Best Laid Plans….

You know how you make plans of what you are going to do and how it seems those plans get side-tracked along the way? Well, that is what has happened to me and my study on Becoming the Woman God Wants Me to Be.

A week ago Saturday, January 30, 2010 to be exact, my MIL died. That news came as a total shock as we were expecting to hear “Hi! I made it home.” Instead my husband heard his nephew say, “She’s gone.” Last week was a whirlwind in that Monday was the viewing and Tuesday was the burial, then on Friday we were hit by Snowpocalypse which knocked out our power for more than 48 hours.

It is amazing how quiet things are without the constant buzz of the electrical appliances. It is also quite scary to realize how dependent we are on electricity (our house is entirely electric which meant it got extremely cold over those 48 hours without electricity). Jeff, my dearest husband, says I handled the cold much better than expected (I tend to want to hibernate this time of year), the boys did fairly well without their TV (I do believe they are addicted though because the minute the power came back they had a DVD in and were contently watching). Cable (and therefore phone since we went with a bundle package) returned about an hour after our electric returned and as much as I hate to admit it, I eagerly went about checking my email and various boards I frequent (guess I’m as addicted to the internet as my boys are to their TV).

Hopefully, I’ll be back to the study tomorrow. Until then study what we’ve learned thus far.

My Journey to becoming a Nobel Woman – Day 26

Purify Body and Soul

Scripture to Memorize:

She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work virgorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
Proverbs 31:16-17

Passage to Read: Psalm 51:1-4,7 Today’s passage asks God to have mercy on us according to his unfailing love and great compassion. It also deals with asking God to blot out our transgressions and sins which are only against him. It ends with asking God to cleanse us so that we will be clean and whiter than snow.

Guided Prayer:

Ask God to have mercy on you according to his unfailing love and according to his great compassion ask him to blot out your transgressions. Ask that God wash away all your iniquities and cleanse you from your sin. Admit that it is only against God, and God alone, you have sinned. Ask God to cleanse you so that you will be whiter than snow.

Personal Observations:

In order to remain vigorous and energized we need to take care of our bodies. We do that by eating healthy (cleansing foods — Donna has some recommendations in her book Becoming the Woman I Want to Be), exercising and bathing.

Now most of us probably take showers — they are fast and convenient; however, a cleansing bath can purify your body from toxins. What exactly is a cleansing bath?

Cleansing Bath:

• 2 cups of Epsom Salts
• 2 cups of baking soda
• a few drops of lavender or arnica oil
• Hot bath water

Soak until the water turns cold but not longer than thirty minutes. If you feel dizzy when you emerge, don’t worry that means the bath did it job.

Incorporate a cleansing bath into your EVENING ROUTINE at least once or twice a week.

Practical Application:

• Eat a cleansing diet.
• Obtain ingredients for your cleansing bath.
• Incorporate a cleansing bath into your EVENING ROUTINE at least once or twice a week.

Notebook: Add CLEANSING BATH to your EVENING ROUTINE page.

My Journey to becoming a Nobel Woman – Day 25

Grow Strong by Defying Gravity

Scripture to Memorize:

She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
Proverbs 31:16-17

Passage to Read: Romans 12:1-2 Today’s passage deals reminds us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. It also cautions us to no longer conform to the patterns of this world.

Guided Prayer:

Include in your prayer today your amazement over what Jesus would do for you while you were not worthy of the sacrifice. Offer your body to him. Confess your natural tendency to conform to this world. Ask the Holy Spirit to transform you and renew your mind with the Word of God.

Personal Observations:

The Proverbs 31 woman lived at a time when physical labor was just a part of everyday life. For most of us, the conveniences of today’s world pretty much eliminate most of our physical labor. Since we no longer have all the physical labor required of us the P31 woman did we need to find an alternative to keeping fit and strong.

Some women will join gyms and/or participate in aerobics (if you’re one of them — take the day off, go volunteer in a soup kitchen! today is for those of us who don’t have a regular exercise program). Donna says she has discovered a fast, simple way to get a total body workout: rebounding.

Rebounding is a fancy word for jumping on a mini-trampoline. One benefit of rebounding is it not only burns calories, but it strengthens muscles and bones. NASA found that rebounding is 68 percent more efficient than running when it comes to producing physical results. Their research showed that the simple act of jumping up and down exposes the human body to g-force (pull of gravity). As you resist gravity you strengthen your body and it’s fun!

