What are you thinking about?

There is power in thought. It is time to begin to think about the next year and what to do with it. Are you feeling content, happy, sad, frustrated? Start today changing the way you think. There is a great proverb that says that as you think so are you. The question then becomes what are you thinking about as you go through your day?
Take inventory of what is going on in that mind of yours. Inventory will help you see if you are using your mind for productive purposes or for frivilous powerdraining indevours. If you need to journal for a day or two to see where your mind is. Look to see that you are not wasting countless amounts of time and energy trying to change things that you can not change or complaining about different things. Do you spend a lot of time reviewing conversations that have already past?
It is time to change. Change the way you are thinking. It is called replacement. Replace the things that are draining your mental time and energy. Begin to think about things that are positive and constructive. Things that you have power to change like yourself.
The first step is to take inventory. The next step is to replace your preexisting thoughts with new ones. The last step is to be consistent. It takes a good 21 days to develop a habit. Start now with one small step that will take you to the next. Carpe Diem became a popular saying in the 90's. The words actually mean to seize the moments in the day. Small steps take you from one moment to the next. Stop trying to leap over the bridge instead walk one step at a time over it.
This is how you get some life with spice.

While teaching in the high school I work at I had one of my students ask me what I thought made a "good" Christian. I gave her a brief answer, but later I thought more about it. The Lord gave me five ways.
1. Love the Lord, this is not just to like the Lord but to really wholehearted, unconditionally Love the Lord.
2. Live for the Lord, not just accept His free gift of eternal life but to actually live as His disciple.
3. Listen to the Lord, seek out what He would have you do. You can do this through prayer and reading the Bible.
4. Learn from the Lord, be a doer of what you have learned. Don't just hear what you need to do but actually find ways to do it.
5. Lean on the Lord, in the good time and in the bad we need to learn to lean on the Lord for our strength.
These are ways that will make our walk with Christ stronger and more meaningful.

Have you ever thought lately about the old hymn, "Solid Rock." I remember the chorus, "on Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand." This song hit home with me this past week while I was watching a movie called "Second Chance," starring Micheal W. Smith. At the end of the movie the character Smith plays sings part of this song and realizes what is sinking sand for him. He said that comfort is sinking sand and safety is sinking sand.
We spend a lot of time trying to ensure our safety and comfort. When it comes to being a Christian it is time to step outside of our comfort zones and understand that it's not about safety. We need to get out and serve the Lord wherever He leads.
Ways that we can do that is to find programs in our churches and communities that will get us out and get us serving. Giving is such a blessing in life. It is when we decide that we would rather be safe and comfortable that we lose sight of what we are called by God to do.
We are called to be salt and light. This is spiritual warfare in the basic sense. We are going to go against what the regular flow is which is then uncomfortable.
Take heart and get out to serve. Learn what the Lord desires for your life everyday. Take a chance and get out of your comfort zone. Love the world beyond yourself.

Life with Joy

So often the area of Joy is an area that we all struggle with. When I speak of joy I am not talking about what we think of as happiness. A lot of people have this misconception that joy has something to do with happiness.
Joy comes with understanding that God is in control even when we see things spinning out of control. Joy is not related to happiness at all. We are not always happy because sometimes things happen that shake us to the core. But we can experience joy.
Joy is when we look to Jesus for strength day in and day out. It is when we put others first and seek to meet their needs before our own. This was made understandable with the movie "Pass It Forward." This young boy understood joy outside of happiness when he realized it was about helping others out. He helped three people and all he asked in return was that they help three other people then ask the ones helped to also help three other people and so forth. This creates ripples that begin small but grow the farther out they go.
Joy comes not only from faith and helping out others. But also it helps to understand that you don't simply neglect yourself. We do need to spend time in meditation, rest, and growth. It is not about becoming a martyr for whatever cause you support.
Joy is not an emotion but a lifestyle that will spice up the everyday life of you and me. Spicing up your life with a little joy can help you come closer to a life of peace and contentment.

Living with Denise the Menace and Loving It

Do you have a Dennis the Menace in your family?
My son is my little cute and cuddly denise the menace. He has a great deal of energy that if could be harnessed would make us billionares. Life is full of some many challenges that we can overlook the fun that a Dennis the Menace can bring. We get distracted by the inconveniences that comes with the adventures that we lose sight of the joy that is brought about because of the adventurous spirit of our little boys.
I am constantly reminded by friends that they grow up quickly, but that does not make me stop to just sit in the moment. My little baby is now a young child embarking into Kindergarten and one day will graduate from High school and go to college. I have come to realize that sometimes we need to enjoy the adventure with our boys instead of constantly trying to mold them into our image.
My Dennis the Menace may try my nerves at times but I would not change a thing about him. He is light in a hectic day. His light and laughter should be my focus instead of all of the propriety that surrounds our lives.

Marriage, Creating the Passion

Marriage is like a vineyard. It takes a lot of work and tenderloving care. After we have been married for a while sometimes the passion lightens. Here are some ways to spark the passion back into your life.
Put away the pride. Pride is a big hinderance in marriage. Pride says that I am right and you are wrong and that is that. When two people are prideful then no compromise can be met and love is destroyed.
Acknowledge complacency in the marriage. It is okay to say that things have gotten slow. The first step is to acknowledge the problem.
Say I Love you often. This is so very important because a complacent relationship will begin to lose these three words. Get creative about how and where you say them.
Sensitivity and tenderness. When we get caught up in life sometimes we allow oursleves
Ignite your intimacy. Find time to spend with your spouse that will allow for a reconnect. Start a one night a month date night and then build from there.
Overlook the small stuff. Spot picking on each other. Don't nag your spouse over the small stuff because that will build up to become a bigger issue.
Nurture your needs. Find ways to show your spouse theat they are special and loved. Learn to speak your spouses language and then speak it.
It is time to reignite that passions in your marriage. Your marriage is the most important relationship you have on earth. Take care of it.