Proverbs 31 - Week 12 (FINALLY!)

With one more week to finish this Bible study, I have certainly taken my time getting here - haven't I?

This week lesson is about Retirement Planning and is full of great information. Let's start with the opening verse: For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. I Corinthians 14:33

Some statistics to consider, from Rich Woman by Kim Kiyosaki:

• 47 percent of women over 50 are single.
• Approximately 7 out of 10 women will, at some time, live in poverty. For most of them, it will be during their retirement years.
• 80 percent of widows now living in poverty were not poor before the death of their husband.
• Women's retirement income (social security, pensions, 401(k)s) will be lessened because, on average, a woman is away from the work force 14.7 years as compared to 1.6 years for men.

Donna adds: "More than 50 percent of marriages end in divorce, after which, on average, a woman's standard of living drops 73 percent." WOW! All of these statistics are staggering. We must prepare our selves financially now in order to prevent these statistics from becoming us. Here are some tips Donna provides to help us do just that:

• "For just 10 percent extra, you can pay off a 30-year mortgage seven years early." Write: "Additional Principal payment" on the extra, "do not assume your extra payments will automatically go against the principal....make it automatic"
• Matthew 25:20-30 - the story of the master and talents - be a faithful steward of what God has entrusted you.
• "God will never ask you to borrow money to help people. If God wants you to help them, He'll provide the funds. If He doesn't provide the funds, guess what? He doesn't want you to help them....If the person can't get a loan on his or her own, the lender has compelling reasons to belive the person will not repay the loan. If a bank has concluded that a person is not reliable, believe the bank. That person is not reliable. The Proverbs 31 woman extends her hand to the poor and needy, but she doesn't become poor and needy in the process. She doesn't eat the bread of idleness herself and she doesn't enable other people to do so."
• "...photocopy your credit cards, debit cards, driver's license, Social Security card, insurance card, and any other important items you carry in your purse...Put the copies in the front of a locked fireproof filing cabinet ina folder labeled VITAL INFORMATION...Make sure someone knows where the filing cabinet key is and/or where the safe is kept and how to open it."
• Your VITAL INFORMATION folder should also include: passport, will, power of attorney, insurance policies, deeds to property, social security summary, and investment overview. If you don't have this already, make getting it together a priority.

Good planning makes for a smooth and stress-free life.

One more week to finish this study. I'm still looking for your suggestions on what to cover next.

Where have I been???

Well, I didn't realize that it was practically the entire summer that I was out of commission! I did not do a good job of making myself (or my relationship with God) a priority this summer. No excuses!! I didn't do it and I have suffered the consequences of time away from God. I didn't even finish the Proverbs 31 study material, but as they say, all good things must come to an end.

These are my goals over the next couple of weeks: to finish the Proverbs 31 study material, get back into my morning routine of TAG (time alone with God), and to get my house in order. Being home all summer with four kids has proven too much for my newly acquired organizational skills learned with Donna Partow.

As for my weight loss, I have made small progress towards my goal. I have lost a total of 9.4 lbs since July 1, towards my total goal of 25 lbs. That leaves me with about 15 lbs to go. I am really expecting to pass the 10 lb loss mark before September 1, that will have been 2 months. Slow and steady wins the race! It truly is a lifestyle change. My healthy life goals are: have 2-3 servings of dairy per day, having 4-6 servings of fruits/vegetables per day, adding whole grains to my diet, drinking eight 8 ounce glasses of water per day, and getting some good exercise 3-5 times per week. I also am limiting my fat intake, but found that if I limit it too much, I cause my body to go into a protective mode that causes me to retain fat for future use (thanks to a fitness expert that visited my ladies group at church). I've allowed a little more fat into my diet the last two weeks and have seen better progress.

Summer has been good, but not as active and adventurous as previous summers. For that reason, I think we all got on each other's nerves a bit too much. Although the older two kids were a little nervous about going back to school today, it was a relief for me. I need this routine to keep me sane :) All in all, it was not a total loss, but lessons learned for next year.

I am taking your suggestions for the next Bible Study series! If you know of something that would be good information to share or something you've enjoyed and would like a refresher, feel free to send it to me.

ttyl

90 Day Renewal

Interested in doing a 90 Day Renewal for yourself?

