Praying for Trials
Last night I attended a weekly prayer meeting at church. To say that I’m glad I went would be an understatement. There are a million reasons why I loved it so much. And I’ve written and rewritten this post, trying to include them all. But, I can’t seem to make it work in a readable, well-written way.
Instead, I’ll isolate one thing. I’ll boil it down even further. I’ll isolate one prayer. Perhaps the boldest, more earnest prayer I’ve ever heard. Its brilliant in it’s simplicity and powerful in its meaning. It went something like this:
Lord, I pray that if trials will bring us closer to you, that you’d place them in our paths.
Bam!
Often we pray that trials would be taken away from us, avoided. But this woman–who I deeply admire, who is wise in the ways of the Lord, who is facing trials in her own life–has the understanding to pray the opposite. That if the most effective way for us to be closer to God includes a trial…that that is what we shall have.
The ways of God are often counter intuitive to the norms of the world. Maybe our prayers should be a little more counter intuitive as well. Our deepest desires should be to love and honor God, to know Him, and to share His salvation with others. If hard times will help us realize those desires, we should welcome them.
That’s hard to say. It’s hard to accept. It’s hard to grasp. It’s even hard to type.
James puts it this way.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. –James 1:2-3
I’m not saying that we should all start crying out to God, requesting catastrophe and heart ache. I’m not suggesting we stop calling on the Lord to lighten our trials and burdens. What I am hoping, for my own life as well as yours, is that 2015 would be a year of great growth. That this would be a season in which our eyes would lock with Christ’s. That we would pursue the Lord so hard and so willingly that we embrace trials–trusting that they will yield a harvest of testimony and closeness to God.AmyPS–You should go to a prayer meeting sometime. It just might rock your world.
Third Grade Canvases
This week has been all about the Classroom Canvases I started on Monday. Really…when doing four back to back to back it turns in to a weeklong project. Which is fine by me, because I really do like doing them. Well–I finally got them all finished up! The kids did a fabulous job. Top notch work, in my opinion. And tonight I’m presenting to you the finished product.
This is the first canvas I painted with the kids on Monday afternoon. This was home to the class that yielded most of the hilarious comments I shared with you on Monday evening.
I’m going to be honest. I love this design. Something about it reminds me of a stained glass window. I’m so incredibly happy with the way it turned out. This one was painted by the other class I wrote about on Monday.
The third class I painted with chose a Valentine’s Day theme. I was stumped at first. Indecisive on what to do. I wanted it to be fun, but not too mushy or girly. This is what I came up with. It reminds me of a upended bag of elementary school Valentines.
The final canvas of the week is a beach theme. I enjoyed creating something that depicted warm, sunny weather, something we probably won’t see again–after this week’s heat wave–for a few more months. It was while painting with this class that I got one of my all time favorite kid comments: “You know, now that I think about it…knowing how to paint is a pretty important thing.” Ya, know what? It really is.
Let’s all remember that creativity is a skill worth honing in on. I’m so lucky to be able to speak the importance of art into these sweet children’s lives! Have a great weekend!
Amy
Trying to Make Fruit | Fruit of the Spirit
If you know me in real life you probably know that of all my activities and goings ons, youth group is one of my favorite. I just love encouraging high schoolers in their walk with Christ. After being away for so long, finally going back to youth group last night was a breath of fresh air. Cold, North Dakotan air…the kind that wakes you up and makes you feel alive inside.
They’ve been studying the fruit of the Spirit. In preparation for our time together last night I read Galatians and dove into some commentary on the book. Galatians is fascinating to me for lots of reasons. I’ll get in to those on another day.
Tonight I really want to share something that I discovered while reading Galatians 5, praying and reading the commentary on it. I’ll share with you, but first take just a moment to read the passage I’m talking about. {Emphasis mine.}
The works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I can wear myself thin with trying. Trying to be nice, to chill out and be peaceful, to harness self control. It’s exhausting. You know what I mean?
Between studying this passage and the amazing message delivered last night from our youth pastor–who I’m honored to consider a friend–God laid a few truths on my heart.
My attention was called to the wording used in these verses. It’s pretty obvious to anyone with 5th grade English under their belt that this passage is a contrast. But examine the words Paul uses to contrast these two lists. {I’ve got them in purple for you.} I could explain the importance of these two words: works and fruit. But my commentary says it so well.
It is significant that the apostle distinguishes between the acts of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. Works are produced by human energy. Fruit is grown as a branch abides in the vine {John 15:5}**. They differ as a factory and a garden differ.
