Time capsule

Today is leap year.  Do you remember what happened four years ago on the previous leap day?  What was your situation four years ago?  Where were you?  Some people like me barely remember what we did last week much less four years ago.  We are human and we forget.  Thank God he knows and remembers.  Have you thank Him, especially if you were in a terrible situation or broken?  Is your faith stronger?  When we go through life challenges, our faith becomes stronger even if we don’t understand or see the “big” picture. 

Project:  Create a time capsule of God's goodness

Time:  1 hour

Location:  home

Supplies:  current photographs, notepad/paper, pen, small box or canister (large enough for photos), construction paper, scissors, tape

Create a time capsule of what is going on in your life right now.  Decorate your box/canister with the year 2016 (next leap year).  Write down your current situation (your job, your children, what you look like, etc.).  On another page, write down your prayers (people who have asked you to pray for them) and requests (where you see yourself in four years, what you need, etc.)  Place all items into your canister and tape it.  Place the box/canister at the top of your closet.  Put a note in your calendar, suggest cell phone when you will open it.  Your family is welcomed to contribute.  On February 29, 2016, open the canister and review what you wrote. 

What are you doing now?  What prayers did God answer?  What prayers did God not answer or answered in another way?  What decisions did you make that prevented God from answering or working?  Say a blessing for your life and living another four years.

Blessings from God,

Athena

Song in your Heart

If someone got a hold of your IPod, would they know you know God?  If you rolled down your windows, would a spiritual song be heard?  One activity in the manual is to keep a spiritual song in your heart and sing it all day long.  When you perform your morning stretching, sing a spiritual song.  If you do not know one, find a radio station, download a song online or purchase a CD of a spiritual artist you enjoy or it can be a song from your childhood.  Concentrate on singing or humming the song throughout your day. 

God loves praise and thanksgiving. When you sing songs to God, you are giving Him praise.  You are also mindful of His presence and His love especially if you are having a difficult or unhappy day.  Music is soothing.  When you sing a song, it uplifts your spirit. 

Psalm 104:33-34 NIV
³³ I will sing to the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
³⁴ May my meditation be pleasing to him,
as I rejoice in the LORD.

Have songful day,

Athena

All in the Wash

Do you just throw all the clothes in the wash?  Not separating or sorting?  Do you properly care for your clothes?  You should care for your clothes and learn how to wash them properly.  Yes, it takes additional time, but the care you take reflects how you feel about yourself.  If issue with time or money, you can share with a friend.  It is worth it in the long run as you are not constantly buying or repairing your clothes.  God asks us take care of ourselves and the things He provides.  Therefore, do not waste and care.  If you do not know how, you can look on the Internet for tips and instructions.  Real Simple Magazine has really good information.

We can serve Him when we are healthy and represent His character.  Just like your wash, God does not just lump us all together.  Each of us is special.  Each of us has special gifts and talents and He expects us to use those blessings He gave us.  If God treated us like you treat your wash, would you feel special?  You would wonder about His care for you.  We are each treated individually and with love and tenderness.  Doesn’t that make you want to do more and take care of what He has provided, even if you think it is not much.  (You need to pray for gratefulness and thank God for the blessings you have).   God provides more when He sees that you can handle the little you think you have.

How is morning stretching going?  This is EVERY morning, yes, even on weekends.  In addition to discipline for activity and weight management, you are working on developing a relationship with God as you stretch each morning.

Keep it up,

Athena

Do you need a squeeze from God?

Do you feel squeezed?  It seems like we all feel squeezed for time, money, chores, work, etc.  You feel squeezed with deadlines, activities, schedules, delays, and such.  When it seems like you just completed a task or issue, another one comes along.

