The Christmas decorations are all gone. .
all boxed up and replaced with my winter white theme.
Winter tends to be more dark than cold here and so I lean towards a white theme which begins to lean towards Valentines . . .using heart shaped ornaments to tuck here and there.
Off white candles one strand of white lights . . . off white silk plants. .
and I feel like my home is cozy and not entirely barren and devoid of a festive feeling.
I wish it was as easy for me to balance my lifestyle in all areas as I find it to add a detail here and there to the bungalow.
Like many of you . .
I struggle with balancing time management and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
The rest of this week I am going to talk about the various aspects of living life and how I try to balance them.
My spiritual life. . my time management . .my health management . . .friendships. . .family and and life outside the bungalow all are part of what we all deal with.
I'm not an expert in any of these areas and yet judging by your emails and comments. . .
you are interested in how I try to balance my life.
Perhaps my biggest struggle is to spend time with God.
I find it easy to pray while I'm alone. Conversations with God are a part of my life.
What I find more difficult is sitting down to read the Bible.
For sometime I ignored this. . grabbing bits of quick devotionals here and there. .all the while maintaining that it was indeed a key ingredient to understanding what God wants for my life. Going to church and hearing God's word is easy for me. . .I love going to church. .. but being disciplined is hard in every area and this one is no different.
A week ago I found a site that would enable me to add a feed to my web page that would allow me to read the Bible every day. It gives me the new part to read each day.
I wondered where to put it since this blog already has a fairly long sidebar with my recipes on the side.
I realized then that I could add the Bible feed to my "Blog friends" which you can find just under my profile on the right hand side of this page and suddenly the idea just became so exciting for me.
It makes perfect sense.
I will go to read my Bible everyday before I go to visit the blogs that I have selected to read for the day.
I find at my stage of life . .
waking very early in the morning is more normal than not. .
and now I can open up my notebook computer . .
cozy on the couch. . .
and without any lights on ..
spend time quietly reading God's Word.
I'm excited about this part of my life having a goal and purpose.
Looking for a great book to read?
Why don't you join me in reading the Bible.
It will change your life.
Take this challenge.
Read the Bible with me for a month. .
let's do it together. .
and let's find out together how vital and current God's Word is for all of us today.
Tomorrow. .
I'll talk about how I didn't get sick over Christmas.
Sitting down to read the Bible has been a struggle in my life, too. I can make the decision to commit to setting aside the time to do so, and I'll be fine for a few days, and then...it just becomes too easy to "forget" one day...then the next...
ReplyDeleteI like this idea of having daily Scripture alongside your daily online reading. It should make that commitment easier. Thank you for a wonderful idea!
What a great idea, I will join U! With 3 kiddos in sports, helping my Hubs with the business, and keeping our home clean,cooking heart meals, etc.,time is short in my life:)Your home looks so inviting, beautiful!
ReplyDeleteSuch good encouragement and advice! A great idea to read it before you read the blogs! Since hubby has been on long-term disability, followed by retirement 5 years ago, we always have breakfast together every morning, whether I'm off to work or staying home. This has been the most precious time of reading God's Word. We've taken a different translation or paraphrase and read it through front to back, not necessarily pushing to finish it in one year, but mulling it over, letting it sink in. When we're done, we'll do it again with a different Bible. Sometimes we follow it by discussion, other times not. It's been such an amazing blessing to both of us.
ReplyDeleteI'll join you Lovella. Finding balance is something I struggle with week after week. There are days when work takes every bit of me - or seems to...and then weekends when I don't even get into the car, staying home from Friday to Monday. I shake my head when I think that I do more praying in the car than anywhere else.
ReplyDeleteSo, off to check out your newest blog friend.......
Oh my goodness...this was just what I was thinking about before I began reading your blog this morning! I'd love to join in too!
ReplyDeleteMy friend and her husband always ready together each morning, aloud. I don't have that option, but think reading along with someone (even in bloggyland) would be much more enjoyable!
Sara
You've expressed some of my own thoughts Lovella. Just yesterday, I was wondering what I could to do inspire me to pick up my Bible every day, preferably in the morning when all is still quiet - well, now I have it. Thanks for the idea - will pray with you that any and all that pick up your inspiration will be able to continue down the path. thanks for the idea.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea Lovella. Your bungalow looks great in your winter white theme. I managed to not get sick all through the fall and New Years but hubby got a cold just after the 1st and I just couldn't stay far enough away at the little condo to not get infected too :0)
ReplyDeleteHave a great week!