This seems perfect: The 90-Day Renewal in Spirit, Soul & Body.

For the spirit, we'll have daily bible reading, prayer journaling, scripture memory, etc.

For the soul, we'll be inspired and equipped for a new mindset and more positive attitude, so we can make better decisions.

For the body, the average weight loss is 20 pounds. And it's all thru gradual easy-to-make changes over the course of 3 months. I've signed up and I'm trying to get as many women as I can to join me. Check out this introductory video.
http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=3143958

If it sounds like what you've been looking for, you can learn more by following this link to Donna Partow's website.

http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?Clk=3143958

Proverbs 31 - Week 11

As I am nearing the end of this 90 day study, I am finding myself running out of steam. The study has a LOT of practical application, which is great, but I am not keeping up with it all and I am beating myself up about it. With that said, here is the week 11 review...

The Ministry of the Home

Consider family meals as a time of ministry. Now, I must say this is a new concept for me. We make a valiant effort to have dinner together every night as a family. I never have thought of it as a ministry. However if you consider this next statement, it definitely can be considered a ministry. Donna says, "...a 2004 study of 4,746 children eleven to eighteen years old, published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, found that frequent family meals were associated with a lower risk of smoking, drinking, and using marijuana; with a lower incidence of depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts; and with better grades. Another study surveyed twelve- to seventeen-year-olds and found that teenagers who reported eating two or fewer dinners a week with family members were more than one and a half times more likely to smoke, drink, or use illegal substances than were teenagers who ate five to seven family dinners per week." That is a huge impact in the decisions that your child makes from simple meals and conversation and it doesn't have to be dinner. Find what works for your family.

Dress your family in the full armor of God. "Just as you wouldn't send your family out into the world undressed physically, you shouldn't send them out undressed spiritually." says Donna refering to Ephesians 6:14-18. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, the Word of God, and prayer are the elements to the armor of God. Try incorporating one of these elements each week and discuss them during your family meal time. They don't have to be in this order, start with what's easiest for you and add an item each week until you've become fully dressed :)

The next three items go hand in hand: practice hospitality, open your home for ministry and host God's servants. Of course, practicing hospitality can be a way to open your home for ministry, but only if you've done what's mentioned in the previous lessons to de-clutter, organize and clean your home and you are maintaining it. Then, hosting God's servants comes naturally after the previous two. Donna provides some insight from Deb Lovett who shares the "props" she considers essential to hospitality (gifts, paper, candles, flowers, food and prayer) and why she believes they are essential. Donna goes on to say, "The purpose, above all else, is that our homes can become a center for God's work in our community...Your home can become central to the work of God in your neighborhood...It means creating an atmosphere of prayer and blessing that immediately grabs the attention of everyone who walks through your front door." Then, as mentioned before, hosting God's servants seems like the next logical step. Once you've gained the experience of hosting your friends and neighbors, your church community, small groups and the like, traveling missionaries, guest speakers and musicians are next!

Just two more weeks to go! Next week's lesson is entitled: Retirement Planning followed by week 13: Finish Strong.

See you next week,

Christina

Proverbs 31 - Week 10

Week 10 is centered on Family Relationships: Love your husband, Cherish your children, Establish family traditions, Honor the Sabbath and Live in peace. It sounds so simple, doesn't it? Oh, that it were!

This week's Scripture memory is Proverbs 31: 28-29, Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all." Now, before you roll on the floor laughing at the thought of your husband saying that about you, think about how wonderful it would be to actually hear your husband say that about you - and mean it!

In the guided prayer Donna states: "I want him to be madly in love with me, inside and out." Isn't that really what we all want? If we lived our life knowing that our husband was madly in love with us, inside and out, we would be much happier and alot easier to love! And, isn't that what God wants from us, to be madly in love with Him? How much simpler life would be. Donna goes on to say, "There's something very special about knowing your husband thinks you are the greatest, even if you're not." So true! Suggested reading: The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands by Dr. Laura Schlessinger.

