Clutters Last Stand by Denna McDaniel Weekly column Positively Beautiful 1/9/15 Ive blown it all ready with the resolutions and am embarrassed! You too? My house was supposed to become cleaner, but wow just as you begin pulling out the stuff to put it away, you look behind you and it is a bigger pile than you began with an hour ago. Clutter Im told is because you have a creative mind. I think thats just an excuse. My lifestyle is not one of a lazy person. Im very active. It’s a failure to prioritize that is the problem and Ive said over and over “do the hard things first”. But what happens if and when theyre all hard? I guess I run to Facebook for entertainment. Oh the pains of seeing those with fun filled lives and perfect homes. So recently driving home from yet another fitness class (my priority) I heard a preacher talk about Clutters Last Stand. Not sure exactly what the entire show was about because I suddenly arrived at my home and no longer listened to the radio. But the brief encounter with the program started the wheels turning. What specifically are my priorities? 2 Corinthians 5:9 - So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. Then, does it please God as we take care of our bodies? (Remember we only get one body here on earth.) Im sure it does make Him happy. Colossians 1:10 ...so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Then, does God smile when we increase in knowing him more? (DAILY reading of the Bible is key.) Exodus 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before me.” Then, can fitness, work, cleaning, schooling, dieting, eating, video games, internet surfing, etc.... become our god. *Heavy sigh* Anything can become your god. Making excuses is part of our nature. Remember Adam and Eve? The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.”-Genesis 3:12 Take responsibility for your life today. Goals are simply New Years Resolutions reworded. Goal setting is the easy part of course. The tough part is following through on your commitments when the days are tough. Recently at the gym where I teach, weve started a group personal fitness training team called GO-al Getters. Just like in any group setting what makes this a workable program is accountability and goals. Most people buy wonderful fitness equipment they never use. Oh I take that back, the equipment usually makes a wonderfully expensive clothes hanger! Now seriously there are a few like my husband who does work out on his own every day, but most folks cant sustain the motivation beyond a couple of weeks. No excuses. Goals, resolutions, and lifestyle changes all center around a plan. Remember Custer had a plan, his plan failed miserably and he died. Every plan we make must reflect Gods word. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.Galatians 5:22-23 Were talking plans that produce good fruit. Everyone can make a resolution, a plan and a goal, however are you willing to GO get that goal? Ive made it a goal to clean my room and keep it clean and so far for the first two weeks of the year Ive been a miserable failure. No worries, there is always tomorrow, but what about today you say? Uh! Youre right! Today is still today until tomorrow. I just dont feel like it, becomes a mantra. FEELINGS are a terrible source of knowledge.- Mickey McDaniel-my husband. Feelings drive us to make choices that are not the best. I dont feel like ________. Or how about I feel like ________ is the best choice. Bringing in facts, Gods word and honesty will determine the correct path. God keeps directing me back to my passion for evangelism. My passion to share the hope that is within me explodes in every aspect of my life and sometimes stepping out into the non-Christian circles will open my eyes to the darkness that folks live in everyday. We clutter our houses. We clutter our minds. We clutter our guts. Look to the source of all that is seen and unseen, God himself. We here in America have way too much stuff, food and junk of all kind. Kill the CLUTTER is my battle cry, but then I just cry. Im just like you, a sinner saved by grace, who’s longing for heaven. Until then Id better GO after my goal, get my priorities straight and increase my knowledge of the Lord. Luke 14:23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. This is my verse for 2015. I know that my house may be filled doesnt mean more stuff at the McDaniel house, but rather more people to hear the Word of God. Priority one, devour Gods word. Priority two, be bolder in evangelism/discipleship. Priority three, clutter cant stand. So? my next step as my husband gazes over me one more time glancing around my work space, Denna, he smiles, didnt you all ready write about your messy habits? Yes I have, but like me others need to know that were not the only ones struggling day after day with the same bad habits. Food? Fitness? Finances? Each of us knows where we need to work...priorities. Ask God, he will answer, but sadly he may not have the answer you want to hear. Ask anyway, because he is a loving God. Our lives are not the perfect lives that we see on Facebook, but rather messy lives like the ones we read about in Gods word. Weve grown accustom to having it our way every day. Lord, give us strength in the battle for our minds to prioritize in a starkly different way than the world. Let us make a stand to reflect His character in 2015.
Posted on: Fri, 09 Jan 2015 20:58:29 +0000
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