LET'S CLEAN HOUSE!

Are you ready to do some serious housecleaning?

Some of us will have to throw some things we thought we needed in the trash and perhaps bring some other things back into the "picture frame" of our lives but hopefully, at the end of the next twelve weeks, we will all be able to give God the glory for putting us back on track!

I always wait until January first and then make a long list of resolutions (which I have usually trashed by the fourteenth). Or I wait until a birthday to embark on a "new lifestyle", and I have started a diet on "Monday" at least a dozen times. This time, we are not just starting a diet but a new way of living! If we stick with this twelve week program, we should be better organized, closer to God and have a better idea of what we want out of life. If you could put your life up to this point in a frame, what would you see? What would you like and what would you change? Just what is it you hope to accomplish over the next year? The next decade? Armed with your goals and learning God dependence, you will be better able to reach and even surpass these goals. OK, let's get started!

This week I want you to just watch yourself. Pay close attention to what you spend your time and money on. If you had an hour after the kids went to bed, what did you do with it? If some one made you angry, how did you react? If the chance to say something about God's goodness arises, what did you do? If there was something on sale that you didn't need, did you buy it? Don't change your behavior, just notice it! If your spouse seems like he/she wants to argue, your boss is in a bad mood, your child acts up (this includes adult children!), the Sunday morning sermon runs late, the repairman is 2 days late, or the car in front of you stalls, notice your reaction. You don't have to write them down unless you would like to. I recommend keeping a journal of some kind, though. It can be just an inexpensive notebook. You may want to write Keep Out on it and keep it in a safe place so you don't have to worry about someone else reading it and you can be totally honest with yourself.

Over the next twelve weeks we are going to work on all these areas of our lives and more. So be prepared to do some deep cleaning! At the end of each lesson there will be a few exercises. A mind exercise, a soul exercise and maybe even a body exercise. Try to do these if you have time. This week may be the most important of the twelve weeks ahead. As you observe yourself you will be able to decide what areas of your life need the most attention and what you would like to improve the most. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to e-mail me or write them in my guestbook (click below).

MIND, BODY AND SOUL EXERCISES

MIND and SPIRIT: What is your favorite Bible verse? If you don't have one, find one this week. Write it down on a card and memorize it. If you already have yours memorized, find another you don't have memorized.

BODY: What are you putting into your body? Notice this week what goes into your mouth: EVERYTHING that goes into your mouth! This includes food, drugs, alchohol and tobacco. Anything there that is harming, not helping, your body? You don't have to take any action this week, just be aware! I want to challenge you to really pray every single day this week for God to show you where you need to improve your life. Ask Him to search your heart and reveal anything harmful you may be doing to your body. And when He does open your eyes to these things, be willing to accept and recognize where you need to improve. This is the first step in becoming the person you were meant to be.

Good luck as you embark on this 12 week program. It has truly changed my outlook on life and it can do the same for you.

Please don't skip this week and go on to week two.
As I said before, this may be the most important of the 12 weeks!

Click on next button below to continue to next week.

MEME