A beautiful blog! I so enjoy reading your thoughts. My goal this year too is to read through the Bible. Prayers of strength for everyone that we will forgo even the simplest of things that become a distraction to take us away from His word.
ReplyDeleteLovella, thank you for this wonderful idea. Bringing balance to my day is just what I need. I love the calm and serenity of your winter theme decor. Thanks for sharing the pictures.
ReplyDeleteYou are a great encourager Lovella! I also try to have my devotional time first thing in the morning. I love that quiet time of day. When I was surrounded by little ones it was more of a challenge than now. But I started the habit then and it has stayed with me over the years. It's my best time of day. Here's to a year of putting God first - in our day and in every area.
ReplyDeleteYour home fits perfectly the description of a warm, cozy and inviting place to be. I really like your decorating style, and I deeply appreciate your honest, refreshing and heartfelt walk with the Lord. This newly found blogsite certainly can be a blessing to many of us that can relate to your thought processes on getting into God's Word. How blessed I am to have been lead to this blog and to have had the many blog visits that I do, with you. I definitely look forward to visiting this new blog. Thank you for being an inspiration.
ReplyDeleteOh, I love the pictures of your blog and your blog posts. I just love your blog! :)
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to this series, Lovella. I can say that reading the Bible and studying via a good book with my beloved has made the difference for me. He is waiting for me with coffee every morning. On days when it just doesn't happen for whatever reason, I miss our time with the Lord terribly. And, of course, it is always important to have personal time with God, too.
ReplyDeleteYour home is so cozy and comfortable and c.l.e.a.n. Love it!
It sounds like we all are resonating similiar thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI can wake up to go to the gym or exercise, the rest of the tale is yet to be discovered.
I will have to snoop around to try your new friend...and see how that works...
I love working through Proverbs and am connected to the Proverbs 31 Ministries. It's relevant for me.
I love your clean look...and the nice wintry lights. My house looks similiar with those little lights.
Excellent and practical idea! Having the same time and place everyday makes a difference.
ReplyDeleteYour "white winter" take is like palate cleansing after the bright colors of Christmas. When I saw Valentine's Day decoration in violet shades, I though about your china and wondered if you would do that holiday trimming in silvers and violet shades.
ReplyDeleteHaving scripture on your blog friends site is great...I am just lazy enough to just check your blog list for updates instead of clicking around on my own, and now I can also plow through the OT at the same time. Of course having to head over to the text in Hebrew takes a few more moments...but so worth it to get the underlying meanings of the passages, especially the one about group circumcision.
(just kidding 'bout the Hebrew...by the way...Terry...could you please? I'll have it with cream and sugar when you are done.)
Nothing is more important in the life of a believer than time spent in God's Word....
ReplyDeleteThank you for encouraging others to join you in such an important aspect of all of our lives.
Beautiful photos of your cozy home.
This is challenging, but so ecouraging! I find that having my Bible visible and open to the spot where I've read is a good reminder. And I do so need to be in it if I want His Word to guide me. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteMy word vervification is mattr - it's what matters most!
Hi Lovella,
ReplyDeleteI'm a mennonite girl myself, just down here in Brazil, in Curitiba. I have been enjoying your blog for some time already, which I found through MGCC, and I must say - I love it. It's interesting that I have been feeling the same urge to read the Bible consistently, not just a devotional here and there. And your suggestion came just like an answer from heaven. For sure I will be joining you in reading the Bible.
Love,
Marilene
I love that idea. That's my struggle too. I have to get rid of the idea that I'm going to do it before the day starts or as the days ends ... that's just not working right now. I always seem to find time to check the blogs, so that's the perfect spot to include my daily reading. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI have been spending more time each day reading my Bible this year too. It was the one thing God spoke to me about as we entered this new year. I am not one for new years resolutions, but a diciplined life for God is what He has called me to. Like Marg commented here and I posted about on bread for the Journey, we are all resonating similar thoughts. I'm so excited to hear that so many of us are digging deeper into the word. Thanks for your encouragement here today. Kathy
ReplyDeleteI just came back to check out the buttons (Terry's buttons)...and realized I hadn't left a comment yesterday. Great idea...posting your Bible reading alongside your blogroll. It's hard to ignore over there...and I think you will have lots of blogfriends joining you!
ReplyDelete