Showing posts with label Faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Faith. Show all posts
Being a Modern Day Martha
Ever feel like your to do list is overwhelming? I feel like my to do list is never ending. When I get two things done, four more things are added and most of the time, they take priority over the other things on my list. So now, I not only have added more tasks to my list, but now the priorities change. I feel like I am never getting anything done.
This is how I get to start feeling like a modern day Martha. And no...not Martha Stewart like my husband thought. Martha from Luke Chapter 10.
I feel like Martha. A to-do list a mile long and most of the time not getting the help I would like to get. I feel I am always trying to do everything perfectly and my to do list just keeps growing and growing.
Oh to be like Mary. Sitting at Jesus's feet just to listen and learn. Using the opportunity to grow in faith. When I think of Mary, I think of her being the young, naive sister who has no cares in the world. She has that childlike faith that Jesus calls us to have.
I tend to be a modern day Martha, focusing on the things of this world. But what I should be focusing on, are the things beyond this world. I should be a modern day Mary.
I need to focus on Christ and make it a priority. It is tough and life gets in the way. Here are some ways you and I can try to put Jesus back on the to-do list.
1. Start every day with God. I found when I was doing this regularly, before the start of the crazy holidays {Christmas...a holiday that we should be focusing on Christ}, all of a sudden the to do list was getting crossed off easier. It was amazing what the correct focus at the start of your day could do for the rest of the day. I have been trying to get up before my daughter and read scripture or do a bible study. Some mornings I can easily manage and some nights are too rough that the mornings don't happen as easily for me.
2. Create a Bible Reading Plan. I love this post by my friend Christie at Sparkles of Sunshine. She gave some tips on creating a Bible Reading Plan. I love how she keeps a journal of her readings. This is something I want to incorporate into my life.
3. Find ways to find God in your day. I notice what usually stops me in my tracks is that I don't have "time" to spend with God. What what I need to realize is that I don't need an hour of quiet time. I need 10 minutes in the morning while nursing to pray, I need to keep my Bible app near me {and open that app up instead of Facebook}for times I am waiting in traffic, I can memorize bible verses in the shower or while I do dishes and I can sing praise songs with my daughter all day. All of these times add up and are still times I spend acknowledging God.
4. Remember that anything is better than nothing. I get it. Some days are just so overwhelmingly busy that you cannot even fathom how you would be able to give even 2 minutes to God when you can't even take a deep breath. I really get it. When you do have 2 minutes, find a verse you want to memorize or a parable you want to focus on {like Luke 10:38-42} and write it on some note cards. Stick one above your sink, on your dashboard of the car, in your purse, in the bathroom...anywhere that you might have even 1 minute to read it and reflect and maybe even send out a praise or prayer to God.
So who do you want to be? Martha or Mary? I am striving to be more like Mary. My house may not be the cleanest, my daughter may still be in pajamas until bath time, or I may not get my blog post up, but none of these worldly things matter.
2. Create a Bible Reading Plan. I love this post by my friend Christie at Sparkles of Sunshine. She gave some tips on creating a Bible Reading Plan. I love how she keeps a journal of her readings. This is something I want to incorporate into my life.
3. Find ways to find God in your day. I notice what usually stops me in my tracks is that I don't have "time" to spend with God. What what I need to realize is that I don't need an hour of quiet time. I need 10 minutes in the morning while nursing to pray, I need to keep my Bible app near me {and open that app up instead of Facebook}for times I am waiting in traffic, I can memorize bible verses in the shower or while I do dishes and I can sing praise songs with my daughter all day. All of these times add up and are still times I spend acknowledging God.
4. Remember that anything is better than nothing. I get it. Some days are just so overwhelmingly busy that you cannot even fathom how you would be able to give even 2 minutes to God when you can't even take a deep breath. I really get it. When you do have 2 minutes, find a verse you want to memorize or a parable you want to focus on {like Luke 10:38-42} and write it on some note cards. Stick one above your sink, on your dashboard of the car, in your purse, in the bathroom...anywhere that you might have even 1 minute to read it and reflect and maybe even send out a praise or prayer to God.
So who do you want to be? Martha or Mary? I am striving to be more like Mary. My house may not be the cleanest, my daughter may still be in pajamas until bath time, or I may not get my blog post up, but none of these worldly things matter.
What are you doing to keep Christ a center in your life?
When your best isn't good enough
Have you ever felt like nothing you do is good enough? Like everyone in the world is aginst you? You just can't keep up with the house, the kids, the laundry? You feel drained, depressed and just plain worthless.
I have. A lot more than I would like to. My husband always gets upset when I confide this to him, like it's his fault or he could change something. It wasn't and he can't. This is a ME problem. My insecurities, my shortcomings. It's only something I can change.
We talked about this one week at the Mom's group that I attend. It really impacted me and I have been thinking about this for weeks. I know that I am faced with this feeling of being worthless much more then I would like. And I found out there that there are many more women/moms who feel the same way. Some have better situations than I do and some do not, but I find it doesn't matter what financial/marital/education/spiritual position you are in, we are all faced with this feeling.
I have been doing some soul searching over the last couple weeks, really dwelling on this dilemma that I am faced with. What can I do when I feel worthless to realize my true worth? Here are some things that have helped me.
1. What are you good at? Make a list of 3-5 things that only I can do{or do best}or have done today/yesterday/this week .