It is at this point when we fall on our knees to feel a gentle kind of squeeze from God.  A squeeze of love from God meant especially for you.  He can give you a squeeze full of love.  It is so much that it is like having a big hug.  God gives you also a squeeze of joy.  It can be the laughter of your child, lick from a puppy or a big thanks like statements of “no cancer” or “I do” or “Welcome home.”  Another squeeze God provides is a squeeze of peace.  When everything seems like chaos, but your heart sings songs to God that is when you know God’s peace is within you.  You feel it when you are in pain, but share encouraging words to others in need.  When we give it all to Him, you can find peace.  God can give you a squeeze of patience.  The knowledge that everything is done in His time and not yours, allows you to have the patience to wait and see where He will take you.  It takes patience to bend down and retie your child’s shoe (again), but it may be at that time your child needs to feel loved and that little act was their reassurance.  Traffic may try your patience but it may be the time you need to say a prayer for a sick friend.  Kindness is another squeeze each of us could use in this world.  We must desire to be kind and good.  If we look for opportunities to show kindness and goodness to others, you receive another internal squeeze from God.  Saying please, holding someone’s hand, helping a friend in need, speaking kind words and doing something each day to make the world a little nicer are acts of kindness and goodness.  How about a squeeze of faithfulness?  When you promise to pray for a sick friend, call a family member for encouragement and faithfully study spiritual readings, you are showing acts of faithfulness.  Knowing that God is proud of you should give you a big squeeze.  God alone can fill the desires of your heart and squeeze out the chaos of the world.  Do you need a fresh squeeze?  Pray.

Have faith,

Athena

Inspired by His Lamb, I am Ministries

This weekend I attended a ladies retreat.  It was inspirational and motivational.  Being with other women helps me realize that not only do we need to support each other, but my manual is needed.  We were created to be helpers to others and not to be trying to do it all alone.  Our virtue is to be a saint in our faith and a servant for God.  It was wonderful to see “sisters helping sisters” with their storms and celebrations of their lives.  If you have never attended a spiritual retreat, you need to make it one of your goals for this year.  Although you should spend every day with God, the intent is to spend a few days focused God and in the company of other spiritual women, free from distractions of life and to renew your covenant with God.  God did not intend us to work alone, that is selfish.  He is always with us and sometimes, He sends angels in the form of another sister to help us through a storm.  A storm is any problem, ailment or sin in your life that distracts you or keeps you away from God.  (No, not children, they are your blessing and it is your role to direct them to God.)

Speaking of storms, if you are going through a storm, stop and pray.  Have faith that God is in control.  Remember, when you feel like God is doing nothing, He is really up to something but waiting for you.  You have to believe and obey.  If you are unable to sleep at night, give it to God and let Him do the night shift.  If you are stressed, write it down and offer it to God.  If you are in sin, stop and seek the advice of a spiritual leader or friend.  We all go through storms and chaos, but it is our lack of faith that causes us to worry and doubt.  It is our lack of faith that keeps us away from God or feel that we can do it better than wait for God.  Once you truly give it to God (no take backs), you allow Him to work.  Look for His actions and just follow…

Be of good cheer, He is always near.

Athena

Ladies Retreat Friday to Monday...
Keep exercising and praying,
Athena

Below are some scripture verses you may want to memorize or recite during your morning stretching.
Peace
Athena