Another thing to take notice of, is the plurality of “acts” and “fruit.” Here’s a note on that:
Note that “fruit” is singular, not plural. The Holy Spirit produces one kind of fruit, that is, Christlikeness.
The fruit of the Spirit–all those nice, Christ-like, qualities–they are fruit of the Spirit. Not fruit of my trying. When we accept Christ honestly and truly as our Savior, He–through His Holy Spirit–lives in us. The fruit of the Spirit doesn’t grow as a result of our own efforts, but by the presence of God dwelling inside our very core.
When I asked my small group of teenage girls how these truths made them feel, there was an awkward silence. Then, someone spoke up and said it was kind of a relief. I agree.
It’s not up to me to produce the fruit. That’s the work of the Holy Spirit. He’s living in my and I know He’s up for the task. God just asks that we set our focus on Him, that we love Him with everything we’ve got. When we do that, fruit will start growing naturally.
If you are feeling tired of trying, take a break. Jesus tells that he is a kind master. He is a refreshing drink of living water–not an exhausting run through the dessert. If you’ve ever looked at the fruit of the Spirit passage as a measuring stick of perfection and are frustrated with falling short…stop it. You will fall short. Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control stand opposed to the fallen world we live in. Sure, we can do those things, but we can also wear ourselves out on trying. Instead, lock eyes with Jesus and let His amazing Spirit transform you into a garden.
Amy
*Here is a link to the commentary I have. I really like it. {Commentary is a supplement, not a replacement for reading the actual word of God, via the Bible.}
**The full impact of what this quote says lies in understanding the branch/vine analogy Jesus gives in John. See it here.
Road Trip {part 2}
Tonight we are going over the second half of our big, fat, American road trip. Derek and I went across the country on a trip from Minot to Orlando. It was a long haul, but incredibly fun. If you missed our first two stops–check out yesterday’s post.
The third leg of our trip took us from the Kansas City to Memphis, TN. We left Kansas City right after our late lunch at Jack Stack BBQ and drove down to Memphis–only about six hours. We arrived around 10pm and decided that we should put our “tired” aside and venture down to Beale Street. {Which, according to USA Today, is America’s most iconic street.} I mean…how often do we go to Memphis? Besides, we were only spending the one night there. If we were going to take in some live music, it was now or never. It was cold. It was off season. It was late and places were starting to close up. But we went anyway.
The lights were lovely and the live music was even lovelier. We ended up sitting in the B.B. King Blues Club. We heard the last few songs of their house band’s set. So good! {Image below from the BB King Blue’s Club website.}
The following morning, we kept with our musical theme. First we drove past Aretha Franklin’s childhood home. {It’s still there!} Then we hit up the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, to learn about the heart of the Memphis music scene. The museum was interesting, especially for folks with a pulse on the music scene. For me, it was a little hard to pay attention…because there were lots of songs playing from lots of different directions and I had a hard time reading. But that’s probably due to my own sometimes stunted attention span. At any rate, we listened to some great music and looked very hipster doing it.
Then we hit up the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, to learn about the heart of the Memphis music scene. The museum was interesting, especially for folks with a pulse on the music scene. For me, it was a little hard to pay attention…because there were lots of songs playing from lots of different directions and I had a hard time reading. But that’s probably due to my own sometimes stunted attention span. At any rate, we listened to some great music and looked very hipster doing it.
After the museum we ate soul food at the Four Way–which the locals told us was the best around. Indeed it was.
We wrapped up our time in Memphis travels with a swing past Graceland. We didn’t have the time to tour, but we did walk past the home of the king…where I insisted that we each try to dance like Elvis. We gave it our best shot, but I’m pretty sure Elvis would be embarrassed.
The next leg of our trip took us down to New Orleans. Since we were mostly there for a wedding {which I was photographing} we only did the basics. Strolled the French Quarter, ate red beans and rice, coffee and beignets at Cafe Du Monde.
We also had the second best breakfast of my life at the Ruby Slipper. {The absolute best was the Friendly Toast in Portsmouth.} But, like I said, the main event was the wedding. More of these photos coming soon!
From NOLA, we reached our “final” destination–Montgomery, AL. The main reason for road tripping was the drive to Montgomery, where Derek had to attend a training course. It was a relief to get out of the car for a bit. We stayed in town and out of the car for a full week before packing it back up to head south for the long MLK Day weekend.
