This week's theme is DOING DIFFERENT in order to BE DIFFERENT.
NOTE: This week WILL BE just like football camp--we're going to push ourselves with "TWO-A-Days" (meaning 2 things to do each day), but I'll be easy on you. Your daily assignment will be non-negotiable. Your second assignment will be YOUR CHOICE of any assignment from a previous day--ideally a physical challenge, but you can choose from the emotional or spiritual challenges as well. Of course, Boot Camp requires that you kneel once a day IN ADDITION to any other assignment. (Remember, we are working under the premise that changing (or developing) a habit takes a minimum of 60 Days!
Day One: NO more Blaming. Who do you blame for what? In your past or present.
Day Two: NO Excuses. What is your most often used excuse? (Ex: Too busy, too tired, etc.)
Day Three: NO Comparing. What or who is your greatest temptation to compare with...? Why?
Day Four: NO Defensiveness. What or Who gets/makes you defensive? Why?
Day Five: NO Complaining. What is your most common, verbal complaint? How can you use it less often?
Day Six: NO Condemning. What is one word you MUST eliminate from your vocabulary?
Day Seven: NO Worrying. What is your greatest worry? Every time it pops into your head, tell it to go away and pray!
On your mark, get set, GO! (More to come in the "live" call.)
Be encouraged,
Becky
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What intense questions! I'm IN.
ReplyDeleteBecky, thank you for being honest and REAl, as you share this journey with all of us.
ReplyDeleteYou're a blessing.
What a great call today! I apologize for getting in a little late.-- Just as I picked up my cordless phone to call, it rang, and I had to quickly answer and handle that call before reaching all of you.
ReplyDeleteYou've given us much to ponder this week, Becky, and I am grateful for your openness in sharing your own challenges and successes. Thank you.
Thank you, too, Robbie, for that wonderful closing prayer. This week will be a powerful one; I can feel it already!
God bless!
I had to walk around my house I was so affected by todays call. Becky, Bless you, Bless you, Bless you!!!!!!!!!!!!! for being transparent with us. This group is exactly where God wants me to be. I so want to be all he wants me to be and feel that I fall short by the minute. These questions as hard as they are, get the core of what keeps us stuck, not tapping into our God given potential. God wants us to be secure in Him.
ReplyDeleteYesterday, I was taken back by a new manicurist that I went to. Just by her appearance I thought ykks this isn't going to be a match for me and then God whispered in my ear, this isn't about you, it is about me and reaching the lost who need my unconditional love. I don't know if I will go back but found myself being compassionate towards her during our time together.
Today's call stirred so many emotions in me. Becky, you are so right, I need God's thoughts and counsel. What TRUTH is that!!!!!!!
I'll post at the end of the day my "blaming" God needs to pull it to the forefront. Let's Roll............
Robbie, yes, thanks for the wonderful prayer!
ReplyDeleteMy journal is rich and full with all this material......and things learned.
Day one: blaming. I used to think that I was unorganized because I was never taught properly. My poor Mother got a lot of my blaming. I now know that it is up to me to make the changes necessary. Read books on organizing, take baby steps, believe that I can be organized with a little help.
ReplyDeleteNo blaming, opens the doors to take responsibility for my own actions.
No worrying! The worry about details often leads me to use each of the actions noted: blaming, complaining, etcetera.
ReplyDeleteThank you for making me to look at each of these "no's". Putting this out in the open I will accept responsibility to "not" do these.
WOW! I just listened to the call as I couldn't make it yesterday and am blown away! How do you know just what we need Becky? Well, I know the answer to that but it is still amazing to me. I have been praying for a long time for help with dealing with myself, my past, and things I don't like about myself and God has been answering me in so many different ways. It always brings me to tears and reaffirms to me over and over again just how much he loves me and listens to my prayers. I so want to be what God intended me to be and I have never even been close to that. With his help, now coming through Becky and this blog, I feel more capable of accomplishing that. This week's assignment will be difficult but I know it will open my eyes to things I need to see.
ReplyDeleteI have BLAMED my mother for my childhood and allowed what happened then to have power over my life. While I have forgiven her I continue to be under the influence of my past. My most often used EXCUSE is "I'm too old". Too old for just about everything. I'm 62 and feel like I've wasted so much of my life but I have a choice to either waste the rest of it or grab ahold of what God has blessed me with and hang on for the ride. I want to hang on for the ride but just haven't figured out how to get out from under the past. WORRY. That's my middle name! So much to deal with. Sure is good I have God and him speaking through all of you to help me.
God Bless Becky and all of you!
A little catch-up here. I am still feeling empowered by remembering the dream in my heart that won’t go away--using my creative skills and interests in a big way! At first I thought it was to make money—but I really see it now as being creative in an “intentional and focused way” that God can really use.
