Discipline and Commitment

Today is a new season for me.  Yes it is Christmas and the new year is only 11 days away, but sometimes the commitment for something needs to made immediately.  It cannot wait; there is a sense of urgency that demands attention.  The urgency that rises up from your gut and says the time is now, it cannot wait any longer.  That is where I am today.  A new week, a new day, and new season.  This new season has been on the horizon for sometime now.  Everything I pick up to read is quietly speaking of discipline and commitment.  Not just in one area, but the kind of discipline that begins to define a persons life, the kind of discipline that sets the apart the extraordinary from the average.  This kind of discipline is not glamorous or heroic, but is born out of hard work done everyday.

In May of this year Kendall and I began a home based business with Beachbody, makers of P90x, Insanity, and Shakeology.  We got busy working out, making better eating choices and the results were amazing.  I must confess I have not made that same commitment with our business.  We dream of being in a place of financial freedom, but I have not made the time nor been nearly as committed as I want to be.  Even my working out/eating habits have slipped as of late.  That is not to mention the discipline I want to see spiritually. 

Today, I am drawing a line in the sand and I am stepping over it.  I am leaving the past in the past.  I have learned some amazingly valuable lessons, but today is a new day.  Today is a new season.  My someday is today.  I am making some commitments.  I am committing to a new 90 days of healthy eating and exercise (a P90x/Insanity Hybrid)  I am committing to reading through my bible in 90 days.  I am committing to following the game plan for success that our company says will build the foundation for a 6 figure business over the next 90 days.  I am committed!  You see this is discipline.  Planning out what we are going to do and then allowing our fleshly, instantaneous attitudes to rule our moments is not a disciplined life.  NO!  Disciplined people make a plan of action and keep at  it until they see results.  THEN, they do it more!  Even if the face of rejection, disappointment, and no immediate results.  The results will come.  It is the age old idea of sowing and reaping. 

I am excited!  I can't wait to see the change, not just outwardly, but inwardly.  Hard?  To be sure!  But NOTHING worth going after is EVER easy!  It was once said that the journey of 1000 miles began with one small step.  Here is my one small step...

Thankful!!

Enter Into His Gates with Thanksgiving

And into His Courts with Praise.

Be Thankful to HIM, and Bless HIS name.

Psalm 100: 4

Thankfulness and Blessings is what is the on the minds and hearts of most people as we celebrate Thanksgiving.  Like everyone else, I wanted to make my list.  Here it is.  Although it is not exhaustive it is what my heart is most passionate about on a daily basis, it is the LIFE my Abba Daddy has called me to walk.  I am blessed beyond imagine, beyond the scope of mere words.  For words cannot adequately express the depth of feelings for these precious gifts in my life.

My Abba Father, giving me life and breath, giving me passion, ability, giving me mercy and grace. 

My Kendall, the man of my hearts desire, the one I dream with, the one I work with, the one who loves me unconditionally.

My sweet children, the blessings of my womb.  Caitlyn with her quiet, gentle, sweet spirit.  Nathan with his tender, hearing, loving heart.  Joshua with his joyful, laughing, passionate spirit. 

Our extended families, our parents, our sisters and brothers, our nieces and nephews.  The ones that care for us and love us the most.

Our Messiah's House Family.  The family God chose for us to worship with, to grow with, to learn with. 

The blessing of Homeschooling our Children.  The honor of training them in the way they will go, of investing each day into them.

Our Beach Body Business.  The vehicle the Father has used to teach us about ourselves and ministry, given us the ability to dream, and helped us physically, as well as financially.  

I have a challenge to issue for you, for me.  For your family, for my family...

take time to make two different lists this year and a daily commitment:

1) an exhaustive list of all that you have been blessed with THIS year

2) a list of what you want to be thankful for this time next year.

 Write down next year's Thanksgiving list today,

Now, commit to taking sometime everyday to reflect and journal about what you are thankful for.  Don't wait till this time next year to remind yourself of your blessings.  Do it everyday. 

Take the challenge, our family is.  We have already dreamed and listed what this time next year we will be thankful for. Now go out and make it happen for your family, for you!

With Many Thanksgiving Blessings,

Heather  



How to Journey the Path of Remembrance

There are many ways to Remember...

Isaiah 11:1 "A Shoot will spring forth from the stump of Jesse, a branch out of his roots." 

The Jesse Tree is a vehicle to connect the Old and the New Testament, 4000 years of history.  The prophecy of Christ to the fulfillment of Christ, the story of the Faithfulness of a Loving, Holy God.  The branch is a biblical symbol of newness out of discouragement, it holds great Messianic promise.  Throughout the history of the Israelites there is always a longing for the Messiah, a king that would rescue them from oppression.  They yearned for freedom and deliverance from the tyranny of the world.  From their extreme rebellion, to the years of walking in the commandments of God, the promise stood true.  For God is in the business of Covenant Keeping. 

