Week 3 Day 5: End of the Month

It is the end of the month. You are feeling very accomplished, frustrated or like you are making progress. No matter how you have been doing on your choices, I want you to remember that you need to take your choices day by day.

You had choices yesterday, today and will have them tomorrow. Some days you making the right choice will be easy. Other days life will get in the way and make it harder to make the right choice. But just because a difficult day comes along, please do not give up. You need to hold yourself accountable, but not be critical or frustrated. Admit you made the wrong choice and then choose wisely the next time.

As I have said many times, I hope you choose God daily and choose to get rest and exercise. I hope you are starting to get your life more organized and are cleaning out the mess. But it will take time and we will do it together one step at time.

As we say goodbye to another month, choose to finish a closet and have a schedule for yourself. Please feel free to ask me for any advice on either of those.

But most importantly, choose to remember how precious you are to God and how much He loves you. No matter how messy life may be, your Father is right there with you. So choose to take a moment and enjoy His presence.

January Action Plan
Choose to clean out a closet.

Week 3 Action Plan
Choose to clean out a closet and memorize Psalm 100

Week 3 Day 5
Choose to sit in the presence of God.
Choose to shout Psalm 100 to God.
Choose enjoy a physical activity with loved ones.
Choose to pick up your room and enjoy this weekend.
Choose to smile because God is good!!

Action Plan Week 3 Day 4: Choosing To Finish

As of today, you have either not started on your closet, half way started on your closet, or maybe you are even finished. If you have not started or in the process of working on it, you have to make the choice to finish. The next three days you have choices to make to finish it or you will choose to put it off.

Your whole life you have been making choices to finish what you started or to put it off another day. I want you to finish your closet by January 31. I want you to have that feeling of accomplishment. But more importantly, I want you to choose to finish the race. I want you not to put off God another day.

Maybe you are like the turtle in the race and have slowly grown in your relationship with God. Or you might be like the hare, you got off to a fast start but stopped to rest. You came to know the Lord and you were excited. Your relationship was on fire but somewhere along the way you choose to take a break. Whether you are the turtle or the hare, it is only important that you finish the race and you finish strong.

Choose to not put off today what you can do today. Do not stop or give it up because you feel you are in the back of the race. Today choose to get back in the race. Today choose not to stop because you get tired or because the path gets filled with potholes and bumps. Lets choose to finish this race together.

January Action Plan
Choose to finish your closet
Shoes: You can store them in clear containers, some type of cubby, or a basket in the bottom of the closet. Pick something that fits your personality. If you take the time to pull them off then containers might work. If you take them off quickly then some type of open cubby works best. If you fling them off your feet then a basket might be best to keep them off the floor.
Purses/Bags: Sit them on a shelf and use dividers to help them stand up or use clear containers to store and protect them. If you have built in cubbies use them for your bags. If you have wall space or back of a closet door, you can use hooks to hang them.

Week 3 Action Plan
Choose to finish your closet and learning the verse.

Week 3 Day 4 Action Plan
Choose to thank God for choosing you for this race.
Choose to read 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 1 Corinthian 9:24-27
Choose to actually go for a jog or walk and think about the race God has called you to.
Choose to have a race and see who can pick up the house or kids room the fastest. (Have a prize like an extra piece of dessert.)
Choose to get a full nights sleep so you are ready for the race.

Week 3 Day 3: Choosing to Find Some Order

As you clean out your closet, you are probably finding a lot of things you do not need. Closets easily become cluttered because we keep throwing more and more stuff in them. Sometimes we throw so much stuff in them that there is no room for the items the closet is supposed to store.

Does your life feel like your closet? You keep cramming more and more into the week that you are about to pop. You have stuffed so much busyness in to your week that there is no room for the important things in life.

Whether it is our closet or our life, we have to make sure we are choosing to arrange important items and choosing to clean out the not so important things that take up too much space. As you clean out your closet, I want you to really think about what you are trying to cram into your life. What in your life is like that shirt from 3 years ago that is just taking up space? Would you notice if it was not part of your life anymore? Would it be a relief to have that time back?

As you continue to work on your schedule from last week, make sure you are cleaning out your schedule like you clean out your closet.

January Action Plan:
Choose to clean out a closet
Find containers to store items on top shelf.
Try not to use your shelf under your clothes for items.
Try to designate a place for shoes (options coming tomorrow)
Organize by sections (dress and casual, colors or by sleeve length)

Week 3 Action Plan:
Choose to clean out your closet and memorize Psalm 100.

