School teacher — and it truly helped me in my prayer time. I have started writing out my prayer daily, returning to a sheet drafted at beginning of the week for requests (which I left a space between to fill in the answer later). As well, I truly am enjoying Kat’s calendar’s that have something different to pray daily for our children and another for our husband!!
4. Be quiet and listen.
   And DON’T FORGET to take the time out to LISTEN. How can we ever know what it is God desire’s for us if we don’t listen to Him?

Thanks for sharing with me this week!

12 New Things

Hello Everyone!! Thanks for joining me on this journey & challenge from Sarah Mae over at Like a Warm Cup of Coffee to learn 12 new things in ONE year! I’m excited to walk this journey… seeing where God leads us all!

If you want to journey along, won’t you subscribe to Like a Warm Cup of Coffee so we can walk alongside one another as we learn 12 new things? (It’s free!)

My 12 New Things

A Journey in Mastering New Skills!

(Read (in)courage today if you want to know the “why” behind 12 New Things)

August – Working with others on Maximizing Your Mornings! Helping us to use our mornings for God! Scheduling Quiet time/Bible Study, Worship, Exercise, Daily to do’s, & Dinner!

September – Write HTML Code

October – Knitting

November – American Sign Language Alphabet

December – Cook new things for dinner

January – Digital Scrapbooking

February – American Sign Language (Basics)

March – ???

April – Gardening for vegetables (Is this when I should start?? I truly do not know anything about gardening.)

May – ???

June – ???

July – ???

Wonder how far we’ll get? This is going to be an interesting journey! I’m excited to see what I can add to the ??? months. Any ideas?? HELP is greatly appreciated.

Wanna join in? Grab the button (save “image as” and link to Sarah’s original post) and link-up your 12 Things list post! (link it back at Sarah Mae’s so others can participate!) We’ll link up on the last Thursday of each month.

Thanks for journeying with me!

WFW – Romans 12:1,2

This morning I awoke with many thoughts in my mind trying to bring me down, but over them – LOUDER – was Stellar Kart’s song, “Something Holy!” God helping me drown out the negativity… to press on, because I need to remember that He is bigger than any problem that I could come up against. I need to remember, I’m here for something bigger – something Holy!

All morning I’ve been trying to figure a Scripture that He wanted me to share with this song:

He is wonderful, amazing, the only One I need to please! I thank You, Lord, for helping me through this morning!

We are here for something more! So remember:

Romans 12:1, 2

¹Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual^[a] act of worship. ²Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Join myself and some other wonderful ladies as we share at:

WFW is not about books, authors, artists.. it’s about God and HIS WORD ONLY. WFW is about celebrating the gift of creativity through God’s Word.

Thanks for sharing with me today!

MYM – Week 1 Challenge Complete

Hello everyone! Sharing here today the joining with Michelle for InspiredtoAction’s challenge to Maximize our Mornings! Last week was the first for the challenge… so, here’s my update as to how the week went!

Complete These Action Steps Before Bed Tonight! (p. 5/6)

1. What time will you wake up? I’m starting at 8:30a, hoping to work back to 6:45a by the end of next month.


2. What time do you  need to go to bed to make sure you still get enough sleep? I am constantly in a battle with insomnia, unfortunately… so I try to make sure I’m in bed by 11:30 every night. I know keeping to a schedule is best, but sometimes most of the time lately it just doesn’t work that way for me. If I don’t get any sleep during the night, I fight to not take a nap … but there are those days that I just have to give in.


3. Collect all the items you need for your morning time: Bible, journal, coffee supplies, iPod, earbuds, PraiseMoves video, Treadmill plugged in


4. Set your alarm clack (and a backup clock, if necessary). Setting iPod touch to 8:30a.

5. Find an accountability partner. Michelle, Laura, Twitter (@HLJourney with #HelloMornings), and finally – here at my blog!

I’m greatly loving schedule that Kat provides in the MYM e-book! Here last weeks completed Weekly Overview!

And following is this weeks beginning of my Weekly Overview!

Please join us over at Michelle’s & link up for accountability!

Hugs & Prayers,

WFW – 1 Corinthians 10:13

Scripture graphic by: Jessica

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

This is the Scripture I’m focusing on this week… month, as it’s been coming up in a lot of different ways around me in Sunday School, books I read, and discussions I’m having! God is wonderful to remind me that He is always with me & will help me!

Join myself and some other wonderful ladies as we share at:

WFW is not about books, authors, artists.. it’s about God and HIS WORD ONLY. WFW is about celebrating the gift of creativity through God’s Word.

Thanks for sharing with me today!