Thursday, August 7, 2014

Are You Refreshing? from devotionsforchristianladies.blogspot.com

Are you refreshing?

Devotional
What are some things that are refreshing to you?1. a cold drink (diet, caffeine free coke, iced coffee, club soda with lime…)
2. a dip in the pool on a hot day
3. a shower after a hot, sweaty work day

Definition: RefreshingPleasantly fresh and different: having a reviving effect; pleasantly different or new:


1. Are you Refreshing to other believers:Key verse: 2Co 7:13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.

--When you come to church, are you refreshing to the other members in the church?
Rom 15:32 That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.

2. Are we refreshing to the unbelievers:Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Php 2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

1. Do they see Christ in you?
2. Do they see something pleasantly different and new?

3. How to be refreshing:1. Don’t Complain
2. Don’t be Contentious/Controversial
3. Don’t use Corrupt Communication
Eph 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
4. Contribute wholeheartedly
5. Completely Care
Eph 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

4. How to be refreshed:1. Draw unto the Lord
a. You can’t be refreshing unless you have been refreshed by the Lord (i.e., saved)
-- 2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
b. If you are saved, maybe you need to be refreshed through fellowship with Lord
-- Psa 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
2. With-draw for a period
a. Rest: Exo 31:17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
b. Remove yourself from stagnating people & circumstances and surround yourself with refreshing people and circumstances
-- 1Sa 16:23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

Game
I created a matching game of drinks and their ad slogans using sites like:http://www.textart.ru/advertising/slogans/beverage/slogans.html
The person that one got to go through the food line first.
Food
I arranged the meeting for this on a Friday night after work, around 6-8pm.
I called it Frigid Food Female Friday Fellowship. All foods brought had to be chilled (i.e., pasta salad, fruit salad, cold casseroles, veggie pizzas, cream puffs...). It was very refreshing. :)

A Colorful Event prompt...

As part of my preschool lessons I introduce "colors" to the children.  I do not do a color of the day or discuss more than one color at a time.  I teach "color of the week".  I start with the primary colors, then go on to the secondary and so on.  Each color is discussed in detail in all of the academic areas.  We also wear the color of the week on Friday.  And each day the children are encouraged to bring something with that color from home.  Well, I thought the subject of colors would make some great prompts.  I hope these prompts will add some "color" to your journaling experience!


Some traditional prompts (relating to color ) that have been used by many are:
What is your favorite color?
If you were a color, which one would you be and why?
What is your favorite NEW Crayola brand crayon color?
Describe the colors in your house, such as your living room decor, bedroom, etc.
What is the color of your hair and eyes?

But let's take this color prompt a little deeper.  Let's begin with the primary colors...
What "emotion(s)" do you feel when you see the color RED?  BLUE?  YELLOW?
How does the colors mentioned cause you to react?  For instance, ADhD children are overstimulated by the color red.
Red is a hot color, Blue is a cold color, and Yellow is a bright color.  When you see these colors how do you respond to them?  (Sometimes I write with the color red when I am angry; the color blue when I am sad, and the color pink when I am "tickled pink" about something.)

Now substitute the other colors and answer the prompts with them.

When I discuss the secondary colors I also show the children what primary colors are needed to make them.  As a creative art activity we draw with the color(s) we have been discussing.  I also encourage them to use the color in their journals somehow, such as writing letters in those colors etc.  Here is some creative art activities for you to enjoy as you journal:

Decide to do use one color of ink in your journal that day.  (You can even change the font color if you journal on the computer.)
Design a border with that color.
Create a bookmarker with the color you have chosen.
Draw pictures inspired by that color.
Use the color as a background to your page.
Color/write lightly when you are in a playful mood or color/write pressing down hard with a crayon to show anger.
Use the color of the day and draw shapes to represent your mood on your page (black circles could represent being in the black hole of depression; red hearts could represent being in love, etc.)

This will be a good way to celebrate colors beyond your journaling...
Wear the color of the day.  Record how you felt at the day's end wearing that color.  (Yellow colors would make me feel happy.)