So how do we go about Remembering? 

Daily readings from Scripture take us down the path of recalling the faithfulness of God. 

Symbols, that turn into ornaments, for small or large tress, or maybe even a branch collected in your own back yard.  Use your imagination, ask your children their input.  It doesn't have to be hard, simple is sometimes the very best.  The visual connection between the symbol and the story is very powerful. 

Now, pick a time of the day that you and your family can commit to doing this from the Sunday after thanksgiving until Christmas.  It may be the morning at breakfast or before bedtime at night.  Make the commitment, it is worth the memories!  It is worth the remembrance!  It is worth the anticipation!

There are some amazing places to visit to find more detailed information from people more knowledgeable than this homeschooling mom. 
 Jesse Tree Readings
a complete overview, as well as the daily readings, theme, and symbol to be used in a chart form
Parent Devotionals
a great daily devotional for you, as the parent, to understand and be equipped to share with your precious children the blessing of this story
Devotions from Faith Magazine for the Jesse Tree
Another set of dynamic devotions for the family
Ornaments you can print
Faith magazine has a set of ornaments that you can print for your own creative use, for free!  Although you can buy ornaments, we are choosing to make our own.  Remembrance is more powerful when our own hands are used to create!!
A Holy Experience
Ann has written an ebook for Jesse Tree Devotionals for the Family, it will be available for download this Sunday.  She is an amazing writer, the book will be fabulous.  You can also find Jesse-Tree Devotional books on-line and at your local Bible bookstores.  Do what works for your family, what is easy for you, what will insure your commitment!

I plan to blog each morning with my own written devotions that you are free to use!
Won't you join me?  Come, let's take a journey together!

A visual reminder to us and our children of the faithfulness of God.

A way to illuminate your Holiday Season by Rememberence.

A timely tradition that will keep us longing for the Bridegroom.

The Jesse Tree

In years past our family has read an "advent type" devotional beginning the Sunday after Thanksgiving.  Being partial to all things Jewish, we stumbled across a set of books by Arnold Ytreeide.  Mr Ytreeide yarns a wonderful story of 3 Jewish children (3 separate books) that are living in Israel longing for the coming Messiah.  The books climax with the birth of Jesus.  Although they are a work of fiction, the historical and cultural details, as well Scriptural accuracy has brought our family to a new understanding of our Savior and the olive branch we have been grafted into. 

This time every year the children begin talking about pulling the books out of the school closet, dusting them off, and preparing to read them again.  Memories made that cannot be stolen or broken.  Although each of them can tell you every detail of each story, it is a tradition now, a part of our season that keeps us ground in who we are, what we are longing for and the gift of redemption we have been given. 

This year, I have decided to add a little something.  So with much anticipation I pray that this "new-to-me" idea will become as beloved as the stories of Jotham, Bartholomew, and Tabitha. 

Enter the Jesse Tree.  It is the act of remembering, of going back through the Grand Story God has knitted together since the beginning of time itself.  It is hearing again the story of HIS faithfulness to His people, to our family, to each of us as individuals.  In the busyness of this life, especially the holiday season, we are so often distracted and, hard as it is to admit, forgetful of this wonderful, amazing story.  Of this LOVE story our Father God has written to us, this fabulous mercy he has, this unrelenting passion for His Children.  We must never forget, we must tell it to our children, we must pass on this legacy because if we do not, then who will?  This grace so unfathomable, it must be told, over and over.  We must never be SO busy that we cannot stop and do what Moses commanded the Israelites, to talk about it when we sit, when we rise, when we lie down, when we walk and when we eat. 

Can you do that with me this season?  Can you NOT forget?  Can you remember with your children?  Can you stop and give thanks?  Can you look forward with anticipation to the return of our Bridegroom?  This is no little thing, this is life changing and life giving.  This is family altering and perspective shifting.  This is the gift to be had this season. 

Come, lets take our children's hands and follow to see where the Lord is going to lead.  I cannot promise that it will only take a little time, for questions and discussion may arise that need answering.  I can promise that you and your children, the dynamics of your family will NEVER be the same.  All for a small commitment of time.  It is worth the investment. 

Tomorrow, I will share more in detail how we will remember, the devotions we will use, just what it is all about and again I will invite you.  This journey is not to be missed!

In the busy...always gratitude, ALWAYS!

