Martha Minded

Hello Lovely Ladies! Part of my Martha-ness is that I am a planner.  All my jobs have to do with planning.  I use calendars and to do list to make sure I am as effective as I can be.  Planning is a constant.   There is always something to be done.  There is always one more thing to add to the list.  It seems as though there is too much to do and not enough time to do it. Do you know what I mean? As Marthas we are forever thinking of the future.  What needs to be done next...then after that...then after that...what about after that.   That is what the voice in my head is persistently forcing me to think.  What about tomorrow or the weekend or next week?  There is always a future to think about. Matthew 6:33-34 says: 33  Seek the Kingdom of God [ a ]  above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.   34  “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow ...

Hello Lovely Ladies! Are you super-duper healthy?  Is your BMI spot on?  Are you physically perfect? You lucky duck! This gal here is overweight and out of shape.  BUT, I am actively doing something with myself to become healthier.  My journey began when I went to the doctor for a new patient establishment appointment.  The doctor and I spoke about all kinds of stuff that she saw in my chart.  At the end she asked if I had any other concerns.  I told her that I was shocked by my weight.  She suggested that I visit a health consultant.  The service is free at my local health clinic. So, I went to my appointment...and it wasn't like I thought it would be.  I was scared that she was going to be brutal, but she is very reasonable and down to earth.  That was in September.  Now we are about the middle of March.  Let's just say she has changed my life! Changes I have made: Eat breakfast Eat sna...

Hello Lovely Ladies! Is your house spotless every second of everyday? Mine is not.  Honestly this is because I get lazy (because I am so tired from being so busy) and I have an 18 year old living with me. A month or so ago I had hit my limit.  Mind you my house was not a disaster. However, I was constantly having to tell Kayla to pick up after herself or to clean something again because she did not put forth the effort the first time. I have become a nagger!! When I had come to a place where it was taking a toll on the calmness of the house, I knew we needed a change.  I had not even begun to search for ideas of house to change things in the household when I came across a past blog post from Courtney at Women Living Well.  The title was Making Your Home a Haven . Jackpot! That is what I need! The candle is lit daily, and the soft music is always playing. These are two of the staples in making our home a haven. But, I have also created a tool...

Hello Lovely Ladies! As promised, here is my first public reflection on a sermon.  Whew!  This has been quite stressful.  It is one thing to discuss questions and share thoughts but ladies it is quite another to write out all my thoughts for the world to read.   My Martha mind is running rampant with fears and doubts and just feeling inadequate to share my thoughts and feelings on something so important as a sermon.  I am an ordinary woman who is trying to be less of a Martha and more of a Mary.  I am striving to live like Christ and share with other women in the world how I am doing that.  I pray that by being honest and sharing with you my struggles and how I am trying to remedy them, you will feel encouraged to not lose hope, but to push through the rough patches. So, here is a look into my heart and how I have been impacted by the message God gave my pastor on Sunday, March 4th, 2018. These pictures are from my personal sermon no...

Hello Lovely Ladies! Do you take notes during the sermon on Sunday?   I encourage you to do so.  There are a couple of reasons as to why I take notes. It helps me stay focused on the sermon.  (My Martha mind seems to wander.) Writing things down helps me to remember them. This month’s theme for me seems to be new habits.  Note taking during sermons is not a new habit for me but, what I do with them will become a new habit.   My goal is to take notes and then blog about the sermon sometime during that following week.  Sermons are not meant to be listened to once and then forgotten.  God gives pastors words that he wants us to hear and apply to our lives.  If you are not an active listener, it is difficult to apply what you have not understood. My pastor (Jason), and his wife (Tracy) happen to be my closest friends.  So,   after his sermon on Sunday I can ask questions.   I usually do, or I have ...

Hello Lovely Ladies! Oh, how I love to cook!! Oh, how exhausting it is to prepare a meal plan!!  Dear me, it takes me awhile to get it all together, but it is worth it to make my life easier. This month I have begun my 3 month habit tracker.  The one I am using was published by Good Morning Girls.  Courtney from Women Living Well created it and will be blogging through it.  If you would like to follow along with her and the rest of us, visit her blog and either purchase her’s or create your own.   The habit tracker includes a section for meal planning.  It has a place for breakfast, lunch, supper, and snacks.  I have gotten pretty good at planning supper.  My week day lunches are leftovers from the night before.  Weekday breakfasts are a section of a large breakfast casserole that I make on Sunday night.   My goal for March is to work on planning snacks for all 7 days of the week not just the work week. Here is how I did...