Observe your surroundings, your environment, your world and take note of all the things you noticed that had the color of the day.
List the many items that is in your house that has the color of the day.
Think about that color and how it effects you during the morning, during midday, and at the evening?  Does it effect you the same no matter what your attitude/mood is?

Discuss hue, tint, shade, and color scheme in your writing and how it can relate to what you are recording that day.  Use them as descriptive words to your posts.  Such as, there was a tint of pink in the horizon as I sat on my deck drinking hot tea...

Now to further your imagination...
Think about the color of the day and imagine that color in the different areas of your house.  How does it change your perspective of things?  Such as, if your kitchen is now a shade of green and you imagined it to be yellow, how would it change things for you?  Do this activity each day and see how it effects your feelings, your moods, your attitudes, etc.

Most of us have one special area that is set aside for our journaling moments.  Imagine that your table is painted the color of the day.  Would it effect how or what you write?  Would it inspire you differently if your table was a new color each day or would it restrict your writing?

My students learn songs that relate to the color of the week.  One special song we sing each week is Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world, Red and yellow, black and white, Jesus loves the little children of the world.  We discuss how people are the same and different.  We all have eyes, hair, etc. but our eye and hair color is different than a friend's, etc.  The different ways we are unique.  And how we all do not have the same skin tone.  We discuss nationality, ethnic groups, and prejudism.

As a prompt, you could research different songs that mention colors.  You could read books about different colors and write what you learned from the story. (An example for my lesson plan would be Little Red Hen and then we discuss sharing and teamwork and selfishness, etc.)

The order I introduce the colors is red, blue, yellow, purple, green, orange, black, brown, gray, white, and pink. Can you believe that my students get upset when I quit adding color to our lessons of the week?  So, then we discuss the rainbow.  This adds many more weeks to our learning experiences.  You could do so many more prompts just discussing things relating to the rainbow.  Examples:  God uses the rainbow as a symbol of promise.  What are some of God's promises you can claim today?  If you could find the end of the rainbow, what would you expect to be there?  And so on...

This is some of the ways that you, too, can use "color" to prompt your writing.  May you never find "dullness" to your writing.  May color add life to your journaling experience.

50 Prompts Relating to the Five Senses

This Won't Take You Long to Complete.



Sight/Seeing/Eyes
1. When I close my eyes, I can envision...
2. The color of my eyes are _____, but my mother's are _______ and my father's are _______.
3. I saw _______ while...
4. I wear corrective lenses or contact lenses. My eyesight...
5. Seeing things from a whole new perspective, I...
6. If I were to go blind...
7. I see things differently than...
8. I look...
9. When I watch...
10. The sight of _______ was...

Sound/Hearing/Listening/Ears
1. I like/don't like my ears because...
2. I hear/don't hear as well as when I was...
3. Listening to ______, I...
4. I was listening, but...
5. What I heard _______ say, it meant to me _______.
6. I heard a _________.
7. If I lost my hearing, I ________.
8. The sound of _________ was like ________.
9. I met someone without ears or using hearing aids and _________.
10. The sound of _______ hurt my ears because ________.

Touch/Feeling/Texture/Hands
1. Using my hands, I ______.
2. I know ________ like the back of my hand.
3. Her/His skin felt like _______.
4. Touching ________, I...
5. The texture of ________ felt like...
6. If I lost the ability to use my hands...
7. While holding _______'s hands, I...
8. When I touched ______, it made me...
9. When _______ touched me...
10. I don't like to touch _______ because...

Smell/Nose
1. My nose is sensitive to ______.
2. If I smell ________, it causes me to _________.
3. The smell of ______ reminds me of...
4. I like/don't like my nose because...
5. I have my mother's/my father's nose.
6. My favorite fragrance is ________, because...
7. The worst smell I have ever smelled was...
8. My favorite scent of candle is...
9. Smelling her perfume/his cologne...
10. Sniffing the _______, I...

Taste/Mouth
1. _____ causes me to lick my lips.
2. I like the taste of _______ because...
3. I tried _____ and I like/don't like the taste of it.
4. I watched her/his mouth/lips move and _____.
5. I wear the shade of lipstick called ______. I don't wear lipstick because...
6. I have never tasted...
7. I will not eat...
8. I can't believe I ate ____.
9. If I closed my eyes, I could still tell you the ingredients of anything I eat. or I could not tell you the ingredients.
10. The words I speak...

