The change: to pray

For most of us, we pray.  We might only pray when things go wrong or when we need something and that is not the kind of prayer that I am encouraging.  Even though those things are okay to pray for,this week’s challenge is to encourage you to pray MORE.  Pray more to thank God for His blessings.  Pray more for someone other than yourself.  Pray more for the healing of our country.  Pray for God to restore a marriage, a broken friendship, a broken relationship.  Prayer for someone other than ourselves.

Why make the change:

Why should we pray for someone other than ourselves?  It is good to think of others.  Sometimes when we start taking the focus off of what “our needs” are, we are better equipped to help serve and encourage others who might be needing some love.

It is easy to sit around and dwell about all the bad things that we need fixing in our life.  I know I could sit and pray with the Lord and ask him for wisdom to guide me and to help fix this and fix that, but what I should be focusing on is thanking HIM for what he does each and every day.

My days should be continually praising HIM for the sun, or the clouds.  For the majestic earth we are part of.  The beauty in my children.  The joys of my life.  Praising HIM for saving my wretched soul, when I wasn’t deserving of HIM.

Thanking HIM in all of my bad situations and problems in my life.  Because I know that they are for my good and my learning and instruction and training.

When I pray for someone else, God can use that to show me something that I could do for that person.  Maybe he will show me how I can physically do something for them, or He can give me words to speak to that person.  When we are open to listening to God and seeking HIS counsel in prayer HE will speak to us and give us words to give to others.

How to make the change:

How do we pray more?? Have a plan.  For myself, I could easily go through my whole day and forget to pray, I know not very Christian of me.  But I am human and busy with lots of little ones.  I need to make it a point to pray.  I need to specifically set aside a time of my day when I can pray and thank God for things.

When I had lots of little ones, my only time was when I was in the shower.  I know many people might think that is unacceptable and that I should of gotten up before my babies and had alone time with the Lord.  But I know the Lord knows my heart and the shower was my prayer time.  As I went about my day, I would take times of washing the dishes and looking out the window to remind me to pray and thank God for things.  It wasn’t a formal prayer of bowing my head but I can easily speak to HIM while washing dishes.  While I was rocking my babies and nursing them to sleep, I might sing praise songs while thinking of the Lord.  I am sure those were “acceptable praise times” in God’s eyes.

Sometimes prayer doesn’t have to be go inside a closet, shut the door for 30  minutes and bow your head and close your eyes.  Sometimes it can be while taking a shower, while washing dishes, while holding a baby.  God knows where you are at and He knows your heart.  He just wants you to acknowledge Him, to take time to thank Him.

Sure those quiet 30 minute prayer times might feel more powerful.  I have been there I have felt His presence and it was AWESOME.  I thoroughly enjoy quiet moments with God.  I like to feel his presence like that.  But I KNOW he has answered my prayers while taking a shower.  I KNOW he answered my prayers while looking out a window.  I think at those times you might not feel as close to GOD but He is there answering every one of your prayers.  It might not be until those times that you can take time alone with him to pray that you can feel Him.  Just know that He still answers even if you can’t feel Him.

I encourage you to keep praying and praising Him even when life gets busy.  Take the time to be alone  with Him, I promise you it is amazing to feel his presence.  And if you can’t take the time because you are physically exhausted and have no help then my prayer is for you today.

Lord,  I thank you for opportunities and the time to write in my blog. I  pray that you continue to use this blog to encourage others.  My prayer for this post is that you will give Mothers the time to spend with you.  Give them that time where their children will sleep a little bit longer, or you will occupy the little ones so that Mom can sit and have a moment alone with you.  I know Lord how hard it was to find that time to seek you, but I thank you for praying women who helped remind me of the times that I could find alone with you.  My prayer is that women will know how important it is to stay focused on YOU and not get burdened down with the large amount of responsibilities and tasks that it takes to run a household and raise up children.  My prayer is that they will focus on YOU and that you will give them peace and wisdom as they raise their children for you.  Give them strength and unity among their families so that we an raise up a Godly army for YOU.

In your name I pray and if you believe this say AMEN!!!—which means I say this in agreement.

 

The change: to gather up your fragments

To gather up your fragments means to use what you have without having to search elsewhere for supplies.  This week, I want you to avoid shopping.  Yes, I said that correctly AVOID grocery shopping.  I hope that you have a small stash of groceries left in your pantry and a few pieces of meat or beans in your freezer.  Maybe you looked at them and thought…..ahhhhhh I will go shopping this week so that I don’t have to “think” about making dinner.  Make sure I get all my supplies so that dinners are easy.  But meanwhile there is still plenty of food in the pantry.

Why make the change:

Most of us over spend on everything, ME included.  I will go shopping just because I do the same thing once a month and it is time to do that.  I don’t always wait even though I could.  But there were times when I was unable to do shopping due to an unexpected financial emergency.  We had to do without and guess what??  We didn’t starve and no one went to bed hungry either.

I was just creative and “gathered up my fragments and used what I had.”  It was times like that, that I realized that we ate too many wasteful food.  I noticed that my children got fuller on staple foods like rice and beans.  I realized that without cookies and sugar filled snacks they were actually acting better.  I also realized that I could purchase food inexpensively by eating  healthy whole foods and feed my children a better diet when I wasn’t buying all of the extras like chips, pop, and ice cream.

Some of our favorite meals are “surprise chili.”  When I handed my children their dinner plate I said “surprise!”  and they ate it and loved it:)  It was a mixture of items that we had on hand.  But it made a great dish. Sometimes my husband will ask, “can you make this again?”  I laugh because it is usually a dish that we threw a bunch of ingredients together.

How to make the change:

Well this part will be hard.  How can I tell you how to throw a bunch of ingredients together and make something???  I recommend that you think casserole or soup type meal depending upon what you have.  For myself we make many casseroles.  I usually always have brown rice on hand.  I can throw some beans, diced tomatoes, spices and then put it over top of rice for my famous surprise chili.  It usually contains a bit of leftover salsa, alfredo sauce, and taco seasoning.

The key is to use what you have.  Be creative think what sort of things might taste good together. I discovered that chicken tenderloins cooked in 1000 island dressing tastes really good.  We served it over noodles coated with a butter and garlic powder mixture.

We also have  many eggs, but sometimes we don’t always have the breakfast meats to put into it.  My daughter used pepperoni cut up small and guess what?? It is the staple meat that we put into her eggs each week.

It is very filling to make haystacks.  We use the following foods and then layer it.  Use whatever ingredients you have or add some of your own.

• cooked brown rice
• refried beans
• black beans
• corn
• shredded lettuce
• shredded cheese
• salsa
• green onions
• sour cream or ranch

Dig into that pantry and look deep into that freezer this week, I am sure you will be able to find food to last you for the whole week and then think about how much money you saved.  Put that extra money NOT SPENT into a special envelope marked vacation or savings.  See how much you can accumulate by gathering up your fragments once a month.