First off, this is not an original idea, I borrowed it from the ladies at Leading and Loving it. You can read their post here. But, I loved the idea so much that I thought I would offer the challenge to you, my readers, as well!
In November, I challenged you to find something to be thankful for each day.
February begins in two days, and this time, I want to challenge you to do something special for your spouse every day for the first two weeks of February, leading up to Valentine’s Day (or the whole month if you are feeling it!).
It doesn’t have to be anything big (but it could be). It could be fixing their favorite dinner. It could be getting a sitter and going out on a date. It could be buying them a little special something. It could be sitting with them on the couch to watch a movie. It could be taking a walk with them. It could be planning an intimate encounter. The sky (and your creativity) is the limit!
Don’t have a spouse or aren’t in a relationship? No big deal, you can participate, too. Do it for your kids, your parents, your best friend, or someone you know who needs a little extra love poured out on them this time of year.
Be creative. Be spontaneous. Show love in a tangible way. My guess is that not only will you be blessing someone else you will be blessed in the process.
So, are you in? If so, leave a comment below. At the end of the two weeks, I’ll ask you to share some of your most creative Love Challenge ideas.
I’ve been doing quite a bit of thinking lately about words. Words that we say to ourselves. Words that we say to others. Words that we hear from others. Words that have power.
We all know that the saying, “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” is one of the most untrue statements in the world. Whoever changed that to “…but words can hurt the most” made it much more accurate.
Words can hurt. Words can heal. Words can encourage. Words can destroy. The power of a single word is so strong, and yet, we tend to let our words fly without any concern for how they sound or what they are doing to the person they are directed to.
There are a few different areas in which the power of words has become very apparent to me lately.
When I am running and I am tired, sometimes the difference between finishing a run and having to walk comes down to the words I am telling myself. If I am rehearsing how tired I feel, how my legs feel like lead, how my breathing is struggling, etc., you can bet that I will be walking soon. But if I am saying to myself that I have this, I can do this, I am a strong runner, my lungs are feeling good, etc., it is amazing how much strength and energy that gives me and I can finish the run.
When you have kids, particularly a daughter that is 11 and the change from a smile to tears happens in a nanosecond, you quickly realize that your words make a huge difference in how quickly the tears change back to a smile. I am finding that I have to be very careful in how I respond to her these days and am trying to use words that build her up and encourage her in this time of her life that is scary and constantly changing.
When life is difficult, we often tend to commiserate with others about how hard things are. But, if we would instead talk about the things that are going well, and look for those things that are positive in our lives, our attitudes would be greatly different, even about the hard stuff. It’s easy to wallow. It’s hard to rise above it. But if we choose to speak those positive words, we would notice an overall change in our outlook.
There are many other areas where our words are important: how we speak to our friends, co-workers, spouses, etc. It is so important for us to speak positive, encouraging words that build up rather than tear down, whether it be for ourselves or those around us. Yet it is so hard sometimes. But that is when we need to pray Psalm 141:3, “Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips,” and we need to make sure that what is going into us is positive so that what is coming out is positive as well.
Let’s work on that together.
When is it hardest for you to speak words that encourage?
How often have you been a part of this scenario: Mom wants to lose weight and eat better, but Dad and kids don’t, and continue to eat normally. Mom does well for a while, but eventually, fixing two types of meals gets old or the junk that is still left in the house becomes major temptation for Mom and she falls off the wagon.
Well, that kind of happened to me over the holidays. The junk won. The less than healthy meals took over. I didn’t lose too much ground, but a few of those previously lost pounds crept back on.
I knew something needed to change and I was ready to get back to eating right and not missing my workouts. But I needed help to succeed. I needed the junk not to be in the house.
So, in an effort to both help me, and to help my family be healthier, too, we have removed all sweets/sugar from our pantry, fridge, and candy cabinet. All four of us are now “sugar-free” until my birthday, March 24.
For me, this transition isn’t that hard. I’ve done it for most of the last 9 months, and I feel better when I am not eating junk anyway.