Playing on the See/Saw prompt


As I approach my house, I see...

As I approach my parent's house, I see...
As I approach my child's house, I see...

Looking out of my bedroom/kitchen/living room window, I see...

Standing at my front door, I looked inside and saw...
Standing at my front door, I looked outside and saw...

Driving on the road to my house in the winter/spring/summer/fall, I can see...

Look at your neighbor's house in front of you. List five things that catch your eye. Now look at your neighbor's house behind you, on the left of you, the right of you and list five things that catches your eye.

Look at your favorite photograph or portrait or picture - list five things you have observed in it that you had not noticed before.

What unusual things have you seen lately?

I would not have believed it if I had not see it with my own eyes. Let me tell you about it...

I looked outside to see what I could see and all that I saw was...

Seeing it as if I were a child for the first time, let me describe it to you...

As I walked into my friend's house, I noticed...
As I walked into my church, I noticed...

Now can you think of other ways you can use the see/saw prompt?

Use this prompt idea for another way to journey through the Bible.  As you read your favorite stories in the New and Old Testament, see it as if you were one of the people in the story.  See it as if you were the one the story is being written about.  

Look through the Bible and see it through Jesus' eyes.  What do you think He saw when He was growing up?  When He was in the midst of His ministry?  When He was walking amongst sinners?  When He was faced with being arrested?  When He hung on the cross?

Now, think about your life.  What do you think others see?  What does Jesus see?

Put your family on the see/saw prompt.  Think of ways you observe them.  Consider all the ways you want to see them succeed.  What in their lives have you seen that you would want them to change?  Have you saw how the world affects their lives?  

Writing your experiences with the see/saw prompt can keep you journaling for many years.  Enjoy playing on the see/saw. 

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Just One More Minute...

If you are a mother, grandmother, caretaker of children, or someone who has a child in their life, then you will understand the title of this post.  Have you ever thought how many times you have made that statement to a child?  Give me a minute, one minute please, I will be there in a minute, just one more minute...


You are busy and that is when they want something.
You are trying to rest and that is when they want something.
You are talking to an adult and that is when they want something.

Just give me one more minute...

I am reminded of a time when I said that statement and it turned out to be the most profound moment of my life at the time.  That moment changed how I responded to children when I am busy.

I was doing the dishes and my son was playing in his room.  I heard him in a not so excited voice "mommy I need you."  He did not sound as if it were important so I told him I would be there in a minute.  He again said, "mommy I need you."  Well, the tone of his voice did not sound as if he was hurt or anything so I told him I would be there in a minute after I finished the dishes.  He didn't say anything else so I went ahead and did the dishes then I went to his bedroom and asked him what he wanted.  He was sitting in the floor and looked up at me and said, "Forget it mommy.  I kissed my boo boo myself."

He really did hurt his foot (stepped on a toy and bruised the bottom a little bit).  He did not cry out so I would know he hurt it.  I asked him why he didn't tell me he hurt his foot and he told me he knew I was busy in the kitchen and didn't want to bother me.  Oh, I felt so bad.  I hugged him and told him that no matter what I was doing he could always tell me if he was hurt and I would kiss his boo boos.

I told myself I would never tell my children "in a minute" again.  Well, occasionally I would slip and do it.  When they got bigger they would be smart alec and start counting "one mississippi, two mississippi" and I would realize I told them "in a minute" again.

So, children have things to say when we are busy.  We need to determine which is more important - what we are doing or seeing what they want us to do.  But that minute may turn into longer, that minute may pass and the moment is gone.  I would like to share a saying with you that fits with this topic...

The dishes will wait, but the rainbow won't.

Has this prompt brought to mind times you stated that to your children and you missed out on a memory maker?

Now let's take this prompt a different way.  What if the Lord told us "in a minute" when we were trying to get His attention and tell Him something?  What if he were too busy to stop what He was doing and kept telling us "just give me one more minute?"  Praise the Lord and let Him know how grateful you are that He is there for us anytime we call on Him.

