As you know, I am teaming up with Adventures in Mindful Cooking and taking the Change 3 Challenge (if you’re a blogger taking the challenge click on through to link-up your update)! Also, its not too late for anyone to join in; just assess some changes you’d like to make, and challenge yourself little by little to tackle them this month. If you’d like to share your 3 challenges, I’d love to encourage you along the way!
Onto my week one update…
Earn the Couch:
Ugh, this one is definitely the hardest! After a couple rough evenings or long days, I completely abandoned the challenge and just zoned out for a couple hours, entirely giving up on productivity for the night. Not motivating, but honest, haha.
Another night, I had prepared things, but didn’t switch over my wallet from my other bag and ended up in the grocery store parking lot, on our one big errand that day, with no money! That meant I needed to take time that night to head to the grocery store to prepare for company over the weekend, so it worked out fine, but it was a waste of time. Most nights I’m taking a little time, but I’ve obviously noticed ways I need to streamline the preparation!
This one needs a little more prayer and attention. It really is a CHALLENGE for me, but the days I took the time to prepare were noticeably less stressful. Why can’t I remember that the night before?
The next two were easier because I really want to make them a priority!
Reading:
So far so good, really I love and look forward to this time, plus it is nice because if I feel like I can’t sneak any reading time in during the day or pull myself away from writing, etc. I KNOW that I have that time blocked off in the evening.
God before Media:
I am not getting as much time as I’d like because I mentioned in my Waiting Questionnaire, Max is waking up numerous times a night and far too early in the morning (last night was the first time Max slept through in over a week…and Cal was up for an hour). We are working on this (and ways to help him have independent morning time in his room until a certain time). But Friday morning, he just came on down and sat next to me “reading” his bible as I read mine. I actually do love it when we can have our quiet times together and watch as he pretends to underline passages, write notes, or traces his fingers under random words while saying a memorized verse – melt.my.heart! But it can obviously be distracting and hinders solitude and deeper prayer. So, I might get to read a chapter of a devotional, some scripture and pray for a few minutes, but that just wets my appetite when what I want is to drink deeply and be quenched.
Challenging myself in these areas has made me very aware of them. I have a ways to go, but at least I am concentrating my efforts and trying to be more intentional with my time!
Did you take the Change 3 Challenge? How are you doing? I’d love to hear your progress (or setbacks) in the comments!
Becca V
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Thanks for sharing this. I completely relate. I love seeing my kids read their Bibles next to me, but I really want to be able to concentrate and really study without any distractions – even though they are cute distractions. :)
Amen.
I can totally relate to those challenges! I really like your ‘Earn the Couch’ one…I clockout after dinner and can’t seem to do anything productive. Way to be honest too- Appreciate it! Praying for your week! :)
Thanks, Jenny!
I think the biggest thing I came away with this week is a realization of what I need to do to really change. I guess I thought it would be a little easier to change some things, but if it would have been easier I would have changed already! Praying for you this week during your challenges! My little one has the craziest sleeping schedule too! I think you are doing great. THis challenge isnt about getting the final result we want immediately- its about the journey too and what we learn along the way!
Amber! Agreed – realizing that some habits run much deeper than just not having done them in the past, etc. It is really about growing in the areas of self-discipline and relying on the Lord to transform areas where we struggle!