We drove down to Pensacola, where we had a lovely dinner at what is perhaps my all-time favorite restaurant–Dharma Blue. Photo below via the Dharma Blue Facebook page.
The following morning we ate breakfast at one of our favorite haunts–Ace’s in Milton, FL {we used to live in Milton.} The food was great…but catching up with our friends who still live in Milton/Pensacola. I love these ladies!
Finally, it was another long haul from Milton down to Orlando! There we got to see another Milton friend and I made all my Harry Potter dreams come true!
Since my back pain was flaring up {maybe all that time in the car had something to do with it…} we decided to take in Universal Studios instead of Islands of Adventure, since there are fewer roller coasters at Studios. Coasters aside, it was amazing!! Oh my. I just don’t even have words. Sure, Universal Studios was fun. But Harry Potter World–Diagon Alley–blew. my. mind. Blown. The butter beer. The Gringott’s dragon that breathes real fire. The shops. The food. Amazing.
Our friend Angel was selected to have Olivander select a wand for her. We ate the best amusement park food I’ve ever had at the Leaky Cauldron. And made a thrilling Escape From Gringotts. {Who knew melding 3D video and a roller coaster could be so fun?!}
Of course the other parts of the park were fun too…but it all really paled in comparison to how great Diagon Alley was.
From Orlando, we trekked back to Montgomery for the duration of the journey. {If you are in Montgomery, you should definitely have some rockin’ Cajun food at Uncle Mick’s and participate in Trivia Night at the Irish Bred Pub–get the Irish Mac ‘n’ Cheese while you’re there.}
We had an awesome time…but after all that travel it’s been really nice to be back home, back in a routine. I’m sure this is just one in many, many adventures that 2015 will bring.
Road Trip 2015 {part 1}
You can say a lot of things about Derek and me. But you absolutely cannot declare that we don’t know how to road trip. Seriously. We are so good at it. This month we took a cross country road trip. It was one of our longest road trips of all time…and one of the best. So sit back, get comfortable, and remember to avoid caffeinated beverages {no pee breaks}…because we are embarking on Road Trip 2015.
The map above shows our route. It’s pretty darn far. Today we’ll get all the way to Kansas City! I’m excited to tell you about the trip stop by stop, but first–here is a list of in-car things that kept us occupied through all those hours of driving.
Audio Book–Boys in the Boat. I love this book. You should read it or listen to it soon. It’s amazing on audio. And read by perfectly voiced by the late Edward Herman. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry for joy, you’ll cry for sadness, you’ll learn, and you’ll want to take up rowing. It’s a 12-disc, or 13 hour listen.
Audio Mystery–Serial. If you are in to Dateline mysteries, you’ll totally dig Serial, a audio documentary from This American Life. The podcast investigates a murder case from 1999. The case is closed, but the man convicted has maintained his innocence all these years. The series looks in to the case and trial and will leave you wondering if they really did lock up the wrong man. Because it’s a little street-wise…there is a bit of language {including a few F-Bombs} and some talk of drug use. I still found it to be a fascinating listen. It’s 12 episodes ranging form 25-55 minutes.
Colossians. We spent a good long time reviewing the verses we already had memorized and added new verses {we are at the end of chapter 4!} Reciting the whole thing takes a good 25 minutes, and learning a new verse takes about 15-20… so this was a good time eater for us once a day.
Trivia. I downloaded a new app called Quizoid. It works without a data connection or wireless.
Now…the trip. Leg one took us from Minot to Omaha. It was by far the longest part of the journey. And while we really wanted to stop to see Corn Palace…we decided the extra two hours it would add onto the trip wasn’t worth it.
In Omaha we visited Joslyn Castle. Because it’s off season, we were the only visitors and enjoyed a private tour of the Castle. It’s gorgeous. It’s fascinating. I wish I lived in Omaha so I could attend the lots of super-cool events they hold here. {Murder mystery dinner anyone?}
The Joslyn family also donated funds for an art museum. And…since Derek had never in his life laid eyes on a real Monet…we just had to go. Not to mention, it’s got free admission. As far as I’m concerned, the Joslyn Art museum rocks. Good layout. Lots of awesome works. And an amazing interactive level. Some may say it is the “kid’s area,” but who says grownups can’t enjoy making stop-motion movies and virtual paintings? Here is a stop motion video we made. {They email it right to you!}
After the Joslyns showed us all they had to offer, we headed to the Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. It. Was. Amazing! I was skeptical about going to the zoo in January, but it totally paid off. We were there for three full hours–just on the indoor exhibits. They’ve got the world’s largest indoor desert. {Which features the world’s cutest creature–the klipspringer!}
They’ve also got a mind-blowing “kingdoms of the night” exhibit filled with night-dwelling creatures, and a way creepy-but-cool insect pavilion.
