Morning! I had no idea it had been so long since I had last posted. I really need to get better disciplined at blogging. I think about it every day but then the hours seem to slip away. Last night when I went to bed, I again thought about it. I determined I needed to get up early enough to do it first thing. Here I am!
I have a few different things I want to share but first off I want you to read what I came across last night during Bible reading. As I was preparing for bed, I decided to end my day with His Word. It allows me to sleep better. As I was reading, I came across this. We should never be pleased to dwell on a level of existence lower than that on which God has made it possible for us to dwell. We should strive to be the best we can be and to reach the highest levels we can reach. To do less is to be unfaithful stewards of the life entrusted to us. What is your best? What is my best? I thought this was a pretty thought provoking statement. We all have a certain level for which God has enabled us to live ... some higher than others ... some wealthier than others ... some more prestigious than others. However, our level is exactly where God desires us to be. If we are living less than His best for us, then we are not where He desires. Personally, the level I am on is my best but is it His best? Something to ponder!
As I thought about what I read, I could not help but bring into focus the state of my own life. I emphasize yet again that I am living my best, but is it His best for me? I have been doing well with my sugar-free lifestyle and changing my eating habits in an effort to become healthier. I have had slip ups periodically. I could be doing much better. I refuse to see the negative here, and I hold onto the fact that I am striving at all ... that I am pressing forward. Last night I decided to spice things up a bit. I wanted to begin putting some exercise in my plan.
Normally when I get home from work, I am tired. By the time I fix dinner, eat, and relax a bit with my son, I am pretty much done for the day. A nice shower and I am ready to call it a night. I mixed things up a bit last night by exercising. No, I did not lift weights ... ride the treadmill ... do pushups ... jog 20 miles ... or anything so drastic. I decided to put on some music and just dance. I knew it had been years since I made any effort to do any type of exercise so I wanted to start out slowly. I wanted to begin but not to overdo. I commenced to dancing. Not long into the routine it became more than obvious I was seriously out of shape. My goal was 30 minutes. Are you sitting down? I made it 12.30 minutes!!!! That is correct and you are not reading a typo. By the time I reached 12.30 minutes, I was gasping for breath. I was blown away! I could not believe what I was experiencing.
I wanted to sit down and cry. I could not phantom in this finite mind how this could be so. Where was the girl that played softball right up until only a few years ago? Where was the girl that prided herself on her ability to do so many things at my age? Where was the woman that could life many things heavier than most? I soon realized my strength had nothing to do with my physical well being. Lifting something did not mean I was in good physical health. It only meant I was stronger than normal. I had let myself down!!! My life had become so sedate over the years due to a drastic change in lifestyle that I am where I am today. A failing marriage ... a loss of job ... a complete upset in life had taken its toil. Worse yet, I had allowed it. Getting into this shape did not happen by chance. I led myself here through overeating ... depression ... neglecting myself daily and ignoring it. Taking the most desired route in life ... the easier road ... was not the best road. Now I have two choices. I can either continue on the same path and find myself in an early grave, or I can determine to change things one step at a time to better myself.
This is not easy. This is not what I would choose to have to do. I would much rather continue eating what I desire ... I would much rather not exercise at all. I can do this! I, however, do not desire to do this any longer. No matter what life throws at me in the future, I want my body and mind to be at its best. I am tired of being tired! I am tired at failing Him. It is another area of my life where I can glorify Him. It is another lesson in relying on His strength to carry me through. Without His strength ... without His encouragement ... without His enticement, I can only sit and do nothing but through His strength I can press on to be my best. My best is where I desire to be. As I stated earlier, to be anything less is to fail Him. I need to be a better steward at dwelling on the level He has designed for me. As long as we have breath, we have the ability to rise above and be better. It can mean being better in thought or in deed. Only you know your capabilities, but if we are unable to be better physically, then we can choose to be better mentally. It is our choice! Continue to pray for me through this journey as I strive to reach 65 years of age in the best health ever. Please join me!!!! Tonight I will do the same 12.30 seconds or I will improve it, but I will not do less. One day at a time ... one step at a time ... one second at a time. Pressing forward is not a race but a commitment to be better. Should I fail completely and not do anything ... please, please pray this is not the case ... but should it be, then I will pick myself back up at some point and press on. You only fail when you quit! I refuse to quit! I may pause but I will not quit!
On another note, remember the article I wrote the other day entitled "Are You THAT Buzzard?" I received some comments from others, and thank you! One person indicated to me that I should have also pointed out the reverse in this article. I stated the road kill was the Word and the buzzard was me. I shared how God showed me I needed to hold on to the Word, with my faith, more tightly when storms came. As this particular person was reading the article, they pictured the road kill as things in life or people and the buzzard was again us. They went on to say how I should have used the demonstration to show that at times we hold on too tightly to things or people when in fact God is asking us to let go. This too was a great analogy. What I need you and them to understand is that what I shared within the contents of the article was not an analogy, but it was what God personally and directly spoke into my life on that Sunday morning. As many ways as I could have altered the meaning of the road kill and the buzzard, it would not have been what God spoke to me personally. I only share when God's Spirit leads me to write an article. I am not intelligent enough on my own to think of such analogies, much less write them. It is only through His leading that I have a writing ability at all. It is His Spirit working in and through me which blesses me at times, and I in turn use it as a testament to you. Maybe ... just maybe ... God was ministering individually to this person through my article and that is why they could see things in the reverse!