But for the others in my house, it is a bit harder. Especially when the kids are at school and the school uses candy to reward. My solution: buy some sugar-free candy and send it to school with the kids along with a note asking their teachers to please use the sugar-free options for my kids when candy rewards are given. But this still means that the kids have to make good choices. They have to think before they eat when they are away from home. They have to be able to say “no, thank you” when offered something sweet. And when you are a kid, that’s hard. But they are on board and have agreed to this challenge. They are even helping to remind Daddy that sweets are not an option, even when Mommy isn’t around. 🙂
I am curious and excited to see what the results will be. Will there be changes in my children’s behavior? Will my husband’s waistline show any sign of getting smaller? How will this challenge that we are undertaking as a family strengthen our bond? What will we all learn about ourselves and one another and what we can do when we work together? What will we learn about healthy living as a family?
Now, my challenge is to find a reward for our family, that is not food based, that we get or do once we complete our sugar-free challenge. That’s where you, my readers, come in. I would love to hear some of your ideas about what our reward should be at the end of our challenge. Also, what family challenge would you like to take on this year? (Last year, we instituted family game night every Monday night and that was our challenge.)
My family and I spent the last 10 days of 2011 along the Gulf Coast of Alabama with my mom and dad. We had a “white Christmas” on the beach, we played cards and other games, we worshiped together, we laughed, we played our new Wii, we played on the beach, we visited a Naval air museum, we played mini-golf, etc. You get the idea – we had a whole lot of family time with no schedule constraints or commitments. Even after we came home we had a couple of days of just hanging out and being together.
And then Daddy went back to work. And then the kids went back to school and I came back to work. And we are once again trying to balance life amidst schedules and commitments, as well as meals, dishes, laundry, work, and more.
I knew it was coming. It always does. That feeling of coming down. That feeling that you wish you could just stay in vacation-mode forever. That feeling of wanting to run away from real life because it is so much harder than what it seems like it should be.
It’s no wonder I feel that way. I just had nearly two weeks of nothing but my family. Quality time with them. Conversations with them. Hugs, kisses, and snuggles with them. My husband’s undivided attention. There was almost no TV. There was very little to distract us from simply having fun as a family.
And in real life there is 40 hours a week of work (times 2). There are bills to pay. There is a house to keep clean. There is a lot of stuff that just isn’t fun and it feels like it distracts us from one another.
It’s almost enough to say it isn’t worth going away because I know how it feels to come back.
Almost. But not really at all.
I can’t imagine going through real life all the time and never getting those special times as a family. And the real-life times are where we learn to make priorities. That’s where we learn what it means to be a family so that we can have fun together when we are away. Those real-life times are the ones that bond us together and teach us about one another.
Despite the feeling of coming down that I get when I return from a break, I wouldn’t change it for the world. I strive to enjoy every moment with my family. The fun ones; the learning ones; the real-life ones and the vacation ones.
Bring on real life!
How do you feel when you return from a vacation and how do you deal with it?
2011 went so fast and it is already the second day of 2012, which will also go fast.
Lots of people made resolutions yesterday. Many of them failed to keep them today.
I don’t make resolutions. I have things I want to accomplish and plan to accomplish – things like getting to my goal weight and finishing my first full marathon, expanding Knitting (and now crocheting) with a purpose, growing closer to the Lord and my family – but while I can make decisions to help me bring my plans to completion, there are more important plans that I need to complete.
God’s plans for me.
Yesterday, at two different times, I was reminded of a verse that I love:
Jeremiah 29:11-13
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Perhaps my plans aren’t God’s plans and in order to find out which is which, I have to seek Him with all my heart and talk with Him about what I am thinking, as well.
So, my plan for 2012 is to line up my life with God’s plan for me, whatever that looks like, whichever direction that leads me, no matter what that means or how much it requires of me.
That may be harder than just following my plans, but it will also be more worthwhile.
I hope you will have a Happy New Year following God’s plan for your life as well.
Today we begin our family Christmas festivities and they will continue through the new year. Because I will be spending time with my family (and I hope you will be, too) I won’t be writing any new blog posts until after the start of 2012. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas season celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!
Sunday morning we sang a song that I enjoy. But I enjoyed it even more when we were listening to it in the van this afternoon and my kids were singing it and talking about how much they loved it. And when we got home, we talked a bit about the scripture from which this song comes, Luke 1.