Now, when the Lord is calling you, are you too busy to listen to Him?  Are you too busy to go to Him?  Are you telling Him "in a minute Lord?"  Record ways you have done this and discuss it with the Lord and pray for ways to hear His call and not ignore or neglect Him.

Do you not have time for the Lord some days?  Do you have a list of things to do and time with the Lord is not on that list?  The Lord gives us 24 hours a day.  Aren't we lucky that He does not demand us to give Him 10 percent of the day?  That would be too much for many of us.  It is difficult to give Him even an hour most days.  Let's give Him that minute we keep saying.  In a minute Lord should be turned into "Every minute of the day I will praise thee O Lord."

Got a minute?  Journal how this prompt has inspired you to write.  Thanks Marshel

Just One a Day


This particular prompt came to me when I was taking my vitamins.  I was singing a little jingle to remind me to take my pills.  So I started singing take one pill  a day and you will keep the visits to the doctor away and well out of that came this journaling idea.

For the following prompts I dedicated one journal for it.

You can do just one of them a day or as I plan on doing one answer to each one of them each day.

Just One A Day...

* One story that touched my day.
* One word that came from the Lord.
* One thing that I am grateful for.
* One person I felt God's love through.
* One thought I had about God.
* One way I knew Jesus was with me.
* One prayer I prayed today.
* One verse I was inspired by today.
* One analogy I thought about from my day's happening, etc.

I am sure you could come up with more things you could record just one thing a day about it.  I just decided on those because it is areas I want to work on in my life.

Enjoy...

Are You In A Rut In Your Prayer Life?


This can be applied to writing out your prayers also.  Adapt it to fit your style of praying and journaling.

10 CREATIVE WAYS
TO ENERGIZE YOUR PRAYER LIFE   http://www.beliefnet.com/
1) Change Your  Environment - If you pray in the light of morning, try praying in the dark of night. If you pray in your living room, try praying in your kitchen. If you pray indoors, try praying under the open sky or the graceful boughs of a tree. Changing your prayer environment can give you a new perspective on your life and spirit.
2) Change Your Routine - If your prayer time is sandwiched between dinner and bedtime or homework and hobbies, rearrange your schedule so that prayer is the priority. The more important prayer is to us, the more attention we give it, and the deeper we can go into our relationship with God.
3) Sing - Instead of whispering, praying silently, or intoning your prayerful words, try singing loudly and joyfully or softly and plaintively. Music can be freeing for the spirit--and your prayers will take on a whole new sound.
 4) Exercise - Walk, run, stretch, or cycle while you pray, feeling the rhythm of your spirit with the movement of your body. Use exercise with prayer as a way to reflect upon the gift of your life and self, inside and out.
5) Refocus - If you have a long list of prayer requests, you might be too tired by the end of the list to devote much attention to your own inner spirit. Try to refocus your prayer time so that it is balanced between the needs of others and yourself. Taking time for you will build your own strength so you can be of help to others.
6) Listen - Sometimes we are too busy praying to hear what God has to say. If prayer becomes one-sided, boredom can easily follow. Set aside time each day to clear your mind of all distractions, sit in God's presence, and listen. God's voice is anything but dull!
7) Study - Faith is not just in the moment. There is a rich faith and prayer tradition that has gone before us. Reading and studying the great believers and writings of years, even centuries, gone by can have a profound effect upon prayer today and tomorrow
8) Team up - Are you bored going off by yourself to pray? Team up with a prayer partner. Whether in person, on the telephone, or online, the power of prayer can be multiplied when people come together.
9) Be A Child - Remember when you were a child? What questions did you ask of God, then? They were probably very different from the ones you ask now. Whether you came to believe as an adult or were brought up in faith, if your prayer life feels stuck now, approach it as a child - with wonder, simple questions, trust, and humor (yes, at times, God has a wonderful sense of humor!). Enjoy.
10) Visualize - Imagine that everything around you is infused with the presence of God - including yourself. God all around, up and down, inside and out. God is listening to you, every word you utter and every need you have. More than any other, God loves you. Unconditionally. Visualize that love and renew your energy with it.