Priorities

Priorities... that word alone makes me want to run in the other direction.  Can you tell I'm a "Type B" person?  The baby of the family?  We all need priorities in life and sometimes those priorities get a little mixed up... or forgotten... or lost.

It's Day 3 of the 65 day "Reshaping it All" challenge I began this week and today's challenge has to do with setting priorities.  Part of successful changes come from reorganizing and changing priorities.  For example,  my former priority in eating was to satisfy my cravings for whatever I felt like.  Talk about denial.  I think I was believing I was still in my early 20's when I could eat whatever I wanted without gaining an ounce.  Now just thinking about food I gain weight!  My "new" priority is to think before I eat and ask myself if I can "afford" to eat whatever it is.  If I can't "afford" it, I either have to pass it by or I have to make up the deficit by exercising so that I can afford those extra calories.

So... Darlene asked us today to think of 4 things in our lives that we want to "reshape".  Here are mine:

1.  A more disciplined prayer life.  Don't get me wrong... I pray every day, often throughout my day, but what I'm talking about here is one of those "shut out the world and get on my knees and spend solitude with Jesus" kinds of prayer lives.  You know the kind... "Soaking Prayers" like the Beth Moore's and Angela Thomas' have with Jesus!  Those intimate #1 priority type prayer lives that really move things in the heavenly realms.  Often I feel too ADD for prayer with my mind racing here and there, from one thing to the next.  Wanna reshape that big time!

2.  A better housekeeping schedule.  As I was browsing about Darlene's websites the other day, I came across this amazing section about housekeeping that I immediately wanted to begin implementing.  This Housekeeping Schedule should help me put my home in order and a sense of peace to all who enter... not to mention relieve that last minute panic when I know people are coming over.  You know you know what I mean!

3.  My body of course... and my eating habits.  I guess this one is a given, huh, considering I joined up for this 65 day challenge.  It's not that I'm looking for a "diet" so much as I want to "reshape" my eating habits and lifestyle.  About 8 weeks ago I threw my back out while putting on my pants to go to church one Sunday morning.  My back spasmed for days and then while away visiting my sister in NC, I found that I was in pain both sitting and standing.  While standing it felt like my bones were locking and the pain was unbearable.  I knew then that NOW was the time to change this.  I'm only 46 yet was feeling like I was 66 (or even 76... not that I know what that feels like, or that it's a negative thing for some active, healthier individuals of that age).  All I knew was that I didn't like how limited my motion was and that if I didn't make some changes soon, it was going to be a very limiting life ahead for me.  I'm married to a guy who exercises almost every day, even while away on business trips.  He's made his own little home gym in our basement family room so I really had no excuse for not getting fit.  I even have my own personal trainer/cheerleader, yet it wasn't enough for me to get up off the sofa and get moving... until this last bout with a bad back.  It was then that I came home from that trip and decided to put my Wii to good use and that's when I started my 6 week EA Sports Active challenge.  Now with only 3 days left of that challenge, my lower back feels amazing and the aches and pains of March are faint memories.  I'm feeling inspired and excited to "reshape" my body further and those eating patterns along with it!

4.  My ministry and leadership skills.  This past September I ventured into scary territory with my church ladies' group when I stepped up as "facilitator" of our Abide group.  Feeling like Moses, with knees knocking I took the reigns of the "up-front" job and led our ladies on Thursday mornings and Wednesday evenings into our DVD studies.  From what I can tell, women enjoyed themselves and strengthened their walks with Jesus (although I can take NO credit for that), but I know inside of me that there is more there for God to do in me and through me in this ministry.  I desire to reshape my leadership skills and part of that is reshaping my dependence and intimacy with God, which brings me back to my #1 above... it all kind of comes full circle I think.

There are lots of other ways I desire to "reshape" myself over the next 65 days and beyond, but for today those are my desires, hopes, dreams... dare I say, goals.

Now it's your turn... what would be the 4 things in your life you'd like to "reshape" this month, season, year?