Dealing with Complaining/Whining

I have a couple children who tend to be chronic complainers. I got this "routine" from a friend on one of my yahoo groups and it really helps to at least decrease the amount of negative comments that they utter. Most importantly, it helps them to change their way of thinking to be thankful in everything.

Child complains
Parent says “Philippians 2”
Child quotes Philippians 2:14, 15 “Do all things without grumbling and complaining, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.”
Child quotes 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Child restates complaint into stating something for which they are thankful.
Example: “I don’t want to wash the dishes” becomes “I am thankful that God has provided a meal to enjoy with my family and that I can do my part to serve my family by helping to clean up.”

Weight Loss Wednesday

I have walked 8 miles -- 13.33% of my goal of 60 miles!!





I don't have much to report here. I haven't lost any weight in three weeks. I have been walking every day, eating well, and drinking lots of water. I hope to see some progress on the scale soon, but in the meantime I am feeling good and will continue to work hard.

February Goals

I like to make goals each month that help me to accomplish my overall goals for the year. I make one for each area of my life. Here is what I am going to be working on this month:

Spirit:
goal for 2009--solid prayer life
goal for February--pray for my husband daily
(To join me in this prayer challenge, sign up at dawn@spicefamily.net or on the facebook page)

Body:
goal for 2009--lose 50 lbs.
goal for February--drink at least 8 cups of water daily
I usually do pretty good at this, but want to track it and make sure

Soul:
goal for 2009--take time everyday for me
goal for February--learn something everyday

Home:
goal for 2009--take care of all projects I've been putting off
goal for February--garage cleared enough to use for play items

Relationships:
goal for 2009--do a better job of staying in touch
goal for February--personally correspond with at least one person everyday

I wish everyone the best with their February goals!

30 Day Prayer Challenge

This month one of my goals is to pray for my family everyday. This morning on my walk, the Lord prompted me to stop the audio message I was listening to and pray for my husband right then. I did, and that prayer turned into Him instructing me and confirming that He wants me to spend at least 30 minutes praying for my husband every day. I am going use The Power of a Praying Wife as a guide, praying for a different area of my husband's life and walk with the Lord each day.

If anyone would like to join me and commit to praying for your husband for a half hour everyday this month, you can either...

email me at dawn@spicefamily.net to sign up:
Just put 30 Day Prayer Challenge in the subject line and "Sign me up!" in the message. By signing up here, you will get your challenges in your email box every day. This will also put you on my mailing list for future events.

join the facebook group to be notified:
Signing up here will enable you to access each day's challenge on the facebook site. This will also allow you to interact with others who are doing the challenge too.

(You can, of course, sign up both ways)

I look forward to seeing how the Lord will use this to work and move in the lives of us and our husbands.

~Dawn

Tithing Time

Today I was listening to a message and the speaker was talking about the importance of spending time with the Lord in prayer and in reading His Word. I know that we all know that this is important and I am sure most of you do spend time with Him daily. I have even considered the verse that tells us to give our first fruits to God in the context of not just possessions but time as well. But I had not really thought about the fact that since God gives us the specific number that should represent our first fruits--10 percent--that this should apply to our time just as much as it should our possessions. Now I know that God does not specifically require that we give him 10 percent of our time, but what if He did? Would I be able to trust that if I give Him 10 percent that he will take care of the other 90? I do it with my money, would I be willing to do it with my time? 24 hours in a day--10 percent is 2 hours and 24 minutes. Now, if I were to do my morning quiet time, my afternoon study, and my evening reading, I would be pretty close to this. If I added in some good solid (desperately needed might I add) prayer time, it would definitely amount to that much time. Problem is, I rarely actually do all of the things that I plan. And why not? Because I see other things that I think need to be done more. Shame on me for not realizing that just as I trust God with all of my money, I can trust Him with all of my time. Knowing that if we give Him our first fruits we can trust Him to stretch what is left and continue to give us an abundant harvest, we should be giving Him at least 10 percent of our time.

I am going to make this my goal for February-to give God at least 10 percent of my time--2 hours and 24 minutes every day. Does anyone want to join me?

Weight Loss Wednesday (on Thursday)

I have walked 26 miles -- 52% of my goal of 50 miles!!





Last week I didn't walk at all. I was feeling so tired, it was difficult to get up in the morning. I promised myself that on Monday I would get up and walk no matter what. I did and guess what? I wasn't tired at all. I remembered that when I force myself to get up and walk, it energizes me for the whole day. I am less tired when I get up earlier and walk than when I sleep an extra hour. I am still staying up too late, but I hope I can continue to get up anyway and get the exercise I need.

Fireproof Movie

I finally got to watch Fireproof movie last night. I have been doing The Love Dare through Family Life's website, but had not been able to see the movie in theaters. I rented it and Paul and I watched it last night. I really enjoyed it. The story is really good and I think the Lord is going to use it heal a lot of marriages. If you have not seen it yet, I encourage you to check it out.

Five Minutes for Moms is doing a giveaway and you can enter to win a copy of Fireproof. While you are there you can listen to a podcast of an interview with Kirk Cameron from the movie. I recently read his autobiography, Still Growing, and am really looking forward to listening to the interview.

Praying that I receive a copy of Fireproof for Valentines Day,
Dawn