Week 3 Day 3 Action Plan:
Choose to thank God for providing you with life and ask for wisdom in your choices for your life.
Choose to read Matthew 6:25-34
Choose to jog or jump rope during every commercial break during a TV show.
Choose to wipe down the bathrooms. (Lysol wipes are fine.)
Choose to go to bed on time.

Week 3 Day 2: Choose to Clean Out

If you have not cleaned out your closet already, this is the last week in January. So let's choose to get it done.

Yesterday we talked about smaller portions. Your probably think you need a bigger closet or more storage space. Instead if griping about our closet size, let downsize by getting rid of all the junk we do not use.

1. Get a trash bag, recycle bag, and a donation bag.
2. If you have not wore it this past year then goodbye.
3. If you are hoping it comes back in style and it might, still say goodbye
4. If there is a hole or repair that you have planned on fixing this past year then goodbye.
5. If you are storing pictures or papers, get containers that sit nicely on your top shelf.
6. If you have an abundance of paint/can get messy t-shirts, narrow it down to under five shirts unless you are a professional painter.
7. If it is no where near your size anymore, then goodbye.
8. If it is cassette tapes that have no cassette player then why do you have them?
9. If it is a bag/purse that is older then your children, goodbye.

I think you get the idea. So work on getting rid of the old stuff and tomorrow we will work on arranging the things we keep.

January Action Plan:

Choose to clean out the closet.

Week 3 Action Plan:

Choose to stop putting off cleaning out a closet and memorize Psalm 100.

Week 3 Day 2 Action Plan:

Choose to praise God for another day of life.

Choose to read Proverbs 4.

www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=prov%204&version=NIV

Choose to exercise by doing some type of ab and arm exercises during a TV show.

Choose to do a Family 15 and pick up the clutter.

Week 3 Day 1 Action Plan: Choosing Smaller Portions

We are a super size nation. We super size our food, our homes, our cars, our stuff and our stress.

The other day as we were getting ready for dinner, my son makes a comment. He says he wished we had more money so we had more food at dinner. I had to laugh. He was shocked when I told him he was eating proportional sizes. But I realized his generation has been raised as a super sized generation.

A super size generation is not happy with meeting its needs, it thrives on getting what it wants whether it needs it or not. Choosing not to be satisfied and wanting more is only going to lead to unhappiness. We do not need super sized meals, super sized homes (that you do not want to clean), or super sized stuff (by price or size). We only need a super sized God (which I am so glad we have).

It is time to choose smaller portions that lead to much greater joy. Let's look at a few examples.

1. You choose to eat the large, super size portions. It may taste yummy for the moment, but afterwards you feel like crud. And eventually after too many super sized meals, you do not like what you see in the mirror.
If you choose smaller portions, you can save money because you split a meal or eat off the dollar menu which is a more appropriate portion size. You do not feel yucky afterwards and eventually your stomach is satisfied by the smaller amount. Choosing smaller portions equals a smaller waistline and more money.

2. You choose to up size your home with or without the fiances. It leads to more debt, more to clean, and if you are not careful, less time as a family. And all of those lead to more stress.
Do not choose a bigger home if you do not have the finances. It is not an option. Do not get caught up in the bigger home because it is the American dream. For generations, many families have survived and enjoyed their average size home. Choose to have a home you can easily make a place of refuge and a place to train your child in the ways of the Lord (it will be different for each person).

3. You keep choosing more stuff for your home and for yourself. More stuff only leads to more to clean, more to wash, more debt, less satisfaction. Be careful to define what is a need and what is a want.

4. Choose to have a super sized God. Choose to have a super sized relationship with Him. It will make you want a whole lot less and help you discern between needs and wants.

It is time we start choosing the right portions not just for ourselves but for the next generation. We can choose to stop obesity, selfishness, and dissatisfaction with life. It is our choice and our responsibility to teach the next generation.

January Action Plan
Choose to clean out a closet.

Week 3 Action Plan
Choose to stop putting off cleaning out your closet and clean it out. Choose to continue to memorize Psalm 100.

Week 3 Day 1 Action Plan
Choose to write a list of all God has given you and what he has done for you.
Choose to read Psalm 25. Isn't He a great God?
Choose to jog, dance or walk off those super size proportions you ate.
Choose to clean up the kitchen from this weekend.

