“For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power (I can) and love (I must) and discipline (I will).” 2 Tim 1:7
Last night’s lesson was very motivating. It reminded me that I have a choice in many areas of my life. I can’t change others, but I can change myself. I’m rarely ever just stuck with something being the way it is … if I want to … I can change it. I will say that I want things … but then I don’t follow through. My laziness and lack of motivation are greater than my desire for change. I’m not a person that puts much stock in ”the new year”. However, I have a few specific goals for this next year that I really want to follow through with. I’m not going to tell you what they are because then I might be held accountable. 
I was praying about them last night … I figured God already knows so I might as well tell Him what I’m trying to do. I was trying to be specific and I was asking Him to give me the discipline to follow through. I fell asleep feeling motivated and determined.
Then this morning I opened my email and this was in my Inbox:
Story of the Day
I know I promised I wouldn’t complain, she said, but I’m not ready to start just yet.
This sounds so much like me …. my motivation went right out the window. It may be a long year.
January 7th, 2011 at 11:57 am
Hahaha! That is funny~
Sounds an awful lot like my thought process most days. I try to be more kind in the way I think about others, but I just am not quite ready apparently! LOL
THERE’S ALWAYS TOMORROW …
January 18th, 2011 at 7:05 pm
Like you, I don’t put much stock in the “new” year…but I’m learning to put much stock in the Lord Who is making all things new. I watched House last nite. I live vicariously through House who cares not a flip for what anyone else thinks of him (a philosophy that can only thrive on television)and says whatever he wants. But the message that came through in last night’s episode was extrememly depressing. The message was that people do not change. And it didn’t matter that the people involved loved and were loved sincerely…like the leopard they just couldn’t change their spots no matter how much it hurt their dear ones. Because of our Lord we are able to reject that message out of hand. And I’m very glad about that. I get very down at my own sluggishness…at the snail’s pace at which I move toward anything that can be called progress…but I cannot and will not say it is impossible. The Cross says otherwise. What I’ve seen His grace do in others says otherwise. So…I’ll keep clinging to the possibility of change…and maybe…just maybe…the exercise of clinging will do me good. God bless you, Paige…you encouraged me with the lesson of 2 Timothy 1:7.
GOOD TO HEAR FROM YOU DOUG. I KNOW CHANGE IS POSSIBLE … I’VE SEEN IT. SO WHY DOES IT SEEM I’M ABLE TO CHANGE THE BIG THINGS, BUT STRUGGLE WITH THE SMALLER ONES? I’M NOT SURE … BUT I’M TRYING TO KEEP TRYING. THANKS FOR THE REMINDER THAT NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE EVEN WHEN PROGRESS IS SLOW.
March 6th, 2011 at 9:55 am
Paige,
I miss reading your stuff…..Excellent lesson….Ive been really working on what I can control which aint much….but I will do my best. I know you will too because everyday is a fresh start…not Jan. 1.
GOOD TO HEAR FROM YOU BARRY. I HAVE BEEN SEEING GLIMPSES OF YOUR EFFORTS TO WORK ON WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL. YOU HAVE TAKEN YOUR BODY UNDER CONTROL AND ARE RUNNING AND BIKING AND ON AND ON. I’M PROUD OF YOU. THAT IS NOT AN EASY TASK, BUT YOU HAVE WORKED TOWARDS A GOAL AND KEPT YOUR FOCUS. GREAT WORK!!!