Next, let's explore the legacy of Susanna Wesley. Donna tells us Susanna had 19 children with whom she spent 30 minutes of 1-on-1 time with each week. Two of her sons, John and Charles Wesley were key components in the Great Awakening in England. Charles a great song writer and John harkened as the father of the Methodist and Wesleyan religions. One of the men John Wesley led to the Lord was John Taylor who became a preacher. His sons and grandsons became preachers and one of his great-grandsons was J. Hudson Taylor who became the founder of the China Inland Mission. All-in-all, 9 generations of preachers in the Taylor family. Also impacted by one of the Wesley sons was Jonathan Edwards, "The state of New York did a study on five generations of the Edwards family and found that of their 729 descendants, 300 were preachers, 65 became college professors, 13 were university professors, 60 were authors, 3 were congressmen, and 1 became vice president of the United States." WOW! What a legacy, because one woman taught her children to read the Bible and love the Lord.

Establish family traditions was one of my favorite sessions. Just to take a calendar or scratch paper and list all of the things we do as a family every year. To see it all laid out month-by-month for birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, summer was a pleasure! This is another great opportunity to involve the whole family. You can find out what they remember and look forward to on each event. Start with: "We always..." and fill in the blanks for each month or event. This is also a great way to find out what is really memorable for your family members and make sure you don't forget that part next time :)

This entire book revolves around the next one: Honor the Sabbath. The book states every Sunday, this is not a day to catch up on things, this is a day to rest and reflect. Donna provides a simple guideline: "If it's work-related or stressful, don't do it. If it's restful, do it."

Lastly, Live in Peace. We all know that we have to forgive others like Christ forgave us. Here are five questions to ask yourself to live in peace:

1. Am I repaying evil for evil?
2. Am I careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody?
3. As far as it depends on me, am I living at peace?
4. Am I taking revenge?
5. Am I leaving justice in the hands of the only One who judges justly?

Enjoy your family this week!

Christina

Proverbs 31 - Week Nine

Long awaited, this week's lesson was about Household Management. This is one of those chapters I could have used a long time ago, but God knew when to bring it into my life. It certainly could have been more in depth, but that would have made it much easier to fail. Most of us will benefit with just a point in the right direction.

But, this chapter includes more than just cleanliness in your home. Start with the 80/20 rule again. Divide your home into 10 zones and list them. Then, put a star next to the 20% of your home that causes 80% of your problems. Work on those two zones and you will make a huge impact on your chaos.

Next is the infamous clutter. Junk mail, catalogs, magazines, trinkets. The 80/20 rule works well here too, but also think about things that are outdated and unnecessary. Only keep things to pass down to future generations if they are things they want, ask them. Create a bin for these things and if you want to add items to it later, you have to take something else out. Suggested reading: The Messies Manual and Smart Organizing by Sandra Felton.

Cleaning supplies and chemicals are next. There are many ways these days to get back to the good ole days with cleaning supplies and any number of websites and product lines to help you do it. I won't go into that. However, Donna does recommend changing air filters monthly, leaving the home open (windows cracked, etc.) to prevent indoor air from becoming stale, washable pillow and mattress covers and hardwood floors over carpeting. Here's a surprising statement from her book: "I was alarmed when I learned that women who stay at home have a 54% higher death rate from cancer than women who work outside of the home, according to a 17 year study conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency. Poor indoor air quality...is a far more serious issue than most women realize." This day's reading also includes information on removing all chemical cleaning products from your home stating that accidental poisoning in the home is the second leading cause of death in children under five.

Fortunately, the next days' lesson focuses on shared responsibility in the home. Starting with Joshua 24:15 - But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. Notice that it says "we" will serve the Lord. "Mom isn't the household servant...Part of the 'faithful instruction' that needs to be on our tongue is teaching our kids how to run a household so they'll know what to do when they leave home." I was shocked (pleasantly!) to hear this information: "...young adults who had participated in household chores when they were ages three and four were more successful as adults than those who hadn't had household jobs to do...more likely to complete their education, get a good start on a career, develop adult relationships, and avoid the use of drugs...early participation in household chores was deemed more important in their success than any other factor, including IQ." WOW! Didn't know I was doing all that for my kids! Suggested reading: The Greatest Management Principle in the World by Dr. Michael LeBoeuf. Donna goes on to say, "Tell your kids you'd rather apologize to them now instead of having to apologize to their frustrated spouses later on...Your future sons- and daughters-in-law will rise up and call you blessed for teaching your kids shared servanthood."

