working toward growth

Yesterday I started a 'did i ever tell you about...' post but the day was just too busy to finish it.  So I will get back to that next week.  For now I just wanted to share a little about what God is doing in my heart right now.  It's not profound but it will definitely make my day to day look different.

A couple of weeks ago my wise friend E (yes, the same E that helped me out with a hair cut) shared something and ever since then it's been heavy on my heart.  Not heavy in a bad way but heavy in a way that I have been pondering it.  Basically it came down to me realizing that my time with the Lord had been put on the back burner to everything else.  It happened without me really realizing it.  Slowly but surely quiet times got shorter, fewer and some days missing all together.  I have been once again trying to do it all on my own.  I think this had a lot to do with the frustration I would begin to feel about small things.  While I was away I was still pondering in my heart all that E had said and how it SO applied to me.  So I began to see some need for change.  So here are a few changes to come for me...

-p90x is going to be way scaled down.  I really enjoy many of the workouts and still hope to use them but there is just no way I can keep up the pace to do it full out.  A wise friend of mine had in a way warned me of this, she also has three small children.  It's not that it would be impossible to continue full out but when other things are sacrificed I must prioritize.  So my hope is to still have at least 4 days a week of exercise and continue eating well.  I am not giving up on my 30 by 30.  But I have to tell you if I wake up later than I intend and I must choose exercise or time with the Lord I will no longer be tying up my tennis shoes but opening His word.  If this choice slows down my weight loss and I don't make my goal I'm certain it is still absolutely the best choice.   

-I'm starting the Beth Moore study on Esther.  That woman has been given a gift and her studies have been a blessing in my life in the past.  I am starting this with E and M and let me tell you I am pumped.  I am ready to dig deep into the word and let Him teach  and change me!

-I'm going to have to do a bit better on scheduling my time.  I don't mean a rigid schedule that will tie me to a clock and lose flexibility in my days but I'm about to take on a little more and the only way that can happen is to get a little bit more organized.  I need to pick up a little more language study time.  Stan and I both plan to try to reach our required proficiency level by this time next year.  He is closer than I am.  So that means I need to kick it up a notch.  Also, Kirby is ready to start some school.  We still won't officially begin Kindergarten until the Fall but he definitely wants to start before then.  We will 'practice' school time starting in March probably.  March is when Stan will start back to classes and I will pick up my extra tutoring hours.  So in order for me to continue with what my days currently consist of and add in a couple of extra things I will be evaluating my time, all that I want/need to accomplish each week and make a realistic flex plan.  I had this when we first moved here but as time went on I let it get too relaxed and I frequently get overwhelmed.

So little by little I might begin to figure all this out.  With all that day to day life requires ultimately I desire to be in a constant state of growth in my walk with the Lord, my relationship with my husband and my boys.  There are things I need to let go of and things I need to grasp tighter.  I know I'm not the only one that struggles with this so as I'm making these changes if you need prayer in doing some of the same things let me know.