Mary’s Song
46And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48 for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed, 49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name. 50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation. 51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. 52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty. 54 He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful 55 to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”
My soul magnifies the Lord today – He has done and continues to do great things for me.
Take a listen. I guarantee that you’ll be singing along by the end of the song.
What are you glorifying the Lord for in your life today?
As the month of November has come to a close, I wanted to be able to look back on all 30 of the things I listed on Facebook that I was (am) thankful for, so here’s my list:
Today, I am thankful for a friend who met me to walk this morning without whom I would have probably stayed in bed.
Today I am thankful for my hubby, Mike. He works so hard to provide for his family, and when he is on 3-11, survives on not a lot of sleep so he can take our kids to school since that is the only time he sees them on this shift. I am blessed to have such a good husband and I love doing things to spoil him (like making him Pumpkin Toffee Cheesecake) since he is usually the one spoiling me. 🙂
Today I am thankful for my small group (Mike, Kimberly, Mark, John, Curt, Michelle) and especially Scott, who would do anything to help out at any time, including running kids to and fro. I love you all and am so glad that we get to do life together!!
Today I am thankful for the friends that God has blessed me with. Friends that bring me breakfast, lunch, and hot cups of what’s the point. Friends that know me well enough to know I am having a bad day from a text. Friends that pray for and with me. Friends I can laugh with, talk with, cry with, and just sit with. Thank you all for your friendship!
Today I am thankful for my family and a lazy day at home with them that will include snuggles, games, tv, homemade smoked pulled pork, homemade pumpkin pie, tickles, giggles and lots of love!
Today I am thankful for my couch. It is the place where I spend time with family and friends, where I nap, where I read and study. The place where snuggles and tickles abound and memories are made and remembered.
Today I am thankful for a job that I love that is right where God has placed me for the last 11 years. I am thankful that where I work is filled with co-workers that are also amazing friends.
Today I am thankful for my son, Ty. He is opinionated, creative, fun-loving, imaginative, energetic, and so much more. He brings a smile to my face (almost) every time I look at him. God has taught me so much using Ty!
Today I am thankful for a pastor (and boss) who is sensitive to the Lord’s leading, sets a good example for all of us in the ways he leads, takes responsibility, and does his best to glorify God.
Today I am thankful for things like heated car seats, warm showers, and cozy sweatshirts. And the fact that I don’t have to be outside for my job when it is cold outside. Good things to be thankful for on that first really cold morning of the season. (And Lillard Luttrell, if you call me today from the beach, I will come through the phone and hurt you. Badly.)
Today I am thankful for music. Music can lift me up, it can feel with me, it can unleash feelings I can’t put words to, it can bring me closer to people, it can be an avenue to hear the Lord speak, and it can just bring absolute joy and fun. I especially am thankful that I get to share my love of music with my kids. ( We watched the CMA awards together last night.)
Today I am thankful for that wonderful thing called the Sunday afternoon nap and I am already looking forward to my date with my couch this afternoon.
Today I am thankful for opportunities to enjoy God’s creation, particularly with my kids. Taking nature walks, looking at clouds, enjoying the moon, etc. I see things so much more through the eyes of my children and love it!
Today I am thankful for my Lord and Savior. I’m thankful for the ways that He has saved me, and continues to do so. I am thankful for the ways that I learn from Him through His word and His people. I am thankful that even when I fall short (which is often), His grace abounds.
Today I am thankful for my daughter, Anne. She is (usually) quick to help, especially when it comes to cooking these days. She has a big heart and is always looking out for others. Even though she is growing up fast, she still has a child-like joy about life. We are blessed by the gift we have in Anne!
Today I am thankful for the unexpected. A previously unplanned lunch with my husband. A note from a friend that is just what I need. A smile from my kids. A laugh after reading a blog post. Sometimes it’s just the little things that make a big difference.
Today I am thankful to be part of a worship team that not only practices music but also practices prayer and devotion to God. I have missed spending time with these wonderful people of God. It is good to be back.