This chapter finishes up with a spiritual cleansing of your home starting with Nehemiah 13:7-9. "If you've traveled to other countries, be particularly alert to the fact that some items sold as tourist trinkets are actually foreign idols...If you have a teenager, particularly a troubled teenager, I urge you to consider prayerfully a Nehemiah purge of your house." This can be especially effective if you are able to share this activity with those in your home. Let the Holy Spirit lead your decisions and pray about what you should remove and what you should replace the items with. Donna also suggests that you could have a spiritual leader pray over the items you use to replace in your home and over your home as a whole. "Rid your house of anything that might be offensive to God or anything that might serve as a foothold for the Enemy. Consider replacing the items with Scripture plaques, crosses, or other sacred items. Pray over and spiritually purify your home. Invite a spiritual leader to bless your house, if you desire."

This is a large chapter with a lot of activities for the week and some great examples that I couldn't possibly include here for length. I know that you will enjoy the book. The next week is centered on Family Relationships, may we all live in peace!

Proverbs 31 delay

The next installment of my Proverbs 31 sessions will be delayed this week as I am enjoying some much needed R&R. It promises to be a great deal of very useful information relating to housework. I wish I had this book so many years ago!! But, the Lord knew when to put it into my life when I would get the most use out of it and be most interested in using it! Thank you Jesus! God is good, all the time!

Proverbs 31 - Week 8

First, let me apologize again for the delay. My summer routine is not yet established, but I am working on it!

This week's lessons begin with a remarkable passage from I Thessalonians 4:11-12: Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. (NIV)

Let's break that down a bit.

1. Lead a quiet life.
2. Mind your own business.
3. Work with your hands. (and do what you're told.)

And the results are:

1. Your daily life may win respect.
2. You will not be dependent on anybody.

Well, that sounds just fabulous to me!!! Where do I sign up?

Although there is some room for inspiration here, you could say that "mind your own business" refers to gossiping or nosiness. I am taking it to mean attending to my own line of business, whatever God wants that to be at this time in my life. For some time now and for many reasons, I have had a desire to have my own business. To be able to assist with the family budget in more ways than clipping coupons and shopping for sales. To have the sense of accomplishment that comes with making something to sell or to be consumed by others. To simply have conversations with other moms/adults that don't involve cartoons or crayons :) I can't quite figure out what to do. I would love to bake bread, cookies and pies to sell; have an online Christian book store; make beaded jewelry for sale at a local consignment shop. There are so many ideas.

Donna imparts so much wisdom this week, here are a few of her highlights:

• "...women start twice as many businesses as men and are far more likely to succeed."
• "...God intended the home to be the center of our lives, not just the place we come to recover from our lives."
• "...any woman can make extra money from home is she is willing to work."
• "...include your children in your business so they learn to be entrepreneurial and self-sufficient under God's sufficiency..."
• "...the Proverbs 31 woman had multiple streams of income...She operated various manufacturing and direct-selling enterprises: 'She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.' She invested in real estate: 'She considers a field and buys it.' ...she reinvested the profits into yet another income-generating business: 'Out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.' ...she diversified her income streams. If we are wise, we will do the same."
• "In direct selling companies, the person who does the work earns the money."
• "The best part about joining forces with an existing business is that you don't have to start from scratch."
• "Just $250 per month, beginning at age forty, will yield $330,000 for your retirement."
• "...there is no hard-and-fast rule that applies to all investing - except one: to profit from your investments, we have found it is vital always to diversify them. ...Ecclesiastes 11:2: 'Divide your means seven ways, or even eight, for you do not know what disaster may happen on earth (NRSV)." -Tamera Aragon
• "There are two ways for investors to make money in real estate: appreciation [when you sell or refinance; buy and sell] and cash flow [month after month, as long as you own the property; buy and hold]." - Tamera Aragon
• Real estate investments to consider: Rental properties, Lease options, Fixer-uppers, Vacant land, Forced appreciation, Preconstruction, Foreclosures.
• Internet Marketing: eBay, Craigslist, Amazon, etc.

Suggested reading:

• Homemade Business: A Woman's Step-by-Step Guide to Earning Money at Home - Donna Partow
• www.donnapartow.com/homebasedbusiness
• Multiple Streams of Income - Robert Allen

Next week, a true need for improvement for me, we will discuss Household Management. Hold on to your hat Martha!