Donna gave two three words of warning:

1. Bounce lightly. (Don’t leap in the air.) Begin with just two or three minutes per day and build up to fifteen or twenty minutes.
2. Do not buy a cheap rebounder.
3. Check with your doctor.

Practical Application:

Consider the purchase of a rebounder.

My Journey to becoming a Nobel Woman – Day 24

Give Your Body Time to Digest

Scripture to Memorize:

She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
Proverbs 31:16-17

Passage to Read: Psalm 143:8 Today’s passage deals with putting our trust in God.

Guided Prayer:

For today’s prayer remember to thank the Lord for mornings. Now, if you’re like me, you’re still a little less than enthusiastic about mornings, but think of them this way and maybe it will help change your attitude about them: Mornings are a constant reminder that each day is a new beginning and a chance to start fresh. When you first wake up — you haven’t made any mistakes yet for that day, it’s a new one. Thank God that his Word shows us His compassion, grace, mercy and forgiveness. God’s love never fails. Confess your tendency to put your trust in the wrong place — put it in God, as He alone is trustworthy.

Ask the Holy Spirit to show you the way to go. Ask for help in making good decisions. Offer God your mind, will and emotions. Submit every thought, action, and feeling to the Lord. Place God in charge of your life. When you accepted Jesus as your Savior you became God’s so allow him full control.

Personal Observations:

Donna suggested that perhaps the reason for not being a morning person was due to suffering from a food hangover. She states, “For optimum performance, our digestive system requires approximately 12 hours of rest.” She also suggests that we stop eating 3-4 hours before bedtime, since the digestive system also works better if we are still awake. Another suggestion was an evening walk after dinner to help with the digestive process.

She further suggests that if we do this for a few weeks we will discover that we really did suffer from a food hangover especially if we end up eating during that 3-4 hour prior to bedtime period. To help you avoid this eating trap — remind yourself you just ate _____ hours ago, get a drink of water, or promise yourself you can have whatever you are craving tomorrow.

Practical Application:

• Stop eating at least 3 hours prior to bedtime.
• Consider adding an evening stroll after dinner.

Notebook: On your EVENING ROUTINE page, subtract 3 hours from your bedtime and write: “No eating after _____ p.m. (Since I aim for an 11pm bedtime I would have no eating after 8pm.) If you want add EVENING WALK to your routine.

My Journey to becoming a Nobel Woman – Day 23

Purify Your Body with Enhanced Water

Scripture to Memorize:

She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
Proverbs 31:16-17

Passage to Read: 2 Corinthians 7:1 Today’s passage deals with promises and purifying ourselves of everything that contaminates our body and spirit so that we may perfect holiness out of reverence for God.

Guided Prayer:

For today, we need to thank God for giving us his Word filled with wonderful promises. Acknowledge that He has a plan for our lives. His plan for us is for hope and a future, for us to prosper and not to harm us. Confess that you know that while His love for us is unconditional, His promises are for those that choose to walk in obedience. Like any parent, God loves His children unconditionally and like any parent He desires obedience. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide and empower you as you seek to purify your life of contaminates of both body and spirit.

Personal Observations:

How many of you are like me — given a choice you’d drink anything but water? To be perfectly frank here I’ve never really liked the taste of water; however, I’m attempting to acquire a taste for it. Now, my water has to be ice cold and have a little bit of lemon in it, but my goal each day is to drink at least 64 ounces of water. Some days I only manage 16 ounces, most I get at least 32 ounces in; however, the days I do manage 64 ounces — I feel great and better still my weight seems to drop a pound or two the next morning! Do you know that water cleanses your internal system, clears skin, fights fatigue, gives energy, increases metabolism and even carries fat out of the body? And, here you probably thought all it did was quench your thirst and keep from getting dehydrated!

How about a new habit? Before putting anything into your mouth, ask yourself — will this contaminate me or purify me? Do you know that water is a purifier? It can also be a decontaminate if you add a little something to it turning it into a cleansing drink.

For an easy early morning cleansing drink:

Heat 8 ounces of water and add fresh-squeezed lemon juice. Start with 1/8 of the lemon, work your way up to 1/2 a lemon. If your system is contaminated with toxins you will probably end up with an upset stomach and possibly a headache. That means the lemon is doing its job.

Repeat this process at bedtime. Before you know it, according to Donna, you’ll feel better and your complexion will look better.