Today I am thankful for my middle sister, Seffie. I love our talks. I love the fact that she is always looking out for me. I love her good heart. I love the fact that she is my lifelong friend. — with Stephanie Luttrell Hammer.
Today I am thankful for days of rest. They are rejuvenating. They give us a reboot. They help us just stop in this society of constant go. Thank you, Lord for the example and command of Sabbath rest.
Today I am thankful for Family Game Night. It had been awhile since we had one, but we always have fun when we do and last night was no exception. I love spending time with my family without electronic forms of entertainment and with good fun and conversation. 🙂
Today I am thankful for parents who raised me “in the way I should go.” They taught me not just right and wrong, but what it really means to be a person of integrity who follows Christ in all I do. They taught me what love is and provide amazing examples of what marriage should look like, how to parent, and how to care for others. I love you! — with Kathryn Davis Luttrell and Lillard Luttrell.
Today I am thankful for the reminder that just like I am attentive to, and always willing to get up for my sick son in the middle of the night, my Father God is always watching over me and knows where I am, what is happening in my life and is always taking care of me.
Today I am thankful for family. Since Mike’s mom died, Thanksgiving has been a hard day, but today we will be surrounded by the Ennen side of the family who is so glad to have us as a part of the day. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!
Today I am thankful for the whole family sleeping in and then just hanging out in bed with my hubby.
Today I am thankful for the wonderful benefits of living in a small town. I love the community events that are put on where we get to enjoy one another’s company as we walk around downtown or check out the lights display at the Farm Heritage Museum. I love running into friends and hanging out with them. I love being able to run through town and see people I know. And I am so glad that we are raising our kids here.
Today I am thankful for worship. What a wonderful thing to be able to worship our God and King with all that is in me!
Today I am thankful for a night of listening to some amazing music at the Christmas Pops concert with my daughter and some of my friends. Good music done well, along with snuggles from my girl and wonderful company made for a fantastic ending to a spectacular weekend.
Today I am thankful for both exercise days and rest days. It always feels good to exercise, and sometimes it feels just as good to have a rest day.
Today I am thankful for: finishing a run with no breathing trouble, friends that encourage me during my run (Anne Dawdy Borwick, Lisa Gaulden Barber), friends that let me “shop” in their closet for clothes that fit (Kimberly King Gan) so I can look nice for Joy Michelle Luttrell Veach and Stephen Kuehn‘s wedding this weekend, and the fact that I get to celebrate my sister’s wedding with all of my family in just a few more days!!!
What an exercise! It was good for me to have to think each morning about which of the things I was thankful for I wanted to post, because, when you make yourself become aware of what is happening in your life, you find many things that you are thankful for.
I hope that you had opportunity to find things to be thankful for over the last month, too. But don’t let it stop now. Continue to be aware of those things for which you are thankful, and thank the Lord for His gifts.
Of all the things that you are thankful for, which one rises to the top today?
Have you ever seen one of those guys at a circus that spins plates on a stick? He starts with one and continues to add plates spinning and tries to keep them all going and not let any of them fall to the ground. (If you don’t know what I’m talking about, visit YouTube and look up plate spinning. You’ll find lots of videos to give you an idea.)
Sometimes I feel like a plate spinner. I have so many things that are vying for my attention and I have about enough time and energy to give each of them a spin before another one is about to crash so I have to run off to make sure it doesn’t. And sometimes. Plates crash. They stop spinning and completely fall to the ground and shatter into thousands of pieces.
And what results is me, feeling like a failure.
I just can’t keep it all going. Diet. Exercise. Bills. Cleaning. Work. Parenting. Connecting with my husband. Plans for holidays. Cooking. Devotions. Reading. Knitting. Small Group. Budgeting (work and home). Friendships. Time commitments. Making sure everyone else gets what they need from me and vice versa. Drinking enough water. Laundry. Lists. Prayer. Grocery shopping. Sleep.
There are times when I am really on top of budgeting and bills, but I am eating terribly, sleeping in too late and never exercising. There are times that I am faithful with my Bible reading, but I am not investing enough time in my husband. Three are times that I am really good about connecting with my friends and giving to them, but my kids haven’t had a home-cooked meal in two weeks. And there are times when I am not doing any of it well.