Proverbs 31 - Week 7

Personal Appearance is this week's topic and covers everything from color choices and wearing the right size to modesty and countenance. Here are some highlights:

• Determine your core color and stick with it, shop during the season that compliments this color and only buy clothing that coordinates with this color. (Dark hair and eyes - black - winter; Dark hair and blue, green or hazel eyes - light skin tone - navy - summer, dark skin tone - black - winter; Blonde hair and blue, green or hazel eyes - navy - summer; Red hair - brown - late fall; Sandy/Blonde hair and brown eyes - camel - spring or fall.)
• Give away or exchange everything else in your closets.
• Determine your ideal body weight: "Your ideal weight is the healthiest weight you can maintain while leading a sustainable lifestyle." Use this website to help find your ideal weight range. http://www.consumer.gov/weightloss/bmi.htm
• Box up all of your clothing that doesn't currently fit, but is in your ideal weight range. Put a date on this box and get rid of anything left in the box if it still doesn't fit in one year.
• Give away or exchange anything that doesn't fit currently and isn't in your previous box.
• Expand this to your personal care items: skincare, makeup, toiletries, etc. Box everything up that you don't use daily/weekly. If it's still in the box after one year, toss it out.
• "...I have talked about how less is more. That's almost always true, but there is an important exception: fabric. When it comes to fabric, more is more....Remember, ladies, for the kingdom's sake, for modesty's sake, and, well, for mercy's sake: more fabric!"
• "Unless you are in stellar physical condition, you will probably look better in a skirt than in pants...I am a forty-something pear-shaped woman, and very few women over forty look their very best in pants. Conversely, almost all women look attractive in a well-made, properly fitting skirt that hits below the knee....Some apple-shaped women do look better in pants provided they wear long tunic-style tops. If you are a woman who carries every drop of excess weight above the waist...you can wear pants to your heart's content."
• "There are some women whose countenance reflects the love and care they receive, not from an earthly husband but a heavenly one. These are women who know deep down in their spirit that they are precious and honored in God's sight. These are who derive their primary identity from their relationship with God..."
• "A countenance that radiates a gentle and quiet spirit grows out of God-confidence."

I pray that you know you are precious in God's sight and know that you are a daughter of the King! May your appearance reflect God's love!

I am already getting excited about next week's topic: Home Enterprises.

Proverbs 31 - Week 6

This week was definitely full! Here are a few of the highlights:

• John Wesley - "'Earn all you can; save all you can; give all you can.' Christians shouldn't be financially broke. We should be financially wise."
• "Which is greater: 90 percent plus God or 100 percent minus God?"
• Robert Kiyosaki (Rich Dad, Poor Dad) - "The poor and middle class work for money. The rich have money work for them."
• "...an asset is somthing that puts money in my pocket. A liability is something that takes money out of my pocket." - Robert Kiyosaki
• "Put the income into an income-generating asset, then you can spend, not once, but as long as the asset keeps generating income."
• "Lord, I know you work miracles. You can bring stones back to life from heaps of rubble and you can enable me to get my finances in good order."
• See a separate post about the "Debt Snowball."
• "When you get an offer in the mail, declare out loud: 'I know what this is. It's an invitation to the valley of Ono [Nehemiah 6] - and oh no, I don't want to go there!'"
• http://www.optoutprescreen.com/ or 1-888-5OptOut
• "How many items fall into the 'I never would have bought it if I had to save up to get it' category?"
• "'The secret of financial success is to spend what you have left over after saving, instead of saving what is left over after spending.' We all know there's never anything left over."
• "Over the past fifty years, the stock market has averaged an 11 percent annual return. That's no guarantee for the future, but stocks have never lost money over any ten-year period - and that includes the decade of the Great Depression. Your best choice is an index fund."

Recommended reading: Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki; The Automatic Millionaire by David Bach; The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

It's obvious to most of us that we live outside of our means and it can be very overwhelming to think about getting out of debt, but there are many small ways we can help ourselves. This week's study gave very specific ways to take small steps and make a difference in your finances while getting a sense of accomplishment quickly. You can do it! Start today!

Proverbs 31 - Week 5

This week's lesson is entitled: Management Tools and oh, how I wish I had this when I first got married! But, it's never too late to learn, so here goes.