But my favorite, favorite part was the aquarium. Stunning. I liked it even more than the Shedd in Chicago. And that’s really saying something. I love the Shedd aquarium. It had a HUGE aquarium tunnel. It’s like you are right in the tank! There were penguins and puffins and weird looking fish and a swamp habitat. Simply awesome.
From Omaha we went to Kansas City, MO. Recently I’ve gotten really into learning about WWI. Mostly because I picked up an audio series that NPR put out in honor of WWI’s centennial. You can see the series here. As I listened to the discs {there’s only three} I heard a short snippet about our country’s only WWI museum…in Kansas City, MO. The piece made it sound so cool and we were going to be so close…I begged Derek to take me. {Because I’m really that lame.}
So we went. And I was so impressed! Really, one of the best museums I’ve ever been to. Ever. It made the material easy to understand. It was well laid out. The design was beautiful. The exhibits were fascinating. It’s interactive and techy and traditional–all at the same time. I learned a million things. {Photo below from the museum’s Facebook page.}
I love interactive portions of museums and this museum had some great interactive exhibits. There were “listening booths” that let you play music, writings, and diary entries from the war years. There were also tables of touch-screen games, plans, photo albums, and DIY propaganda posters.
When you are done with your creation…you can email it to yourself! Here are our masterpieces. I’m pretty sure I’m on my way to being a sought after propaganda artist.
After hours at the museum, we ate an amazing lunch at Jack Stack BBQ. It’s delightful for the taste buds and they eyes. The decor is so lovely. Seriously, one of the best meals we had on our trip! {Photo from the Jack Stack Facebook page.}
Tomorrow I’ll tell you about the second half of our road trip–Memphis, NOLA, Montgomery, Pensacola, and Orlando! Okay, so…technically, it’s more cities…but we didn’t do nearly as many touristy things in those places. So it’ll be less of a read. I’ll see you back on the road tomorrow!
Amy
Third Grade Musings | Classroom Canvas
If you follow the Facebook page {which you should…} you might have seen this image that I posted last night. That’s right. Although I just got back to Practically Canada {I’ll tell you all about our amazing road trip tomorrow}, I’m already running full speed. Maybe even double time. I stayed up late last night putting the finishing touches on these two “Classroom Canvases.” And I really, really like them.
Today I taught in two third grade classes. Tomorrow I’ll do two more canvases in the other third grade classes at the school. Originally I was going to hold off and show you all the canvases and tell you all the silly remarks in one big post. But after the things I heard today…well–I just couldn’t wait.
If you don’t know what a classroom canvas is, read this post.
I pull about three kids at a time to paint with me. So these conversations usually took place in small groups. Without further ado…here are exchanges I had today with third graders.
Kid: You smell like a janitor.
Me: What? What does that even mean?
Kid: It just means…you smell like a janitor smells.
Me: Like a vacuum?
Kid: No. It’s a good thing. You smell good. But…like a good smelling janitor.
Kid: Who do you root for?
Me: I don’t really watch football. But I’m mostly a Colts fan.
Kid: Yuck. I only like Green Bay. Why would you root for the Colts? {sounding disgusted.}
Me: Because I’m from Indiana. I just said that like one minute ago. {the class asked where I was originally from}
Kid: Yeah, but the Colts aren’t from Indiana.
Me: Uhhh, yes they are. The Indianapolis Colts.
Kid: Uhhh, what does that have to do with anything?
Me: Indianapolis. As in Indiana…
Kid: Indianapolis isn’t even a real city. I think you’re confused. I can tell you don’t watch much football.
Kid: You look just like that girl in the Transformers movie.
Me: That’s because I do this for fun…but my real job is making movies.
Kid: WHAT? For real? I knew that was you.
Me: Oh, my…that got out of hand. I’ve never even seen that movie. And this is my real job. Sorry.
Kid: WAIT. You’re married?
Me: Yeah.
Kid: You’re too young to be married. What are you like, 18?
Kid 2: You’re too pretty to be married.
Me: No, I’m much older than that. And why are pretty people not married?
Kid 2: She’s probably like….about 49 or something.