Another way to increase water’s helpful attributes, add a very small amount of unsweetened cranberry juice. Buy a 32 ounce bottle, (either get three more 32 ounces containers or one more), pour 3/4 of the first bottle into a second bottle (or 1/4 into each of the 3 extra bottles). Now fill the bottle that has the 1/4 cranberry juice up with water. Drink this by noon. Repeat this with the other bottle(s), drinking a second bottle by bedtime. Now, don’t drink the cranberry water every day — mix it up a bit — drink plain water or any other citrus water (using the same process except use fresh citrus fruit) and make sure you drink your two 32-ounce bottles of water each day before bedtime.

Practical Application:

• Buy lemons and begin each day with warm lemon water. (Remember don’t add sugar or artificial sweeteners to your lemon water!)
• Buy two 32-ounce bottles of unsweetened cranberry juice.

Notebook: On the EVENING ROUTINE page add “Be sure to finish water for the day.” On the MORNING ROUTINE page add “Fill two 32-ounce water bottles” and “Consume cleansing drink.”

My Journey to becoming a Nobel Woman – Day 22

Walk to Boost Energy

Scripture to Memorize:

She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
Proverbs 31:16-17

Passage to Read: 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 Today’s passage deals with running a race. Why do most people run a race? To win the prize. In order to be a serious competitor to win that prize you must train. Our lives are like a race and we need to be in it to win it. Our prize is a heavenly crown that will last for all eternity, unlike the prizes and crowns awarded here on Earth.

Guided Prayer:

For this study, we need to thank God for calling us to run the race of life with Him. Ask His forgiveness for the times you have sat idly on the sidelines or failed to put forth your best effort. Ask the Holy Spirit to become your personal trainer. Ask God to help you run a race that will honor Him. Ask Him for perseverance to last over the long haul. Thank Him for His promises.

Personal Observations:

Today’s scripture verses to memorize state the Proverbs 31 woman “sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.” What does vigorous mean? It means energetic and full of life. I don’t know about you but I often feel more sluggish and practically drag myself through the day — definitely not vigorous. Do you rely on caffeine to get you up and moving? I don’t but I know a lot of people do. Instead of caffeine try a brisk morning walk.

Do you know that walking burns about the same number of calories per mile as running? I didn’t. It’s also easier on the joints and has a much lower risk of injury. Now, that I knew just because walking doesn’t hurt my knees nearly as much as running after my boys does. Studies have even shown that walking can lower coronary problems in women, reduce or eliminate high blood pressure, strengthen bones, and increase levels of HDL (good cholesterol). A Harvard study even found that women who take a brisk walk each day can cut their risk of developing type 2 diabetes in half! According to the CDC regular exercise can even reduce your risk of dying prematurely.

Walking is a great time for praying and meditating on Scripture, put some scriptures on your MP3 player and add some soothing as well as upbeat music and you’ll see what I mean. Walking boosts endorphins (these are things that make you feel good). Make a commitment to walk at least three days a week, preferably in the morning.

You can walk alone but there are some advantages to having a walking buddy. By having someone else who is depending on you to be there to walk, you are less likely to skip your walk for one thing. Resist the common tendency to gossip and complain while you walk with your buddy. Instead ask your walking buddy to be your prayer partner. Spend your morning walk in prayer.

Practical Application:

• Find a walking partner.
• Buy good quality walking shoes. I realize money is tight for a lot of us, but truly it is better to invest in a good pair of walking shoes than a cheap pair and cause problems with your feet and legs later in life.
• If you haven’t been exercising, start with just fifteen minutes a day and gradually increase until you are doing a good sixty minute walk each day.

Notebook: Add PRAYER WALK to your MORNING ROUTINE page in the PERSONAL section of your notebook.

My Journey to becoming a Nobel Woman – Day 21

Weekly Reflections

Sunday is the day we set aside in this study for rest and reflection on what we’ve learned thus far.

Can you fill in the remainder of Proverbs 31:10-15 from memory:

A ______ _____ _______ _________________ who can find?
She is worth ________ ________ ________ ___________.
Her husband _______ ______ ____________ ____ ____
and lacks ____________ __ ___________.
She brings him ______, ___ _____
all the _______ __ ____ ____.
She selects ______ ____ ____
and works _____ _____ _____.
She is like ___ ________ _____,
bringing her _____ ____ _____.
She gets up _____ __ ___ ___ _______;
she provides ____ ___ ____ _________
and portions ____ ____ ________ _____.