The first day's focus is an emphasis on maximizing each day by placing daily action items to each of the following categories based on your personal mission statement: Spiritual, Physical, Relational, Personal, Ministry and Financial. This sounds just as hard as it is, but once you do it for a few days, you get it. Imagine ending the day each day by setting yourself up for the following day by reviewing each of your appointments and tasks and also asking yourself what you can do in each of these categories the following day to fulfill your mission statement! Sounds great, right? It really is that easy.

The next day you get even more organized by applying the 80/20 rule to your entire life. Friends, hobbies, activities, clients/customers if applicable, to-do lists, etc. Focus on the 20% that will give you 80% results.

Next, we move into something I just love to do. Give away all that you can. I love to go through my closets and get rid of stuff that we just don't need any more. We have a great thrift store run by a shelter for battered women in our area. I just learned about the Women's Resouce Center of Jax that is need of baby items. We have a consignment shop that we consign other children's items through, additionally, they donate items that don't sell. It is so energizing to free up space in your home and know that needy people will be overjoyed to have it. Donna takes another spin on this in a great effort to do this quickly and to make it less complicated. Just take one box with you, when it's full get another one and think of this as a ministry to others as well as yourself and your family.

The last two active days of the week go together in my opinion and gladly follow the previous day's giving away. Store away anything you do not use every month and make a tackle list of those things that were just too big for the past three days. The trick to this in my house is where to put the storage until I can get through the garage and attic!

The routine this week will certainly give you a refreshing feeling and a plan to follow anytime you are feeling the crunch of environmental chaos in your home. I really enjoyed it and didn't stress too much an hour later when my kitchen counter became everyone's dumping ground.

I haven't gotten to the cleansing bath just yet, but I finally did purchase the last of my supplies today.

This week's verse was a little harder for me to learn, maybe because I didn't fully understand what some of the items were. Proverbs 31: 18-19 She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindles with her fingers.

Watch out! Next week is Financial Planning!

Proverbs 31 - Week 4

The past week's study was titled: "Strengthening Your Body." The focus items this week were adding a Prayer Walk to your daily routine, using enhanced water, giving your body time to digest, defying gravity with the use of a rebounder, and a cleansing diet and bath. You can tell from this that it was a full week.

While the emphasis is on a Prayer Walk, not just a walk, many benefits of walking are listed. The book states: "Studies have shown that brisk walking is associated with substantial declines in the incidence of coronary problems in women, can reduce or eliminate high blood pressure, strengthen bones, and increases levels of HDL (good cholesterol), reducing the risk of coronary artery disease. A Harvard study found that women who take a brisk walk each day can cut their risk of developing type 2 diabetes in half. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, regular physical exercise performed most days of the week will reduce your risk of dying prematurely, reduce high blood pressure, and reduce your risk of developing colon cancer." WOW...I don't think anything else has this kind of impact. Then imagine adding the spiritual growth you could experience by adding prayer to this walk time...amazing!

Please note that we are talking about a brisk walk for these health benefits. Approximately 17-20 minutes per mile. That's a fairly good pace, and will get you just under 2 miles in about 30 minutes.

What Donna calls "enhanced water" is next. She offers two options for this. The first is hot lemon water. You basically start with 1/8 of a lemon and squeeze the juice into a cup of hot water (no sweeteners). You do this at the start and end of your day and build up to using 1/2 of a lemon per glass. The second option is using unsweetened cranberry juice. You take 1 part unsweetened cranberry juice and add 3 parts water. For example: 8 ounces of cranberry is combined with 24 ounces of water for 32 ounces to drink before lunch. You make another batch to finish before bed. Although it does say that there are side effects if you have toxins in your body, I did not experience any.

Next is giving your body time to digest. Earlier in the study, we set an evening routine complete with a curfew of sorts. You start with your bed time and back-up three hours and don't eat anything after that time. This allows your body time to digest your food before going to bed, so that your body can actually rest during sleep time and not continue working on things. Great idea, hard to follow...I like to snack, especially during the evening. Once all the kids are in bed, it's the only time I have that I can eat without sharing!

The next day's text focused on the use of a rebounder, which is a better quality version of a mini trampoline and comes with a hefty price tag. I've never used a rebounder, but Donna states that it helps you use more muscles at one time, therefore getting a better workout and using muscles that you normally wouldn't use. Since I bike about 5 miles a day, 5 days a week, I didn't try this, but it sounds fun.