Kid: I bet you have a whole room in your house just for painting….
{In my wildest dreams this is true.}
Kid: One time a boy just walked past my desk and dropped a note there. Like it was no big deal. But I read it and it said, “I love you.” Weird, right?
{While I was cleaning brushes at the sink}
Kid: Do you want me to help you?
Me: Oh, that’s really sweet, but I’m almost done. I’ll just finish up myself.
Kid: Okay. I’m just going to stand here. I love watching people.
Kid: Do you have a dog?
Me: No, but I love dogs.
Kid: Okay, well I have one you can have. She’s like two years old. She’s really bad.
Me: Thanks, but I’m not really in the market for a dog right now. Especially not a bad one.
Kid: Okay, well really…you should have her. We need to find a new owner for her. Like she chews up everything and pees in the house and…
Me: Well, my argument still stands. I don’t really want a dog. Especially not a bad one.
{Upon squirting paint out of an almost empty tube.}
Kid: That sounds like my mom when she poops.
I just love those kids. So stinkin’ funny. So here are the almost-finished products. I’ll retrace the black lines before returning them to the school. And I’ll be sure to post a photo of them so you can see how awesome they look. All in all both classes did an amazing job! I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.
Seven New Invitation & Card Designs
Tonight I’m pleased to be showing you six new {and one updated} printable invitations and card designs that are now available in my Etsy shop.
Most of these are modified versions of custom orders I’ve taken over the last year/two/three. I owe a huge thank you to all the clients who have trusted me to create something special for their event. For all of their creative ideas and their cool parties. Without really fun people requesting my designs…I wouldn’t have anything to design at all.
So take a look. Tell your friends. When you need an invitation…look me up. You can access the shop here–or directly at Etsy.
As an update of a previously listed creation….I now have more colors available in my paper doll bridesmaid cards AND…I have unleashed an additional “profile” design. {I say “more colors” but really I mean…more samples. These are still completely customizable. You can get virtually any color you like!}
Now for sale, the entire paper suite I used for Erin’s Baby Shower. You can buy the entire set here…or just the invitation. Either way, your guests will love these!
For your little one’s birthday, I’ve got these adorable balloon themed invitations all made up. The party that these were originally created for even featured a balloon artist! Isn’t that just the funnest?!
You know I love chalkboards!! So you can only imagine how much fun I had making these chalkboard baby shower invitations. I love this invitation because it leaves the theme pretty neutral and wide open.
And speaking of chalkboards…yes…right now, my favorite invitation of all time is for sale online! I LOVED creating this. I loved it so much I wanted others to be able to experience it’s joy as well.
And speaking of weddings–I’ve got a couple’s wedding shower invitation up online as well. This design is perfect for a low-key, dessert themed shower.
For those a little more athletic than myself…I’ve got a basketball shower invitation. I really think these are a treat. The woman who requested these had some pretty cool ideas in mind–she throws some very cool showers. My favorite part is the little one’s name on the back of the jersey hanging on the crib!
Thanks again to everyone who has ordered and worked with me. I love bringing your creative ideas to fruition!
Amy
Baby Bird {A Bird Themed Baby Shower}
I simply cannot believe I’ve let so much time pass before showing you these photos. I honestly don’t know where the time goes. But I digress…Today I’m so excited to be showing you images from a baby shower we threw for my sister back in December.
It was an amazing group effort from our mom, aunt, a couple of Erin‘s friends, and myself. It was an effort that spanned across state lines, and an effort that paid off big. In my opinion, it was a fantastic shower. I’m so happy I convinced her to let me help throw it and so very grateful to everyone who came…despite the party being only a couple days after Christmas.
Erin is going with a “Bird & Books” themed nursery…so that’s the theme we went with a book and bird themed baby shower as well. The shower was held at our county Conservation Club, where my dad is a member. Their lodge was a perfect backdrop. It was cozy and rustic…and they have an amazing fireplace. I made this word art for the nursery. It’s a quote from Jason Mraz, one of Erin’s favorite artists. I think it’s the perfect wish for a tiny, new soul.
Erin’s friends Courtney and Nicole pulled the decor together and they did an amazing job. Courtney decoupaged kids’ book pages to jars, which Nicole filled with pink-painted twigs. Every table had a lace runner and a bird house or two and a couple glittery clip on birds.