ReplyDeleteAnd that probably leads right into this week with me being aware of all the reasons I keep that dream on the back burner. Was this your plan, Becky? #1 is I blame my mom for being so critical and judgmental of me. I work daily to be an adult and not a little girl when criticized, devalued, or mistreated. I want to default to wanting approval rather than stand up for myself.
I’m committed to walking and doing my stretching exercises every day this week! Plus 1 small organizational activity every day.
I just posted on last week's lesson on how I keep getting mail on fulfilling your dreams...
ReplyDeleteSo, God is trying to get my attention.
RE:Blame--I dont really blame my parents for anything. But, my older sister has stopped speaking to the entire family. In fact, we dont know where she moved to. This hurts us all greatly, especially my elderly Mom who cant see her grandkids.
But I was blaming those nieces and nephews and my brother-in-law for not dealing with her and defending us. (We've spoken to pastors, there's nothing we did to her or can do).
Thing is, I cant blame them. This is her choice. All I can do is pray God will send her back to the family.
My most often used excuse...."I have to work."
ReplyDeleteSometimes I really do or should, sometimes I need to let it go.
Football camp! that was great to compare that in my world we spent 3 weeks pushing and running and swetting out in the hot CO sun. Just wanted to write to keep connected. I will answer these questions more serouley today. It's Sat W6-D4.
ReplyDeleteWOW! is just is all I can say right now.
thanks
Do yall still get reminder emails about the calls? Mine stopped about 3 calls ago.
ReplyDeletePray for a speedy recovery for my computer.
ReplyDeleteIt's going back to the shop today and I really need it for my jobs.
Thanks all.
Kimberly, Call Reggie she will figure out why you are not getting emails with call info. Perhaps your junk mail is picking them up.
ReplyDeleteI was away for a few days, forgot my bible so I had to use the Gideon bible in my hotel room and remember where I was in the reading. I often wonder what the maid thinks of my pillows and blankets in the tub. The more I commit to God the more important I view prayer. I gave a blessing at a wedding this weekend. I thought how faithful God is seeing this young women. Many years I prayed for her that she would come to the Lord and her life would be God honoring. I was overwhelmed when I looked at the different people at the wedding that I had prayed for over the years. Healed marriages, relationships, jobs, healing of cancer, joy and contentment. Then I was with my husbands family and they recently started going to church. Even before the evening got way I noticed a change in them and then could attribute it to answered prayer. So what does this have to do with todays question nothing and everything. Prayer is the power behind change.
Excuses-was hoping that many people would have posted to give me ideas of the excuses I use too. I think that I use the excuse of my husband most often. I am better than I used to be and really haven't caught myself recently using him as an excuse why I don't do something but that is all I could think of.
Comparing: I mostly compare myself to people who accomplish much in a day, who are organized and efficient. i study them to find out how they figure things out.
Biggest complaint: that I didn't act on some impulse or thought and later see that it would have been a good thing. So an example would beb "I should have asked my husband to turn the car around so I could have got my bible" I didn't and it would have only taken 5 minutes. At the very least I could have asked if he would do that for me. How I can complain less often is wrapped in the next question.
Eliminate: could have, would have, and wish I had of.
Well, I am on a roll, I guess so much time on the road gives one time to think and contemplate. My biggest worry is: my son being able to figure out life independently. I know the answer is prayer. So pray I will and let God do the rest.
Robbie, I love reading your posts! You've been so faithful to your commitments this quarter, and it is a blessing to read what you have written.
ReplyDeleteLaura, I am praying for your computer troubles to end. I know how much we have grown to depend on these tools to help us--not only for our jobs, but for so many other parts of our lives.
I believe in my last post I said that I would be back with some "musings from the garden." It's 10 p.m. here, and tomorrow is the first day of school for teachers, so I won't write much tonight, but I'll just say that getting down on my knees in the dirt and then using all of my muscles to prune away the overgrowth in my many bushes was an incredibly powerful experience this week, and it lit a fire that has stayed burning the entire week. I have accomplished more than I could have imagined, and I feel certain it was the Holy Spirit that kept me going and going.
Here is a short version of what I'd like to say in more detail when I'm not violating my own bedtime curfew: As I wrestled with weeds and ripped them out, I thought of the bad habits that sometimes take root in us. It is not easy to get rid of them. If we aren't diligent, in 21 days they will have crept back in and begun overtaking the beauty in the garden. We have to dig down deep and really pull them out from their very source--not just clip off the ends. Similarly, as I began tackling the bushes, including that pitiful looking bush where Little Mama raised her babies, I felt compelled to keep on until I had cut back the dead wood so that new life could spring forth. [By the way, I gently moved the little nest to the next bush, where Mama had sat watching me as I took pictures of the little ones. If she should want to use it again next year, I'm pretty sure it will be safe there.]
[More . . .]