Week 2 Day 4: Choosing Your Schedule

There was little boy who could never finish his sandwich at lunch. His mom packed him his favorite PB&J but he could not finish that big whole sandwich. The mom finally decided to try something new. She cut it in four small squares. And amazingly cutting it into four small squares was the solution. He would finish the sandwich. His focus could not last on the whole sandwich but when it was cut into smaller pieces he had no problem.

Some of you may be that little boy. You let your laundry pile up. Your house gets a mess. And trying to focus long enough to clean up the whole mess is just not going to happen. You are going to give up before you finish. You need to take your laundry, house cleaning in smaller portions. Maybe even your workouts need to be in smaller sections.

When choosing your schedule, you want to make sure it works with your personality. I like to do it all at once. I have friends who say they feel ADD when it comes to housework. They need to break it up. Either is ok. It is just important you choose to do it.

What needs to be in your schedule:
1.Prayer
2 Scripture Reading
3. Exercise
4. Household chores & laundry
5. Family time (dinner, devotional & prayer)
6. Outside home activities

Small Section Schedule: Choose to do your schedule in 15 minute sections and no more than 30 minute sections.
1. Prayer - first thing talk to God
2. Scripture Reading - Maybe over lunch, before you go to bed, in the car while child is at practice
3. Exercise - You can break it up. Walk during child's practice, ab exercises during TV show, play with kids outside for 15 minutes, use cans as weights while you cook dinner
4. Household chores - A room a day (wipe baths on Mondays, living room Tuesday, bedroom Wednesday, etc.) I suggest cleaning kitchen as you cook and immediately after supper. It makes the kitchen easy.
5. Laundry - A load a day. (throw load in when you get home, in dryer before bed. Put up the next day)
6. Family time- Schedule family dinners. No compromises. You can have devo at dinner or pick one night for devo and another for prayer. You can also have Cd's in car as you drive around.
7. Don't forget to put down other activities.

More at once Schedule: You can probably do your schedule by the hour with half hour as needed.
1. Prayer- First thing
2. Scripture reading -With prayer time or at another time (see above)
3. Exercise - Choose 20-30 minute of cardio and add 10-20 minutes of conditioning three times a week. You can always count playing outside with kids. Use time you wait on kids to get in a workout or during a TV show.
4. Household chores - Do it one swipe. Set aside a couple of hours for you and fellow housemates to clean the house.
5. Laundry- You can do it the same time you clean house or set aside another day to focus on laundry. If you do it at once make sure you have a timer to make sure you switch out loads. And start with smaller loads and save bigger loads that take longer to dry for last. It will make it go faster.
6. Family time- Make sure you have family dinner time. You can have your devotional time and prayer time with you dinner time. Enjoy your time.
7. Other activities- Don't forget your other activities.

Choose to use your time wisely. You can fold laundry or exercise during a TV show. You can exercise or read scripture while your child is at practice or waiting. You can read scripture while waiting for a doctor's appointment.
You have time in your day. Choose to use it wisely.
Choose to set a schedule that fits your personality.
Choose your priorities wisely and make sure your schedule reflects them. Fix your schedule if it does not.

Please feel free to comment with any questions or email me and I will help you with your schedule. I am here to assist you so you can have less mess and stress.

January Action Plan:
Choose to clean out a closet.

Week 2 Action Plan:
Choose to make a schedule and memorize Psalm 100.

Week 2 Day4 Action Plan:
Choose to praise God for a new day.
Choose to read Proverbs 2 (Choosing wisdom)
Choose to do some ab exercises during TV show and lift cans as you cook dinner.
Choose to play Wii, outside, a board game with your family or friends.
Choose to pick up your room.

Week 2 Day 2&3

Dear friends, I am so sorry I have not been able to write this week. Due to a child with a fractured arm, a sick child, and allergies that messed up my eyes, I have had to sacrifice writing. I promise to be back. But here is your action plan.

January Action Plan:
Choose to clean out a closet.

Week 2 Action Plan:
Choose to make a weekly or biweekly schedule.
Choose to memorize Psalm 100.

Week 2 Day 2&3 Action Plan:
Choose to lift your burdens to God.
Choose to read Psalm 100 and shout it to God.
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=ps%20100&version=NIV
Choose to exercise. (suggestions: alternate jogging, jump rope, and jumping jacks for 15 minutes)
Choose to do a quick wipe down of the bathroom cabinet and toilet. Lysol wipes were great.