Since I’m a huge fan of order at parties…I created a “program” that we put at every seat. Basically, it told guests what activities were available–to encourage as much participation as possible. Courtney and I whipped up tiny favor nests from Spanish moss. It was a quick–but messy task. They are house in favor bags and filled with Jordan Almonds. If I did it again, I’d go with chocolate covered almonds. That’s what I thought I bought–but alas, we ended up with these hard-on-the-teeth treats.
Because we are a pretty casual bunch, the activities were loosely structured. We set up a diaper-note station, where guests were invited to use colorful Sharpies to write clever notes on a stash of diapers to be used during late night changings. We also set up a onsie decorating station, and asked guests to write a childhood memory on a small card at their seat. I like that we didn’t opt for a set time to do each activity, but let folks do what they wanted at their own pace.
I was responsible for buying onsie decorating supplies and I tried to keep all level of artists in mind. In the end, this is what I decided to buy: White onsies ranging from NB-9 months in size, markers, alphabet stencils, flourish stencils, iron on jewels, iron on embellishments, iron on ribbon, iron on “screen printing” images, scissors, iron on fabric {cut any shape.} It was nice that all the embellishments were permanent and instantly set–no paint or drying time.
Everyone did an amazing job. I was so excited to see how everyone loved making their own creative onsie. The iron-on elements and stencils really them look nice and purposeful…not like a bunch of people just wrote on some clothes with markers. I think having those things on hand also made this station feel more accessible to ladies who don’t necessarily see themselves as artsy.
I loved the design suite I put together for the shower. Once the main elements were created, I reused them on every piece of paper at the party. It helped keep things consistent.
We played two games. One was “Name That Book,” which you can see in the image above. For this game I searched the Children’s Book Guide online. They offer a list of the top 100 Children’s Books of All Time. I used 24 for our game. I copied the covers onto a sheet–very small–and blotted out the titles. Guests then had to identify as many as they could using only the tiny image as a guide.
Our other game involved childhood memories from all the guests. Each person wrote a memory on a small card at their seat. I collected them, then read them one at a time to Erin. From the pile, she selected one as her favorite {Apples to Apples style.} That lady was our winner. Then Erin tried to match each memory to the guest that wrote it. This was such a fun game, since all kinds of memories were shared. They included things like:
I remember dancing to the Lawrence Welk’s show when I spent the night at Grandma’s house.
While my dad was mowing the lawn, I ‘operated’ on my sister’s arm using a play doctor’s kit and a real razor…the pretend anesthetic didn’t last….
As I child I liked to drink lemonade and read in the shade of a tree.
I would sit behind the couch and say every swear word I knew.
I used to look at my reflection in a blank TV screen and whisper news stories to myself.
I grew up in the city, but I had family who owned a farm. Once I mistook chicken poop for gum and ate it…
That last one was our winner. I’m telling you, it was a great time.
Game winners each received one of these necklaces which I crafted up with my bare hands.
It was a great time. I hope Erin had as much fun as I did. Congratulations {again}…we are all s excited to meet the newest Kennedy!
PS…I did a really crummy photo job with some of this. But–I’m too excited and I can’t help bragging. Do you see that chevron stick in the background of the photos above?! It’s a growth chart. I made it and I love it. It’s just a 4″x6′ piece of wood that I sanded and stenciled! Perfect for tracking the rapid ascend of this growing family!
Spiritual Goals
…make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 1:5-8
I love this verse in 2 Peter. {Read the whole chapter here.} Not only what it says in it’s entirety, but every tiny word and the very structure of the sentences. Look closely. Look at the word “add.” It’s a verb. It’s active, and requires effort. Scripture challenges us and encourages us to add to our faith. Like a plant left without water and sunlight, our faith will not flourish unless we add to it. Without some effort to grow and move forward, our faith will become stagnant. From there, it will be in danger of withering.
Take Peter’s advice and make ever effort to add to your faith this year. One effective way of doing that is to set some spiritual goals. A lot of the tips found in the first two posts {here and here} of this series apply to accomplishing and setting spiritual goals. However, here are five tips specifically geared toward setting goals for spiritual growth.
Center around Scripture.
Sometimes when it comes to spiritual goal setting it can be hard to know where to start. The obvious answers are to read the Bible more often and commit more time to prayer. Those are great–and we’ll talk about them some more in a bit–but our spiritual goals can encompass so much more than that. A thriving spiritual life will include more than that. When it comes to thinking outside the box the Bible can be a great tool for pointing us in the right direction for finding some spiritual goals to set. Galatians 5:22-23 lists the “fruit of the Spirit.” This, and any other passage that lists concrete characteristics, can be a starting point for a goal. Take one of the fruits listed and think critically about how you can manifest it in your life–then make it into a specific goal.
