RISK!

     What is the risk in Risk? It's just a board game. Although some people take winning very seriously, it's just a game that soon after game night is over no one remembers who wins and who loses. Technically it's the same for life, right? But that is a little too deep a subject for this blog. I just want to talk about the strategy I learned from playing the game of Risk. Of course, that was years before it was HALO WARS Risk but things haven't changed much. The Risk of not using the Risk Strategy is to remain in chaos and miss out on the freedom from stress that conquering the clutter in your life at home can bring.

     Instead of conquering the purple continent of Australia in the lower right hand corner on the original Risk board, my new strategy would

The Day After

Happy Birthday, Baby!

    Twenty five years ago my daughter missed her first Christmas and blessed us with her birth the day after. She was due on December 13, 1986 and was showing promising signs of coming early on Thanksgiving Day. We had plans to take our two week old baby to Kansas City and celebrate her first Christmas with family and friends. We had her "Baby's First Christmas" stocking hung next to mom and dad's and her big brother's. She had gifts under the tree and Santa had her on his list.
   December 13th came and went and soon it was apparent that a trip to Kansas City was not going to be possible. I still held out hope that she would be here before Christmas and then

Getting the Jump on 2012

Got Two Legs Will Use Them

     As your preparations for the big day wind down, why not get a jump on changing your unproductive habits in 2012. Formally known as New Year's Resolutions, I like to the think of them as my 2012 Lifestyle Changes. Like with any goal setting, you need to be specific and put these lifestyle changes in writing. However, in order to actually acheive and sustain changes in your life you need focus. Too many changes at one time or goals that don't really fit your values and beliefs will be a distraction and keep you from achieving the things you really want to achieve.      
        Expand to narrow. Begin free writing everything you want to achieve, to be, to see, or to do in 2012. Get whacky

Day seven: This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus

 ^"This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus." 1 Thess 5: 18b (Good News Translation).  This is "Be joyful always, pray at all times, be thankful in all circumstances." 1 Thess 5:16-18a.

 As you reflected on these verses over the last seven days I hope that God has revealed many wonderful things to you about his deep and unending love for you. This is what he wants for each of us: That we are Joyful always, that we are close to him in prayer, and that we have much to be grateful for. Assuredly you can not always muster up a Joyful heart on your own, so God gave us Hope. God gave us the priviledge of contacting him 24/7 through prayer. Because of his great love for us God gives us something to be thankful in all circumstances. Why? Because this is what God wants from us and for us: Joy, Relationship, and Thankfulness.
  He gives us Joy, Relationship, and Thankfulness in our life through our union with Christ Jesus. Jesus is the Hope of the world for which we can rejoice ALWAYS. Prayer is our personal direct cell phone link to God. Because our life is in union with Jesus Christ, we can look around in every circumstance and see God working together all things for the good of those who love him. We love him because he loved us first and gave us all these good things.
   "Be Joyful Always, pray at all times, be thankful in all circumstances. This is what God wants from you in your life in uion with Christ Jesus." 1 Thess 5:16-18

Day six: Be Joyful always, pray at all times, be thankful in all circumstances

To Do Today

• Be Joyful Always
• Pray at All Times
• Be Thankful in All Circumstances

Day five: In your life in union with Christ Jesus

    Yesterday we reflected on the bit of scripture, "This is what God wants from you in your life..." The second half of that sentence clarifies the life God desires for you. "... in your life in union with Christ Jesus." In union with Christ. So God desires a life for you in union with Christ Jesus.
    A union is a joining together with. What changes in your life when you begin to think of your life joined together with Christ?

Day four: This is what God wants from you in your life

      How many times have you asked yourself, "What is the purpose that God has for my life?" I absolutely love this bit of scripture. "This is what God wants from you in your life..." Doesn't that just perk your ears to hear what comes next? What is this that God wants from you in your life? However, in this case I think we just read what he wants from us; to be joyful always, to pray at all times, and to be thankful in all circumstances.
      I think sometimes we make this so much harder than it is. God gave us the desires  in our hearts to lead us back to him. the skies proclaim the work of his hands. (Psalm 19:1)" God's purpose for our life is simple: rejoice in what he has done, make a relationship with him through prayer your priority, and be grateful.