Anyway, after finishing that bush, I moved on to some others, ending with the one I most dreaded touching--a beautiful camellia bush that my mother had rooted from a cutting and planted there many years ago. [Just a note: Several years ago, I moved back into the house I was raised in to care for my mother when she was sick with terminal cancer.] Last winter the first bud opened the day after Christmas, and for the next couple of months, despite our three blizzards, it continued to bloom profusely. The blooms were not the prettiest, though, for they had frost-bitten edges, and the leaves were not pretty either, for many of them were brown; nevertheless, this spring, it grew and grew, and all of the brown leaves were replaced with shiny dark green ones. The bush was absolutely HUGE, so I got out the ladder and began cutting three bags' worth of branches and leaves from it. As the lovely outer third of the bush was cut away, I could see clearly all the bare patches inside. Branches had criss-crossed back and forth to reach an outer edge so the bush could thrive, but the inside was barren and ugly. I couldn't help thinking that sometimes we work so hard to look good for the world--to wear the right clothes, have the right accessories, put on the right outward attitude, and the world marvels at our beauty; yet sometimes we spend so much (both monetarily and emotionally) on the outward appearances that we neglect what lies at the core of our being. It is only when we shed some of the superficial layers that the light can really reach the inside, and when it does, new life will spring forth. . . .
ReplyDeleteThose thoughts, combined with the success of my physical labor outside, bolstered my resolve to really make some changes inside, too. (I mean both inside my house and inside me.) Although I wanted to take advantage of our tax-free week and go shopping, instead I asked myself "What's my Most Important Now?" and the answer was to pull up some of the "weeds" in my house and do some serious pruning of my possessions. One drawer led to all of the drawers in my bedroom. One closet led to another. One file drawer became a whole file cabinet. I took seven boxes of books, clothes, and other things I don't need to Salvation Army. I shredded papers I don't need, tossed old files from school, and really began to let the "light" shine in. I never did make it to the mall during tax-free week, but after taking a good inventory of the things I have and don't need, I'm glad I saved the time and money.
It is sad to see summer ending, but this school year will be different. Becky says we have to "do different to be different." With God's help, I think we can all take our discoveries from Boot Camp and use them to make positive changes in our lives.
Sorry that my "shortened version" ended up so long! I'll post comments more relevant to the real assignment tomorrow.
Lights out, everyone! God bless! Have a great week.
Wanda
Wanda, You are the Best! I am printing out your posts to re-read over and over again. What truths you have shared with us in such a tangible way. Tonight I was thinking about fasting and what would God have me fast from so to have greater dependance on him. To grow deeper and gain God insights. I don't know the answer, I am praying that God show me. I did think of things to look beautiful. makeup, clothes, nails, haircuts. What if I took a fast from spending. Kept it to only what was necessary? Gardened with the clean out in mind not planting new plants. Or cleaning out every inch of the house.
ReplyDeleteWanda, such good thoughts. Do different to be different. Woo hoo!
I am way behind in everything! So I am answering everything at one time...that is if my teens let me have this time. lol
ReplyDelete1. When I look at myself I tend to blame alot. My mother, husband, children, heat, dogs, other drivers, my brothers when I was younger. I am working on stopping it!
2. My biggest excuse is how I feel. I have chronic sinus infections and I use it for everything. I need to go to a different dr and get this under control.
3. I compare to other women and always come up short. Even when I read your comments I think that yall seem alot more spritual and together than me. Another thing I need to stop.
4. My husband and oldest son make me the most definsive. They are very type A and I am like Lucy from I Love Lucy. They find some of the things I do so impossible and I feel like I have to justify everything to them.
5. Right now my biggest complaint is 'Its sooooo hot' Other wise I guess its more trying to get my teens to do things around the house.
6. I need to reuse the word 'whatever'. My family uses it all the time in not a very nice way and sometimes in a very funny way. I want to change it to 'Whatever is true, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable....
7. I worry most about my family. My husband's health, how is his heart? Will my child be safe? Will my son have a serious car accident? Will my children make friend at the new schools? This could go on and on and on and on. Thepractice of breathing in the Holy Spirit and breathing out the fear is helping.
The posting has been great! Wanda, I love your musings on the garden because I have a big garden as well. I can totally relate. It requires a lot of attention, and even when I get behind a week (like this past week) I have a huge amout of work I need to catch up on. Pruning and deadheading etc. It is like our daily work with God. I see the weeds coming back and taking over even though it has only been 9 days. And the light that comes in when you prune brings amazing new healthy growth.
ReplyDeleteI just listened to the call this morning. I have been pondering the questions - I pretty much have covered these questions in counseling for myself and with my husband over the last few years. I have eliminated complaining thanks be to God. Condemning I need to work on...with teenagers in the house I do say, "I am disappointed..."