Psalms 15:2	A person who obeys God in everything and always does what is right, whose words are true and sincere,..
Psalms 10:4	A wicked man does not care about the Lord; in his pride he thinks that God doesn't matter.
Proverbs 16:3	Ask the Lord to bless your plans, and you will be successful in carrying them out.
Proverbs 11:25	Be generous, and you will be prosperous.  Help others, and you will be helped.
Proverbs 17:22	Being cheerful keeps you healthy.  It is slow death to be gloomy all the time.
Proverbs 21:9	Better to live on the roof than share the house with a nagging wife.
Proverbs 21:19	Better to live out in the desert than with a nagging, complaining wife.
Proverbs 22:24-25	Don’t make friends with people who have hot, violent tempers, you might learn their habits and not be able to change.
Proverbs 23:17-18	Don't be envious of sinful people; let reverence for the Lord be the concern of your life.  If it is, you have a bright future.
Proverbs 24:16a	For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again.
Proverbs 4:5-9	Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them.  Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.  The beginning of wisdom is this: Get[a] wisdom though it cost all you have,[b] get understanding.  Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown.
Psalms 37:5	Give yourself to the Lord; trust in him, and he will help you;
Psalms 46:1	God is our shelter and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.
Psalms 1:2	Happy are those who reject the advice of evil men, who do not follow the example of sinners or join those who have no use for God, Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the Lord, and they study it day and night.
Proverbs 12:24	Hard work will give you power; being lazy will make you a slave.
Proverbs 24:3	Homes are built on the foundation of wisdom and understanding.
Proverbs 14:1	Homes are made by the wisdom of women, but are destroyed by foolishness.
Psalms 16:6	How wonderful are your gifts to me; how good they are!
Psalms 135:5	I know that our Lord is great, greater than all the gods.
Psalms 16:7-8	I praise the Lord, because he guides me, and in the night my conscience warns me.  I am always aware of the Lord's presence; he is near, and nothing can shake me.
Psalms 13:5-6	I rely on your constant love; I will be glad, because you will rescue me.  I will sing to you, O Lord, because you have been good to me.
Psalms 34:1-2	I will always thank the Lord; I will never stop praising him.  I will praise him for what he has done; may all who are oppressed listen and be glad!
Proverbs 23:2	If you have a big appetite, restrain yourself.
Proverbs 19:20	If you listen to advice and are willing to learn, one day you will be wise.
Proverbs 15:32	If you refuse o learn, you are hurting yourself.  If you accept correction, you will become wiser.
Proverbs 18:15	Intelligent people are always eager and ready to learn.
Proverbs 15:14	Intelligent people want to learn, but stupid people are satisfied with ignorance.
Proverbs 27:19	It is your own face that you see reflected in the water and it is your own self that you see in your heart.
Proverbs 16:24	Kind words are like honey - sweet to the taste and good for your health.
Psalms 50:14	Let the giving of thanks be your sacrifice to God, and give the Almighty all that you promised.
Psalms 145:21	My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.
Proverbs 19:23	Obey the Lord and you will have long life, content and safe from harm.
Proverbs 27:17	People learn from one another, just as iron sharpens iron.
Proverbs 21:5	Plan carefully and you will have plenty; if you act too quickly, you will never have enough.
Proverbs 16:18	Pride leads to distruction, and arrogance to downfall.
Psalms 34:3	Proclaim with me the Lord's greatness; let us praise his name together!
Psalms 139:23	Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Psalms 37:4	Seek your happiness in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desire.
Psalms 27:11	Teach me, Lord, what you want me to do, and lead me along a safe path, because I have many enemies.
Psalms 90:12	Teach us how short our life is, so that we may become wise.
Proverbs 20:12	The Lord has given us eyes to see with and ears to listen with.
Proverbs 18:10	The Lord is like a strong tower, where the righteous can go and be safe.
Psalms 145:18-20	The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.  He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.  The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.
Psalms 34:18	The Lord is near to those who are discouraged; he saves those who have lost all hope.
Psalms 103:19	The Lord placed his throne in heaven; he is king over all.
Psalms 62:8	Trust in God at all times, my people.  Tell him all your troubles, for he is our refuge.
Psalms 27:14	Trust in the Lord.  Have faith, do not despair.  Trust in the Lord.
Proverbs 12:25	Worry can rob you of happiness, but kind words will cheer you up.
Proverbs 16:9	You may make your plans, but God directs your actions.
Psalms 138:8	You will do everything you have promised; Lord, your love is eternal.  Complete the work that you have begun.
Psalms 16:11	You will show me the path that leads to life; your presence fills me with joy and brings me pleasure forever.