I came across an awesome article from Jelli Bean Journals while researching for this post. She does a wonderful job of explaining this principle of using Scripture to set a spiritual goal. I highly encourage you to stop over and read it. {It’s a quick, easy read!}
Word Goals.
Being in the Word of God is vital to growing spiritually. I tell the teens in our youth group all the time: It’s easier to believe and trust someone you actually know. One of the best ways to get to know the Lord is by reading His Word. I love reading the Bible, and I’m very good at sticking to my reading plan. But when it comes to setting reading goals, I’ve found–at least for me–it’s better to set a daily goal, rather than a deadline for my reading.
Pick a book you’d like to study, then set a daily goal. Maybe that means one chapter, or reading for 15 minutes. Reading the Bible isn’t a race. It is much more important to read, understand and apply the Word, rather than simply read all the words. I wrote a whole post on better Bible reading. You can read it here for more help on how you can reach your reading goals.
Prayer Goals.
Along with reading the word, prayer is our other tool for really getting to know the Lord. Make a goal to pray regularly. In addition, you should also expand yourself to pray in new ways. Prayer is not only about submitting requests to God, it can also be a form of worship, intercession, thanksgiving, and confession.
To help you stay on track find a method that works best for you. Create a daily prayer time or create prayer prompts that you’ll see throughout the day. I use prayer prompts…because often if I pray for too long my mind wanders. Here are some prompts I’ve used…photos of my cousins/niece and nephew taped to my mirror to remind me to pray for them as I get dressed in the morning; an alarm on my phone that reminds me to pray for a certain individual at a certain time each day; prayer when for my doctors when I pull into the parking lots. You might also find these kid’s techniques useful for diversifying and conquering your prayer goals. One is the ACTS method, the other is a hand method.
Mind Goals.
The Bible says …Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. {Romans 12:2a} Transforming ourselves by renewing our mind means we should also set and work toward some mental goals. Here are some synonyms for the word “renew”: Exhilarate, freshen, reawaken, revitalize. {See more synonyms here.} I don’t know about you, but my mind could sure use a dose of revitalization.
Remember that what goes into our minds roots itself in our hearts. What we meditate and dwell will over take us. For better or worse. Set a goal that will renew your mind. This might mean changing your media habits–TV, books, movies, music. Maybe it will mean starting to read books with a strong spiritual backbone, that will push your faith. Maybe your goal will be to sharpen your apologetics skills or memorize some Scripture. Whatever it is, make sure it stretches your mind and feeds your senses messages that Christ would approve of.
Stewardship Goals.
Our faith should be active. As you think about your goals, don’t stop with self-improvement. Think externally as well. Set a goal for being a steward of the Word and the Kingdom. Find a way to get involved and serve. Serve at your church. Volunteer with a faith based organization. Sponsor a Compassion child and start pouring into the heart of a kid across the world. Mentor a younger Christian. Find a way to be a steward.
As you approach your spirituals goals here are a few more things to keep in mind:
- Don’t over do it. Set a few goals–maybe one in each area–then as you accomplish or grow in those areas, set another goal.
- Keep at it. Don’t be tempted to throw in the towel if you miss a day.
- Find a partner–join an accountability group or Bible study
- Make it a family thing. Set goals with your family and your spouse, too. Set goals for your family and marriage.
- If you didn’t read this article when I linked it up on Monday, you should totally check it out. It’s got Biblical advice and 25 verses to meditate on in regard to goal setting.
8 Tips for Reaching Your Fitness Goals
For many of us the new year brings on one major goal…fitness. For me, January brings on a wave of guilt as I look back in awe at all the sugar I’ve consumed over the last few months. Even when I’m trying my hardest, that time span between Thanksgiving and January 1st can often mean lots of cookies, salty meats, heavy meals. It’s a time of substituting raw, green veggies for cheese coated casseroles.
Before I go on, let me be clear. I’m not trying to guilt you. I love vegetables cooked down and covered in cheese. I love ham and cookies and eating at places you only get when you visit your home town. I’m not anti-indulgence. I’m pro-balance. Now is a great time to bring our lives back into balance: our jeans are a little tighter, our stomachs are still not sure they want more starch, and we are eager to bring a fitness goal to fruition.