Worry has pretty much disappeared. I get on my knees, or I walk the dog and talk to God about anything that is bothering me and I release it to HIM. This is something I pretty much have to do every single day of my life. Blaming - I blame my husband for a lot since I am trying to raise our children in a Bible believing church family and he lets every movie and video game and what have you go on with our children...so that is a sore spot for me. Since our oldest child is going off to college next week I will really have some camel knees in my future. I am in a constant spiritual battle for the souls of my family.
I have no excuses. I am the one to blame. God's grace covers me in this. I didn't give my life to Jesus until I was 40 years old, so I made a lot of mistakes. I have received a lot of prayer for healing and deliverance and I am at peace in this area.
Comparing? I don't compare any more. God has really helped me with this one. Whenever I feel like I need to compare, I start thanking God for anything and everything I can think of to thank Him for, and the urge to compare just disappears.
Defensiveness. Now that one is tough for me. I get really defensive when my husband makes fun of Christians or what we believe or anything that has to do with our faith. I have begun to not engage him in conversation but it is so hard. Many times, I leave the room. I just wish he would see that it is not about the Christians in the news who do stupid things...I am right there with you Becky about leaders in the church having affairs. He just smears it in my face and it make me want to cry. I have been hurt so many times by his comments but I do believe I am learning how to let it roll off my back and know how much Jesus was persecuted. He just will never understand because he has no spiritual eyes to see. When I was searching for answers, before I became a Christian, I don't remember anything offensive about anything in the news in regard to "Christians". Of course, I remember Jim and Tammy, but all that was forgotten when I was really thirsty for Living Water. I think I was so hungry for the truth that it was all drowned out by God's light and grace. So, I need to work harder on this one. I am getting pretty good at not commenting at all. He doesn't listen to my side of the argument anyway. Can you tell this has the hair up on my neck?
Wanda, I want to thank you again for the tip about the audio book "Too Much" I have been listening to it at the gym and it has been GREAT. So helpful. I am working, working on clearing out our house.
And I went shopping the other day with my daughter and did not buy one thing for myself. That is a HUGE breakthrough!
I did pretty well this week. Day 4 - NO Complaining was my biggest challenge. I didn't realize how much I complain about all sorts of little things. I stopped myself every time before I complained about someone or something. It wasn't as easy as it sounds but very beneficial. I will try hard to continue with this practice.
ReplyDeleteDay 7 - NO worrying was very helpful for me. I allways discuss it with God when when I have big worries but its the little everyday anoyances that build up and stress me out. On day 7 I was aware of NO worrying so when little thing started to bother me I just talked to God about it and put it out of my mind. You know, breathe in the Holy Spirit and out the anoyances.
Thank you Wanda for your wonderful postings. I also have gardens (flowers, herbs + vegy) and by this time of the year the weeds are out of control because I just can't seem to keep up with them. However, since reading you posts I see weeding in a whole new way. You have given me a way to enhance my spiritual life while weeding my gardens which actually makes it somewhat enjoyable. Thanks Wanda. Keep posting.
Well, I've finally made it back here to read on the week I missed. Wow, you had so much to say....all of you.
ReplyDeleteHugbear, there is hope for your situation. AGain, it's taken 26 years for me to see changes, but they are there. I think the difference is, you being real and living out your Christianity--that's the role model he has to look at. And I know you are....
Well, I left off with excuses. Dont want to get too long winded on the rest.
Comparing: I compare myself to women who have been successful in career, or even just homemaking. I never feel like I have made it to where I ought to be.
Defensiveness comes when people tell me I will never change. Not a good thing to tell people.
Complaining: I should stop complaining to others about personal matters.
My greatest worry: Health of myself and loved ones, and finances.
Condemning: See Defensiveness....stop telling other people "You ALWAYS (fill in the blank.)
Leave them room to change, just like I want to be allowed that room.
If this rambles, well it is 1:00am and I tend to ramble anyway! Besides it fun to just talk at the camp fire!
ReplyDeleteWell Laura is so kind to help me with the accountability.
I need to work on my health/weight and getting my house organized. I always need to work on serving the Lord. It is just a constant.
Also, please pray for my 13 year old daughter. She is having some severe ear pain. She has always had ear infections. They did tubes and removed adnoids 3 years ago and more tubes and removed tonsils 2 years ago at Thanksgiving. The holes in her ears have never healed. The infections have not been as much of an issue. Im not sure if ear pain is from infection or sinus/allegies. We just moved back to Texas could be stronger allergens. Her last Dr. said she would need to have cartlidge removed from the back of her ear and new eardrums reconstructed. Has anyone dealt with the recontruction part? I have prayed so often for healing of her ears or i would gladly take the problem if her ears could be healed. Thank yall for your prayers.
Im going to try to get some sleep. Love to yall!!!
ok somehow I went to wrong day after rereading our daily assignments. Going to try to cut and paste
ReplyDelete