Lastly, Donna provides a recipe for a cleansing bath with baking soda, epsom salts and lavendar or arnica oil and recommends using this daily or at least weekly. She again warns that you may feel the effects if you have toxins built up in your body. I'll let you know how this goes, I haven't purchased all of the supplies yet.

All in all, this week went well and I am still enjoying the study very much. I will leave you with the memory verses for Week 4 and encourage you to keep the faith.

Proverbs 31:16-17 She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously, her arms are strong for her tasks.

In His service,
Christina

Proverbs 31 - Week 3

I apologize that I have kept you waiting for the update to the Proverbs 31 study. It really has been fabulous and I am more organized and getting more accomplished than I ever thought possible in such a short period of time.

Week 3 of the Proverbs 31 study was entitled Healthy Eating. While I am in no way an organic eater, food purist or vegetarian, I thought that I did pretty well. I went into this week thinking I wouldn't learn much since I have been focusing on eating healthy for some time, but boy, was I wrong!

This week begins with a cleaning out of your pantry. While that may seem like a daunting task, the big challenge this week (and into next week) is a vegetable and water 10 day challenge based on Daniel 1:11-15. You will find, if you read this passage in varying translations, there is a vast difference on the definition of "pulse." Some definitions take this to be literally nothing but vegetables and water, some indicate that it is a mixture of nuts, seeds and grains that were ground together and eaten as a mush, and some give no definition other than pulse and since I am not a Biblical scholar, I don't know what the original language intended this to be. I attempted to use my own definition of anything that grows (vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, grains and lentils) and also include milk for calcium, but exclude any other animal products (meat, poultry, eggs, animal fats). The study also goes on to include limiting your sugar intake. It was hard and I can tell you now that I have not completed the 10 day challenge and have no intentions of doing so. It's not that my body can't handle it, it's that my will-power can't! Maybe this is why Weight Watchers has been so successful for me in the past. They don't tell you that you can't have something, just that you have to use good common sense about what you eat and how much of it.

I did try the cabbage soup that I read about on Donna Partow's website. While the soup tasted good and I'm sure the nutrition content is through the roof, it does get boring quickly. Fortunately, I was able to freeze half for another week. In the actual cabbage soup diet, you do add in other things besides the soup during the week which must make it easier. Since you avoid carbs and have very little protien, it isn't recommended for more than a week at a time and then a two week break between. Do not try this or any diet without consulting your physician.

Here are some of the study highlights from the week:

• "When they [Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego] chose food you provided (vegetables and water) rather than food the world had prepared, they were blessed."
• "It's said that the reason the lions couldn't eat him [Daniel] was because he was all backbone. Unfortunately many Christians today are all wishbone and no backbone."
• "Self-control is your personal city wall. It's your first line of defense."
• "To get an idea of what a reasonable portion of food looks like, draw an imaginary line through the middle of your plate. One-half of your plate should be filled with vegetables and fruits. Divide the other half into two equal parts: one section for protien and the other for whole grains." (Also referenced is a great website: http://www.theportionplate.com/ )
• "The United States recently ranked forty-second in logevity among nations of the world, behind Guam and Jordan."
• "...living a stressful (translate that: refusing to trust God) lifestyle."
• "Is not life more important than food?" Matt 6:25
• "Psalm 103:5 says that God 'satisfies your desires with good things.' Learn to satisfy your hunger with god things: time with God or good friends, fresh air, long walks."
• "Don't live to eat; eat to live."
• "Begin using an eight- or nine-inch plate, rather than the typical eleven- or twelve-inch dinner plate. Don't take seconds of anything but vegetables...never, ever clean your plate!"
• "Because we didn't take time to plan or prepare ahead, our waistlines (and cholesterol levels) will pay the price. You realize, of course, that the reason it's called fast food is because it's better to fast than to eat the food?"
• "...let me suggest the book Once-a-Month Cooking by Mary-Beth Lagerborg and Mimi Wilson." (A great book! I have used it and it works very well, the main point is that you plan ahead and use one day for shopping and one day for cooking.)