I’ve spent years working out and working in gyms. {In fact, not teaching fitness classes any more feels most weird at this time of year.} Over time I learned some things that helped me and my clients keep on track. This year, hopefully I’ll be taking my own advice as I attempt to reenter the fitness game—very gently. {For those of you wondering why…I’m still recovering from a summer back surgery. Turns out those take a frustratingly long time to fully heal.}
Decide what your objective is. There is a big difference in the way you’ll approach a one-time, concrete goal {more on concrete goals here} verses a lifestyle change.
This fitness goal: “I want to lose weight and look better,” is actually a lifestyle change. You can diet for a while, lose a few pounds and have a little short term success. However, if you really want to keep weight off and live inside a a healthier body you’ll need a lifestyle change. {More on that in a moment.}
On the other hand…this fitness goal: “I’m going to run the Crescent City Classic,” is a concrete, one-time goal. The approach here requires putting together a training timeline and exercising in a specific way. The first step in fitness success is deciding on an objective.
Success in a lifestyle change will require…change. It’ll require change in diet, activity, and mindset. These changes are hard because we have to fight against habit to get there. At first the choice to say “no” to that Diet Coke and “yes” to a glass of water might seem painful and backwards. But the more you make that choice, the easier and more natural it will become. A lifestyle change is all about retraining your mind to naturally choose new, positive choices.
Something that I’ve seen really help folks make a big change, is to turn the broad, lifestyle goal into smaller more concrete goals. Take it a week at a time. {Examples in this post.} Don’t look ahead at your whole life and all the hard work it will be. Instead, focus on the coming week. Make good choices for the next seven days. You can do it. It’s only a week.
I believe in the power of group mind. It’s one reason I became a fitness instructor. Teaching kept me accountable to my fitness routine. As an instructor I kept others accountable as well. Once you start going to a class, and make some friends, it becomes a lot harder to start skipping. You know your friends will ask where you were, or the instructor will say, “We missed you on Tuesday. Is everything okay?” When those comments arise, deep down you want a better excuse than, “I skipped.”
All that said, I definitely recommend joining a gym and finding a class you love at a time that works for your schedule. The accountability there can be key.
However, if you really hate classes {but I don’t know how you can} or they don’t work for you…find another system of accountability. Get a friend or spouse on board who can encourage you and check in on your progress.
Don’t be a closet dieter. There is no reason to be ashamed, embarrassed or secretive about your fitness goal. This is exciting and something to be proud of. Make your goal known. Nothing will crush your fitness dreams faster than being surrounded by un-supportive friends and family. Make your goals known so that those closest to you can support you—instead of offering you a second helping of potatoes.
Spend some money on your goals. You know I’m pretty darn thrifty. For me to tell you to spend money is very rare. But in this case, I’ll tell you to do it. When you invest your hard earned dollars into something, chances are you’ll utilize it.
It doesn’t have to be a lot of money. Even a modest investment can be enough to keep a goal on the right track. Buy a gym membership, register for a 5K, join a community accountability group like Weight Watchers.
Know that most of your success will come in the kitchen. It’s just a fact. You can work out all day and still not get the results you want if you aren’t fueling your body with the right foods. On and off– even when I was teaching four classes a day—I would hate the way I looked. Every time, it boiled down to what was happening in the kitchen.
Be mindful of the season. I ran into a friend a few weeks ago. When we started talking about health and diet, she reminded me that lots of our diet success can come from choosing the right approach for the right season. She told me that last winter she tried a raw diet. It didn’t go well. Icy veggies and raw smoothies are hard to stomach when you are facing a brutal Practically Canadian wind chill of -50˚. Pick an approach that fits the season.
Don’t drink and start drinking. Cryptic, yes. But here’s the thing…one of the quickest changes you can make to your diet is simply swapping your drink choice. As you take steps toward a fitness goal you can expedite your success by eating your calories instead of drinking them. Cut out soda and carbonated beverages. Unless you are an actual athlete, of college or professional level, cut out the sports drinks. They won’t do you any favors. Look at the calorie count on those fancy coffees…it’s nearly a whole meal’s worth. Cut them too. And lastly, cut out alcohol. It slows your whole system down.
Instead of those things, buy a bottle you love and start drinking water like it’s going out of style.
I know you can do this. Take it one step at a time. Remember to look over the first two posts in the series for more inspiration on setting and reaching goals. This post specifically touches on setting deadlines and timetables in regard to fitness goals.
Amy
