Summer Days

Since school is officially over and summer has started for most of you - are you bored yet?  Maybe, maybe not.  I hope you've got some rest, caught up on your room cleaning and closet organizing, and made time for family.  If not, it's time to make a schedule that you can ENJOY while still accomplishing things.
This summer Alyssa, my daughter, is selling candy, but it's not the only task we want to complete.  We've set reasonable goals along with other enjoyable things so that no day will be dreadful.
One of the most dreadful days I can think of is a day of doing nothing, getting bored, staying up late, sleeping in, and feeling worthless.  God has given you about 90-100 days until school starts, that's about 1,500 waking hours.  You can accomplish a lot in that many hours, or you can say "What did I do last summer?", whenever school begins.
Here is a sample daily goal schedule that might work for you, if not, then make some adjustments, but try to set goals and accomplish something each day.  Choose one of the tasks next to each main point - you can't do every thing every single day.  You'll find that your Bible time will mean something when you want to accomplish something!
A Daily Goal Schedule

1. Wake up at _______ a.m. and get dressed for the day
2. Breakfast
3. Bible time
4. Work - job, candy selling, house cleaning, yard work, laundry, any assigned tasks from Mom.
5. Play time - hobby, toy time, computer tasks, shopping, bike riding, or get-together
6. Rest time - nap, favorite dvd (singular), reading time
7. Serving time - helping others, sending a get-well card or birthday card, going soul winning, visiting the nursing home.
8. Learning time - cooking, baking, music practice, penmanship practice, math problems
9. Family time - write letters to family and grandparents, play board games, talk, run errands together
10. Evening tasks - dinner preparation, dinner, clean up, bath time, chill out time

You may find that just scheduling tasks instead of giving each one a time limit will make the day a little more flexible and enjoyable.  Think about what you want to accomplish, make a list, check it off, and then you'll end your day happily and feeling rewarded!

How was Week One?

How'd you do this week?  You know, the Bible reading time every day?  Why the frown?  Did you miss a day? Two? Three? Five? Six?  Okay, so you missed six days, how was your one day?  Did you have one more day of Bible reading than you did last week?  Wonderful!  Praise the Lord!  You're doing great!
You have to take one step at at time in this Bible reading journey.  You are trying to do this on a daily basis, not just filling out your Walking with God notebook on Sunday morning on the way to opening assembly - that's what we call "Running with God".  I remember those days!  When I was a teenager, it was called the "Quiet time" diary. During the weeks that were busy (most) - I would lock myself in the bathroom and fill it out!  I'm confessing, don't judge me too harshly.  I had a great desire, but my snooze button and grooming time would win more often than not.

You are a growing young lady.  Sorry, you're not full-grown yet.... even if you're six feet tall your body is still developing.  You still need about nine hours of sleep per day, eight hours at night and a nap in the afternoon, right?  It's hard to do and it shows when you try to wake up in the morning.  If you'll go to bed earlier, even thirty minutes earlier, it will help you with your Bible time.  You're setting yourself for failure when you stay up later.  Or, if you're a real "night owl" you can have your Bible time in the evening.  It's better than not having time for God.  It's sort of backwards, like fueling up on carbs after the race, but it will still help you!  Read Psalm 5:1-3.

So, if you had one day of Bible time this past week, let's try for two.  You have to be honest about it so you can work on the problem and there is no shame in it.  Don't try to do more each day, add another day!  I'll be praying for you while I drink my coffee with milk and half a sweet 'n' low...

Romans 7:14 - For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. 
¹⁵For that which I do I allow not: for what I would,that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 
¹⁶If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 
¹⁷Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 
¹⁸For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is
present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 
¹⁹For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which Iwould not, that I do. 
²⁰Now if I do that I would not, it is no moreI that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 
²¹I find then a law, that,when I would do good, evil is present with me. ²²For I delight in 
the law of God after the inward man: 
²³But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing
me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 
²⁴O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
 ²⁵I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. 
So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Welcome Bible Girl!

Psalm 25:4

Show me thy ways, O LORD; 

teach me thy paths. 

5. Lead me in thy truth, 

and teach me: 

for thou art the God of my salvation; 

on thee do I wait all the day.

If it's fun - great!  If it tastes good - better!  If it requires shopping - hallelujah!  Girls love to have fun, eat, and go shopping.  How do I know that?...well, I'm still a girl and still love to do those things.

If you're reading this blog, you must love the Bible.  The title alone would scare you off if you didn't.  You can love the Bible, believe the Bible, and know that every word of the Bible is true and still have a problem READING it every day and APPLYING it to every day situations.

One way to make God's words, which are the hope of our life, part of our day-to-day living is to make Bible reading more enjoyable.  Yes, you can actually make your Bible reading tolerable.  You just have to change your point of view and your approach.  Think about what you like to do and apply it to your Bible reading time.  It will make spending time with the Lord more appealing. 

Okay, here are some things I like...

• I like to have some peace and quiet.  
• I like to drink coffee or hot tea.
• I like pens of unusual colors, weights, shapes, and patterns.
• I love 3x5 cards, ha!
• I like lamp light.
• I like sitting in a rocking chair or recliner.
• I like hot buttered plain old toast.

If I like all of these things and I do them at one time and I include reading my Bible, my Bible reading time will move to the top of my "to do" list!  It took me thirty years to figure this out, but it works.  I have to have my Bible time or I won't get my coffee, my favorite pen, my lamp light, 3X5s, recliner - which lead me to the time I have alone with God and my Bible...see, I have to sneak up on myself.  I read my Bible and have 3x5 cards next to my chair.  Whenever I find a "jewel" of a verse that speaks to my heart, I write the complete verse on the card and put a date and category at the top.  

Let's apply it to you, you're a little younger (I am only 46.85 yrs. old).  Let's make a list for you.  Let's say that you like...

• orange juice with a splash of Mountain Dew or Dr. Pepper with lemon
• pop tarts
• Payday bars...
• gel pens
• fluorescent notecards
• stickers
• sitting on your bed with your stuffed animals with your Alvin Martinez CD playing

Great!  Set your time aside, get your stuff together, get your Bible and start reading!  You'll be less likely to miss your time with the Lord. If you do get busy and miss your time, grab your stack of 3x5 cards, these are like little "vitamin pills" to help you through your day.  God knows your heart.  

Why am I making such a big deal about this? Because I know that this is the key to all areas of success in your life as a Christian.  The sooner you get this down, the sooner God will teach you and bless you.  You won't have to learn every lesson at the devil's "school of hard knocks".  He is a cruel schoolmaster, but God is so patient and loving.

Can you try it for one week?  I will pray for you while I'm eating my toast...


P.S. please post a comment if you receive this blog. testing 1...2....3....buzzz