Weekly Evaluation:

• Am I listening for and hearing God’s voice? What is he saying to me?
• Am I increasingly manifesting the fruit of the Spirit described in Gal. 5:22-23? (Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) What areas look encouraging? What needs prayer?
• What did God teach me during my TAG?
• Which priorities did I live by? Which goals did I pursue? Did I neglect any of my goals?
• What did I learn this week about life, God, my family and the people around me?
• What are my priorities for the coming week?

Notebook: Plan out your schedule for next week, make sure you have your menus planned for the week, add any needed groceries for the week to your list. Plot out your Daily To-Do List for Monday.

My Journey to becoming a Nobel Woman – Day 20

Weekly Checkup

Cumulative Scripture Review:

A wife of noble character who can find?

She is worth far more than rubies.

Her husband has full confidence in her

and lacks nothing of value.

She brings him good, not harm,

all the days of her life.

She selects wool and flax

and works with eager hands.

She is like the merchant ships,

bringing her food from afar.

She gets up while it is still dark;

she provides food for her family

and portions for her servant girls.

Proverbs 31:10-15

Turn verses 14-15 into a Scripture-based prayer.

Practical Application: Take time today to review what you’ve learned and catch up on any unfinished items.

Checklist:

• Purged pantry of nonfood foods
• Followed Daniel’s example by eating vegetables and water for 10 days.
• Switched to smaller plates.
• Added a HOUSEHOLD section tab to my notebook.
• Added MENU PLANNER/GROCERY LIST worksheets to my notebook.

Confirm you’re using your Daily Routines:

• Using my Personal Notebook.
• Regularly reviewing your Personal Vision Statement.
• Spending time in my prayer place, enjoying TAG.
• Dealing proactively with my secret sins.
• Completing this study daily, practicing the memory verse and reciting affirmations daily.
• Consciously selective about how I dress and how I use my time and resources.
• Becoming a more serious student of the Bible.
• Learning to be in the presence of God (watchful, thankful and prayerful).
• Following my EVENING ROUTINE (and going to bed on time).
• Following my MORNING ROUTINE (and letting God wake me up).
• Exercising control over my eating.
• Using smaller plates and controlling my food portions.
• Planning ahead for healthier eating.

My Journey to becoming a Nobel Woman – Day 19

Plan Ahead for Healthier Eating

Scripture to Memorize:

She is like the merchant ships,
bringing food from afar.
She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.
Proverbs 31:14-15

Passage to Read: Deuteronomy 30:19-20 Today’s passage deals how heaven and earth are called as witnesses against us before our life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that we and our children might live. It reminds us to love the Lord our God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.

Guided Prayer:

Today’s guided prayer leads us to thank God for his gift of choice. (This gift may seem like a burden at times when we really want to do what we know we shouldn’t, but is it still a wonderful gift.)

Personal Observations:

Donna’s personal observations dealt with fast-food places, menu planning and meal-assembly kitchens. Before I talk about those, let me ask you — how many times last week (or month) did you order out, dine out or pop through a drive-thru because you didn’t plan dinner and/or were out and about and hungry? I know we do it a lot more than I can to admit (or we can truly afford). I’ve never really sat down and thought about it as a waste of money though because “we need to eat,” but the fact remains fast-food isn’t exactly the healthiest food out there to eat and restaurants typically serve over-sized portions (there’s that portion word again!).

So, how do we as potential Proverbs 31 women avoid this trap? How do we go about getting our “food from afar?” Well, the easiest (and at the same time difficult for many of us) way is to plan our meals and snacks out in advance. Truthfully, the times I’ve done it, we’ve actually eaten out less and saved more money over the month and that’s with one planned meal out a week! I’m not one that touts only eat organic or vegetarian (I’m too much of a meat-eater to suggest that), but I want to encourage you to plan healthy meals and snacks for your families. Plan for grab and go meals and snacks as well — this will really cut down on the fast-food drive-byes.

Practical Application:

1. Investigate meal-assembly kitchens in your area. Unfortunately, there aren’t any in this area.
2. Plan your menus — based on family favorites and even toss in a few new things to try.
3. Don’t forget to pick up grab-n-go snacks (fruits, nuts, raw veggies).

Notebook Assignment: Label a tab: HOUSEHOLD, to this section add MENU PLANNER/GROCERY LIST sheets. You can get copies of what Donna uses here: Grocery List. FlyLady also has some samples on her website:  FlyLady.

