Tuesday, November 30, 2004

Spiritual Resolution Review

It's a wet, wet, wet day here. Noelle and I got out to do grocery shopping and had to come home between store #1 and store #2 just so I could change clothes - I was that wet. Now my clothes, including coat, are in the washing machine and we are biding our time until we go out to lunch w/ my Mom and sister. We may try store #2 after lunch if the rain has let up by then. I like to plan one big grocery day at the beginning of the month to get most of our grocery shopping out of the way. It has really helped our budget out by doing it this way, leaving only small grocery trips throughout the month to replenish milk and eggs and such.

In following in some great footsteps, I've been thinking about my "theme" for 2004. (A.K.A. my spiritual resolution). I also had some normal resolutions that I wrote down and may post later but those are more of a joke because I don't think I stuck with any of them! :-)

Before 2004 began, I began praying that God would give me a theme that I should focus on for 2004. Something that I could work on to bring me closer to Him and His likeness. By January, I had a strong impression that I was to work on submission. That really didn't come as a surprise to me. I had been married about 18 months, 3 months into being a stay-at-home-mom, and starting to buck the fact that we weren't bringing in as much money as we were pre-baby and not liking the way Travis wanted to handle it. (20/20 Hindsight - he was right.) So, I start praying about submitting, how to submit, what does it mean. I read books, I looked at Proverbs 31. A few months along, still not getting it and getting more and more disillusioned with where I am.

I then sense the Lord is telling me, "Let's make it a little more basic for you. Let's just work on being content where you are." I start working on my attitude - being thankful for our home, our cars, my family (immediate & extended). Still I am frustrated. My car stalls out in the driveway for no apparent reason on a day I HAVE to be somewhere, and coincidentally (and with no maliciousness at all) I get an email from a friend telling me about the new car her parents gave her. My friends have plenty, I am home wearing ugly old clothes and feeling sorry for myself. Still, not quite getting it.

Step 3 of my 2004 theme - God directs me towards this verse:
Rejoice always;
1 Thessalonians 5:16

That's it . . . just those two words. At the same time that God is showing me these verses, I'm working through a Beth Moore Bible study When Godly People Do Ungodly Things. She points out in the third lesson,
"God gives us the power to abstain from evil by being happy in our faith . . . Nothing will make you consistently happier than a vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ."

That is where my year has ended up. Processing what it means to rejoice always. Not always succeeding at it, but trying to choose to rejoice sooner rather than later.

All that to say, I'm praying on what God is going to show me as my theme for 2005 . . . most likely he wants me to continue on with this since I still haven't got it all figured out yet! :-)

This stolen from Nattie's place...





You Are the Investigator



5




You're independent - and a logical analytical thinker.

You love learning and ideas... and know things no one else does.

Bored by small talk, you refuse to participate in boring conversations.

You are open minded. A visionary. You understand the world and may change it.




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