2. Take a breath. Take some time for myself or do something I'm good at. Even 5 minutes to take a shower and use your special shampoo that smells amazing, dance to your favorite song, go for a run, do a quick craft, or even just take a nap.
This may sound selfish and will be very hard to do. But taking this 5 minutes will just clear your head so you can think clearly. Many times, this feeling comes because we are too stressed, too tired, too hurried to realize your value so our judgement is clouded.
3. Be Selfless. Do something for someone else. Take a meal to someone. Help someone with their groceries. Do anything for someone else. When we help others, we get this intrinsic satisfaction. It's not selfish or wrong to feel good when you help someone, I think that feeling was put there for a reason - so we would help people.
4. Pray. Meditate, do yoga or talk to God. Sit in silence. Quiet your heart. Quiet your mind. Think back to that list you wrote down {probably} quickly and think about everything that goes into each item you listed. You did that. You were the key to that being done.
5. Be You. Stop comparing yourself to others. Stop comparing yourself to someone's idealized view of you. You can only be the you that you are. You are only capable of whatever YOU can do.
I am for sure not the mom who is dressed to the nine's when they go to the store - I am the mom who is in jeans with snot stains and spit up on her shirt. I am not the mom who has the photo ready house {I would like to be} - no I shove everything into closets and hope no one notices the dust under the sofas when people come over. I am not even close to the perfect woman, mom or wife - but I am the best woman, mom and wife that I can be.
- Take a dollar bill, preferably brand new, no rips, tears or bends. How much is it worth? 100 pennies. This is you.
- Take that dollar bill and crumble it up. Throw it on the floor and step on it. You are representing life knocking you down, throwing you down and stepping on you.
- Pick that dollar bill up. Open it up. Doesn't look as pretty does it? But if you walked into a store, what would it be worth? 100 pennies. Realize you still have the same value as you did before life beat you down.
I keep my dollar bill on the refrigerator. I am in the kitchen most of the day and it serves as a constant reminder of what my true value is to...myself.
"People" {people in your present, past and in your thoughts} will always find ways to make you doubt yourself. They will always find a way to make you doubt your service to your home, your kids and your spouse. I have found in the last several weeks that these things help. They help to silence the "people" who I hear telling me I'm not good enough or I'm not doing enough. Specifically when I pray. When I pray, I am always brought back to the thoughts that I am always good enough for God. This page is in the last page of our book. I have ripped it out and keep it by my bedside.
I have. A lot more than I would like to. My husband always gets upset when I confide this to him, like it's his fault or he could change something. It wasn't and he can't. This is a ME problem. My insecurities, my shortcomings. It's only something I can change.
I have been doing some soul searching over the last couple weeks, really dwelling on this dilemma that I am faced with. What can I do when I feel worthless to realize my true worth? Here are some things that have helped me.
1. What are you good at? Make a list of 3-5 things that only I can do{or do best}or have done today/yesterday/this week .
2. Take a breath. Take some time for myself or do something I'm good at. Even 5 minutes to take a shower and use your special shampoo that smells amazing, dance to your favorite song, go for a run, do a quick craft, or even just take a nap.
This may sound selfish and will be very hard to do. But taking this 5 minutes will just clear your head so you can think clearly. Many times, this feeling comes because we are too stressed, too tired, too hurried to realize your value so our judgement is clouded.
3. Be Selfless. Do something for someone else. Take a meal to someone. Help someone with their groceries. Do anything for someone else. When we help others, we get this intrinsic satisfaction. It's not selfish or wrong to feel good when you help someone, I think that feeling was put there for a reason - so we would help people.
4. Pray. Meditate, do yoga or talk to God. Sit in silence. Quiet your heart. Quiet your mind. Think back to that list you wrote down {probably} quickly and think about everything that goes into each item you listed. You did that. You were the key to that being done.
5. Be You. Stop comparing yourself to others. Stop comparing yourself to someone's idealized view of you. You can only be the you that you are. You are only capable of whatever YOU can do.
I am for sure not the mom who is dressed to the nine's when they go to the store - I am the mom who is in jeans with snot stains and spit up on her shirt. I am not the mom who has the photo ready house {I would like to be} - no I shove everything into closets and hope no one notices the dust under the sofas when people come over. I am not even close to the perfect woman, mom or wife - but I am the best woman, mom and wife that I can be.
Do this exercise.
{We did this at our Mom's group so I am not taking credit for this, but it helped}
- Take a dollar bill, preferably brand new, no rips, tears or bends. How much is it worth? 100 pennies. This is you.
- Take that dollar bill and crumble it up. Throw it on the floor and step on it. You are representing life knocking you down, throwing you down and stepping on you.
- Pick that dollar bill up. Open it up. Doesn't look as pretty does it? But if you walked into a store, what would it be worth? 100 pennies. Realize you still have the same value as you did before life beat you down.
I keep my dollar bill on the refrigerator. I am in the kitchen most of the day and it serves as a constant reminder of what my true value is to...myself.
"People" {people in your present, past and in your thoughts} will always find ways to make you doubt yourself. They will always find a way to make you doubt your service to your home, your kids and your spouse. I have found in the last several weeks that these things help. They help to silence the "people" who I hear telling me I'm not good enough or I'm not doing enough. Specifically when I pray. When I pray, I am always brought back to the thoughts that I am always good enough for God. This page is in the last page of our book. I have ripped it out and keep it by my bedside.
What do you find most helpful when you are feeling like your best isn't good enough?
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