My Journey to becoming a Nobel Woman – Day 18

Eat Reasonable Portions

Scripture to Memorize:

She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.
Proverbs 31:14-15

Passage to Read: Proverbs 4:20-23 Today’s passage advises us to heed God’s Word and keep it close to our heart. If we do this we will find that their is life and health for our whole body.

Personal Observations:

We learn from Proverbs 31:14-15 that the noble wife provides both food and portions for those under her care. Do you realize that most Americans have a severe case of portion distortion? I know I’ve seen those photos of plate servings in foreign restaurants and always think what measly portions, who can afford to pay for those when you’re going to walk away hungry. What about you? Well, with our American Portion Distortion problem a normal portion looks downright puny!

Donna put this in the book, it’s based on a study done at Rutgers University:

“compared what people currently perceive to be a typical portion size to what was perceived as appropriate two decades ago. More than 175 young adults were invited to select typical portions of 8 meal items for breakfast or 6 for lunch and dinner. Their selections were compared with a similar study conducted 20 years previously. The foods with the greatest difference in portion size between the two studies were those served and consumed from a cup or bowl. Servings of orange juice, cornflakes, and milk increased by 40, 20 and 30 percent, respectively.”

To get an idea what a reasonable portion of food looks like:

Do you realize that thanks to supersizing America has become a nation of inadvertent gluttons? This happens both in our homes and while dining out. How many of you choose to supersize you meal simply because it seems the better value money wise? I know I’m guilty of that, after all why just get the sandwich and the drink when you can get the meal for only a dime more, or sometimes it is even less? At one time the Christian church looked at gluttony as one of the most serious sins, in fact, it made the Seven Deadly Sins list! “At its core, gluttony proves we value the flesh more than the spirit.” Today I think most of us still look at gluttony as a bad thing but we don’t view our over-sized portions as gluttony which is why I think we fell into this deadly trap (because it is deadly as proven by the increase in diet-related health issues).

Do you realize that, according to George Vaillant who wrote Aging Well, that being overweight is one of the top six hindrances to aging well? That is right up there with smoking and alcohol abuse! The opposite also holds true, leading predictors of longevity is moderate eating and a healthy body weight. (Low caloric intake is important.)

Smaller portions are the key — not deprivation. I truly believe that when we attempt to deprive our bodies of those sweet things we crave we make them bigger than they need to be in our lives. Try controlling the amount you eat. Instead of eating the entire King Size bag of M&M’s eat a handful. Instead of 6 cookies, eat one Instead of the whole candy bar, indulge and buy the best quality chocolate bar you can and limit yourself to 1 or 2 squares of it a day. You’ll be amazed at how the better quality means you can eat less and still satisfy your chocolate craving!

Moderation is the key. Of course, our American society is pretty much anti-moderation. Are you willing to go against the flow?

One of the most taxing jobs our body does is digesting our food. When we overeat, we force our body to devote too much time and energy doing this job. We’re wearing our bodies out because we are overworking them in this area (and probably most of us our physically under-working our bodies because we are too tire from devoting all that time and energy to digesting our food!).

Starting to day let’s try a new strategy — don’t clean your plate! Whoa! Wait a minute! (I can hear you saying it.) I know your mom always said clean your plate. Think of all the starving children in the world that would love to have what you have on your plate. Am I right? Well….Did the “well, box up whats left and send it to them — I’m stuffed” thought ever cross your mind growing up? I know it did mine. I think all too often we forget to listen to our bodies telling us to stop — it was probably trained out of many of us growing up when we joined the “Clean Your Plate” club. The only exception to leaving food on your plate should be raw or steamed vegetables. Before you say “that’s wasteful!” answer this question: Would you rather be wasteful or waist-full? Eventually you know what you can eat comfortable and learn to only put that amount on your plate, until then — leave something behind. If you still feel wasteful — put what’s left in a container to eat later (when you’re hungry).

Practical Application:

Begin using an eight- or nine-inch plate (think typical luncheon size plate) versus the typical eleven- or twelve-inch dinner plate. Limit your seconds only to vegetables. Consciously reduce your portion sizes and DON’T clean your plate. You can find a helpful tool at The Portion Plate. They even have two plates available, one for adults and one for children.

How are you doing at increasing your vegetables and water? I did a little better at lunch today — still need to work more on my water intake.