And that’s where I am right now. I feel like plates are crashing around me. I am doing well with some things, but others have fallen or are about to fall. And then I start getting down on myself about it. And then more stuff falls. It becomes a downward spiral.
Until I stop it. Until I ask for help and give God control. Until I choose to pick up some of those plates. Until I give myself grace and ask for grace from others.
The reality is I really can’t do it all on my own. But I think I should be able to and that’s where I get into trouble. That’s when my attitude starts going south. That’s when I start feeling overwhelmed. But when I remember that 1) God is there and is ready to help – I just need to ask and 2) that I live in community and there are people – family, friends, etc. – that are more than willing to step in when they are aware there is a need, that’s when things get better.
If you are feeling this way today, I encourage you today to stop, take a deep breath, and ask for help – from God, from your friends, from your family. And accept their help and their grace. I know I need to.
What do you usually do when you are feeling overwhelmed with life?
When we are little, we dream of growing up and having a wonderful husband (wife), beautiful children, and a fantastic life as a family. We think it will all come together and will play out just like a fairy tale.
And then we grow up, get married, have kids, and reality sets in.
It’s hard to do life with other people, especially ones we live with under the same roof.
It’s hard not to lose it when you appreciate tidiness and cleanliness and the rest of your family doesn’t. But you have a choice: enjoy the people you live with, mess and all, or alienate them by expecting them to cater to your needs.
It’s hard not to hold a grudge when your husband (wife) does something that really hurts you. But you have a choice: forgive and move on, or build up a wall that puts a wedge between you.
It’s hard to deal with the fact that we don’t always get what we need, much less what we want, and yet the very language of living in community is one of give and take that ebbs and flows. Sometimes we give more, sometimes we take more.
It’s hard not to look out for number one when our culture tells us we have to do what is best for “me.” But, ultimately, what is best for “me” has to be what is best for “us,” and that is not always an easy choice.
Marriage is hard AND it is work. It isn’t something that we can just let slide. We have to be intentional in spending time with one another, sharing not just the contents of our days but of our hearts. We have to speak truth into one another and into our relationship.
Parenting is hard AND it is work. It isn’t something that we can just let slide. We have to be intentional in spending time with one another, teaching, loving, nurturing. We have to speak truth into our children.
Being a family is hard AND it is work. It isn’t something that we can just let slide. We have to be intentional in spending time with one another, laughing, talking, crying, learning. We have to speak truth into one another and our relationship as a family.
Today I am praying for families all over that are struggling. For husbands and wives that aren’t connecting like they should be. For parents and children whose lines of communication are failing. For families that are coming apart at the seams. My prayer for them is for reconciliation and healing. My challenge to them is to do the hard work that is necessary to hold your family together. That means prayer. That means selflessness. That means forgiveness. That means asking for help. That means offering grace where needed. That means looking at yourself and asking where you need to let God work. And none of that is easy. But it’s worth it.
I would love to hear your stories about family trials that have been hard, but worth it.
Worth It
Album: Hundred More Years
Artist: Francesca Battistelli
Love’s not a feeling
Love’s not convenient
But I know love will change your life
Love takes sacrifice
Love cuts like a knife
Sometimes love will make you cry
Love’s not easy
But it’s worth it
Love is a hunger
But love won’t leave you empty
See it’s the language of the heart
Love can steal your pride
But love won’t let you hide
It takes everything you’ve got
Love’s not easy
But it’s worth it
(Chorus)
What you gonna do when the bottom falls out
And you’re left with nothing but your fear and your doubt to hold to
Who will hold you?
Where you gonna run when it’s all on the line
And you’re looking for someone to save your life
To save your life
Love can hear you
Love can heal you
If you let it inside
Oh, remember now
Love’s not easy
But it’s worth it
(Chorus)
What you gonna do when the bottom falls out
And you’re left with nothing but your fear and your doubt to hold to
Who’s gonna hold you?
Oh, where you gonna run when it’s all on the line
And you’re looking for someone to save your life
To save your life
Love can hear you
I know love will heal you
If you let it inside
Oh, remember now
Love’s not easy
But it’s worth it
Words & Music By: Francesca Battistelli / Sam Mizell