The way to live a life full of gratitude to my Father

is to always have my eyes and heart open to the blessings, both big and small,

that surround me every moment of everyday. 

The way to combat the cares of this world

is by being ever aware

of the LARGENESS of my God's LOVE for me!

I home school my children, I would not trade it for anything...what precious times I have shaping and molding their hearts and minds.  One of the habits we are cultivating is a thankfulness journal.  I have one as well, so I share...

#11  The seasons first batch of potato soup

#12  Movies with my children on a snowy, cold day

#13  a warm home

#14  Kendall's job

#15  Ability to buy any groceries I need and want

#16  Homeschooling my children, shaping hearts and minds

#17  Visit from Nahanny and Granddaddy

#18  Laughter of my Children as they play

#19  Stephanie Striley

#20  Jessica Harbour

#21  full, stocked pantry

#22  anticipating thanksgiving

#23 a fun evening with Janne Peters and her sweet girls

#24  Thanksgiving baking

#25  making plans, dreaming

#26  learning about creation

#27  amazingly brilliant moon

#28  Feasting with family

#29  Organizing

#30  unconditional love of a BIG God

#31  The Father's amazing provision, every time!

#32  Funny movies

#33  reminders of my fridge of good ways to live life

#34  hugging my children

#35 the LOVE of a good man

#36  My God's word's "will by no means pass away."

#37  Covenant Relationships

#38  Sharing homeschooling

#39  Beautiful fall days with 9 playing children in the yard!

Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.~Henry Ward Beecher

Begin a thankfulness journal, add your list to mine, and let's be amazed together how great our Father's love is for us!

Fasting and Feasting

I cannot fast without feasting.  I cannot attempt to give something up without filling myself with something else.  As I give up that which consumes me, I must fill myself with that which sustains me, not my body, but my spirit. 

"Man cannot live on bread alone, but on every word that proceed from the mouth of the LORD." Deuteronomy 8:23

My day always starts with grand intentions.  And I do well, until the words of my father get lost in the loudness of the world.  I slip, I rationalize, I decide to start again tomorrow.  You see I can only continue to give up what I enjoy IF I continually replace it with something I desire far more.  I desire this intimacy that draws me to my Abba Daddy. 

The question is why? Why in the tough moments do I give up the BEST, give up what is COMPLETELY satisfying, for what is mediocre and can only satisfy for but a moment?  I have lost sight of HIM. 

I must meditate on HIS word, listen for HIS voice...moment to moment.  Without HIS filling, failure is guaranteed!

Failure is not my desire in this moment, in this season.  I want HIS strength to be my strength, where I am weak I want HIM to come in and fill me with HIS strength.  That is his promise to me.  Intimacy with my Father is the greatest longing of my heart.  It is in this true fasting that I learn to feast in the realm that is far superior than the one that demands me to fill my fleshly desires.  It is in the act giving up that my heart learns to tune in to the rich, often quiet, sound of my Abba's voice.  The voice that I long to hear sing over me and whisper His love for me and lead me in the way that is everlasting. 

My spirit will never go hungry for My Father is my complete feast!

Thankfulness

It is the season for thankfulness.  All over face book and twitter people are posting what they are most grateful for.  I love this time of year!  So many times gratitude is bound by circumstances and then lives become bound to bitterness.  Bitterness is not the place where I want to live.  Most people do not want to live there but wake up in the mornings to find themselves shackled and unable to get free. 

Thankfulness begs us to run free, unfettered, everywhere!  Why not unleash this JOY?

So I issue a challenge, one that I am challenging myself to as well...why not be obviously thankful the whole year through?  Why not post on our Social Media and our Blogs thankfulness regularly so that it become a habit not a seasonal activity?  Starting NOW, I am going to blog one day a week on what I am thankful for, all the ways I have been blessed! When this kind of gratefulness knows no limit, LIFE enlarges!  

So join me as I take a journey of thankfulness, a path of gratitude and let's discover together how the boundaries and perspectives of life change!  Let's watch together how this overflowing of gratitude spills onto others; how gratitude changes lives one thankful thought at a time!

1.  Abba Daddy's AMAZING grace!
2.  New Beginnings, New Mercies everyday!
3.  Strength to do the hard things
4.  Learning and living discipline in spiritual and physical matters
5.  Coffee on a cold, snowy November morning
6.  Thunder Snows
7.  An amazing, loving husband who often forsakes sleep and home to provide so well for our family
8.  Sleepy Joshua cuddles in the middle of the night
9.  A warm bed
10.  Abundance of food

It's your turn...what are you thankful for?  Comment below or post on your face book or twitter.  Guaranteed, your life will never be the same!