The weekly checkup was a breeze this week. I don't know if it is because I got through those struggles with being too hard on myself or what, but it may just be that I am building on the principles from the previous week and leaning on God's grace. I hope you are enjoying these updates, more next week.

In Christ,

Christina

Proverbs 31 update coming

My apologies, the update for last week's Proverbs 31 study is coming and will be posted soon. Thank you for your patience!

Proverbs 31 - Week 2

As I beat myself up during the check-up on Saturday, I had to take a step back and stop trying to be so hard on myself. No, I didn't do EVERY step EVERY day, so I didn't want to mark it off the list. I made excuses that it was because my printer didn't work or I was having to make too many adjustments around everyone else's schedule. When it came down to it, I did do many of the activities for the week, most every day. I have always had a hard time with devotions. It was never part of my "normal routine." I didn't realize when I started this book, that I would have devotions on top of this book and the planner and the other activities of the book. I guess that's what has helped me these past couple of years, I was always in one Bible study or another and considered that my devotional. So, in-between studies, I always felt a little lost. I am making a renewed commitment now to a continual study of the Bible, no longer just reading the passages provided in the book I am reading, but actual Bible study and I am glad to share that with you all, as Proverbs 28:13 (NIV) states: "He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy."

Here are a few highlights from my reading of Becoming the Woman God Wants Me to Be this past week:

1. "To be selective means to be discriminating, discerning, and choosy - to be careful about the choices you make. It's the opposite of the mindless living that characterizes so many of us today."
2. "God's Word says that a person who meditates on Scripture - who remains faithful and sinks deep roots into the living water - that person will prosper in season. However, in season may not mean next week."
3. "It's been aptly said, 'When we work, we work. But when we pray, God works.'"
4. "The psalmist declared: 'I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety' (Ps 4:8). Notice the phrase 'I will.' It's a decision."
5. "...I want to live my life in such a way that when my feet hit the floor in the morning, the devil yells, 'Oh, no, she's up!'"

So, to summarize, old dogs can learn new tricks, but it may be harder and you may not see the fruit from obedience right away, but keep at it!

Next week's focus is healthy eating, that should be thought provoking!

Proverbs 31 - Becoming the Woman God Wants Me to Be

Over the course of the next several weeks, I plan to write a blog every week about this study as I progress through this 90-day experience.


It truly is an experience! Since I am currently on day 11, I'll catch you up and then I plan to blog each Monday to update you on the previous week. First, let me say that I have reviewed several books based on Proverbs 31 and have found many that encourage you not to try to be this woman. I don't believe God had King Solomon write this chapter and include it in the Bible if He didn't have a specifc purpose for our lives. Donna Partow shows this very well in her book Becoming the Woman God Wants Me to Be. It is already making an impact on my daily routines and definitely my focus and purpose.


How I wish I had this book when I first became an adult or at least when I was newly married and had just begun having kids! Here goes, I hope you enjoy this journey with me.


Week 1: First, don't expect just to start reading this book everyday and that's it. There's pre-work before you even begin and practical applications (yes, homework!) every day. Don't get discouraged just yet, it shouldn't take much of your daily time and shouldn't we be tithing our time to God? Isn't it His time anyway? By the end of this week, you can expect to accomplish so many things.

1. Pre-work includes partial assembly of your personal notebook, which is very much like a planner that you would use on the job.


2. In addition to the Practical Applications, Time Alone with God, Scripture Memory, Affirmations and Prayers are part of the daily reading included. The Scripture Memory is great, imagine being able to commit Proverbs 31:10-31 to memory in just 90 days!


3. Check-up and Reflection on Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday is your Check-up, here you can catch up on any activities you didn't complete during the week and also check off all of your accomplishments. Sunday is a day of Reflection, as it should be. A great review of what you have learned this week.

Here are a few of my favorite points to whet your appetite:

• "A woman who is so wise she has figured out how to get the bacon to come to her and has trained her children to be servant-hearted enough to do the frying - now that's a valuable woman!"


• "Christian meditation almost sounds like an oxymoron...We need to take back meditation!"


• "Capable women don't complain. They take action to change the situation or have enough faith to accept the things they cannot change."

Thank you Donna for showing us how to become the Proverbs 31 woman, one step at a time with the first priority of fellowship with God!

This is an exciting study! More Monday on week 2.