Have a great day!
Love you all,
Janet Molton Nicholson
I have a few different things I want to share but first off I want you to read what I came across last night during Bible reading. As I was preparing for bed, I decided to end my day with His Word. It allows me to sleep better. As I was reading, I came across this. We should never be pleased to dwell on a level of existence lower than that on which God has made it possible for us to dwell. We should strive to be the best we can be and to reach the highest levels we can reach. To do less is to be unfaithful stewards of the life entrusted to us. What is your best? What is my best? I thought this was a pretty thought provoking statement. We all have a certain level for which God has enabled us to live ... some higher than others ... some wealthier than others ... some more prestigious than others. However, our level is exactly where God desires us to be. If we are living less than His best for us, then we are not where He desires. Personally, the level I am on is my best but is it His best? Something to ponder!
As I thought about what I read, I could not help but bring into focus the state of my own life. I emphasize yet again that I am living my best, but is it His best for me? I have been doing well with my sugar-free lifestyle and changing my eating habits in an effort to become healthier. I have had slip ups periodically. I could be doing much better. I refuse to see the negative here, and I hold onto the fact that I am striving at all ... that I am pressing forward. Last night I decided to spice things up a bit. I wanted to begin putting some exercise in my plan.
Normally when I get home from work, I am tired. By the time I fix dinner, eat, and relax a bit with my son, I am pretty much done for the day. A nice shower and I am ready to call it a night. I mixed things up a bit last night by exercising. No, I did not lift weights ... ride the treadmill ... do pushups ... jog 20 miles ... or anything so drastic. I decided to put on some music and just dance. I knew it had been years since I made any effort to do any type of exercise so I wanted to start out slowly. I wanted to begin but not to overdo. I commenced to dancing. Not long into the routine it became more than obvious I was seriously out of shape. My goal was 30 minutes. Are you sitting down? I made it 12.30 minutes!!!! That is correct and you are not reading a typo. By the time I reached 12.30 minutes, I was gasping for breath. I was blown away! I could not believe what I was experiencing.
I wanted to sit down and cry. I could not phantom in this finite mind how this could be so. Where was the girl that played softball right up until only a few years ago? Where was the girl that prided herself on her ability to do so many things at my age? Where was the woman that could life many things heavier than most? I soon realized my strength had nothing to do with my physical well being. Lifting something did not mean I was in good physical health. It only meant I was stronger than normal. I had let myself down!!! My life had become so sedate over the years due to a drastic change in lifestyle that I am where I am today. A failing marriage ... a loss of job ... a complete upset in life had taken its toil. Worse yet, I had allowed it. Getting into this shape did not happen by chance. I led myself here through overeating ... depression ... neglecting myself daily and ignoring it. Taking the most desired route in life ... the easier road ... was not the best road. Now I have two choices. I can either continue on the same path and find myself in an early grave, or I can determine to change things one step at a time to better myself.
This is not easy. This is not what I would choose to have to do. I would much rather continue eating what I desire ... I would much rather not exercise at all. I can do this! I, however, do not desire to do this any longer. No matter what life throws at me in the future, I want my body and mind to be at its best. I am tired of being tired! I am tired at failing Him. It is another area of my life where I can glorify Him. It is another lesson in relying on His strength to carry me through. Without His strength ... without His encouragement ... without His enticement, I can only sit and do nothing but through His strength I can press on to be my best. My best is where I desire to be. As I stated earlier, to be anything less is to fail Him. I need to be a better steward at dwelling on the level He has designed for me. As long as we have breath, we have the ability to rise above and be better. It can mean being better in thought or in deed. Only you know your capabilities, but if we are unable to be better physically, then we can choose to be better mentally. It is our choice! Continue to pray for me through this journey as I strive to reach 65 years of age in the best health ever. Please join me!!!! Tonight I will do the same 12.30 seconds or I will improve it, but I will not do less. One day at a time ... one step at a time ... one second at a time. Pressing forward is not a race but a commitment to be better. Should I fail completely and not do anything ... please, please pray this is not the case ... but should it be, then I will pick myself back up at some point and press on. You only fail when you quit! I refuse to quit! I may pause but I will not quit!
On another note, remember the article I wrote the other day entitled "Are You THAT Buzzard?" I received some comments from others, and thank you! One person indicated to me that I should have also pointed out the reverse in this article. I stated the road kill was the Word and the buzzard was me. I shared how God showed me I needed to hold on to the Word, with my faith, more tightly when storms came. As this particular person was reading the article, they pictured the road kill as things in life or people and the buzzard was again us. They went on to say how I should have used the demonstration to show that at times we hold on too tightly to things or people when in fact God is asking us to let go. This too was a great analogy. What I need you and them to understand is that what I shared within the contents of the article was not an analogy, but it was what God personally and directly spoke into my life on that Sunday morning. As many ways as I could have altered the meaning of the road kill and the buzzard, it would not have been what God spoke to me personally. I only share when God's Spirit leads me to write an article. I am not intelligent enough on my own to think of such analogies, much less write them. It is only through His leading that I have a writing ability at all. It is His Spirit working in and through me which blesses me at times, and I in turn use it as a testament to you. Maybe ... just maybe ... God was ministering individually to this person through my article and that is why they could see things in the reverse!
Have a great day!
Love you all,
Janet Molton Nicholson
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