Category Archives: Faith & Inspiration

Step 1 (January): Why I’m Making My Bed

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Why I'm Making My Bed

I have never felt making my bed was important.  Why would I go to such effort to pull up all the sheets, blankets and comforter neat and tidy when, in several hours, I will be sleeping in it again?  I just never saw the point.  I am a chronic non-bed-maker…from childhood.  Why after 30 some years would I start now?

My mom never made me make my bed.  My sister doesn’t make her bed (it must be genetic).  My husband certainly doesn’t care if I make the bed (he is a non-bed-maker as well).  No one sees it.  I know of many successful, happy people who don’t make their beds.  It must, then, not be important.

Or is it?

Why do so many people feel it’s important?  Every time my mother-in-law comes to visit, she makes my bed for me.  She never says a word.  I will just go into our room and find it made.  I must admit that it does look better, more appealing to the eye for sure.  It gives this small sense of “I at least have THIS together”.  Why do some people feel the need to make their beds, while others simply neglect such a simple act.  And it is simple.  I’ve timed it.  It honestly takes less than 1 minute to fully make my bed.

Why then, does something so simple, seem SO hard?

So begins my quest to make my bed.

Every day.

Yes, I’ve been reflecting on this bed making issue.  There are several reasons FOR making your bed every day.

#1 Its visually appealing.

#2 It does feel better to get into a made bed at night to go to sleep.

#3 It makes your room look better.

#4 It’s easier for the kids to jump on.

But the most important reason for me…

#5 It gives me the amazing feeling of accomplishment that I actually followed through with something.

I’ve said it before, but I struggle with the follow-through.  I have such great ideas and intentions….that never seem to come to pass.  I start things, only to fall short….again and again.  And after a long enough time period, with continuous plans that never play out, one begins to feel the familiar feeling of defeat and failure.

No one sees my bed being made but me and my husband (and my mother-in-law occasionally).  My 3 toddlers could care less.  They would actually prefer it unmade…more fun to rummage around on!

But I see it.  And I’m determined to make it.  Everyday.  It’s like a battle I have always been defeated at.  No more!  I will win.  I will succeed! I will set out to accomplish what I desire!

Yes, to some, they will never understand the importance of a beautifully made bed.  But to me, I see the beginning of a new life.  A life filled with purpose and intentionality.  When I wake up in the morning, and pause for 1 minute (literally) to make my king sized bed, I will reflect on the fact that I CAN change, I CAN win this very small battle I’ve never been able to succeed at.  I will begin to see that real LIVING is in DOING, not in words that leave my mouth as ‘should haves’.

For years and years, I’ve heard people tell me how important it is to make my bed.  I’ve listened.  I’ve even believed it.  But I’ve never done it.  Isn’t this the same with our spiritual life?  How easy it is to listen to God’s word, to even believe it, but to never follow through and DO IT?

The Bible tells us in James 1:22 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.”

Nike got it right when they said, “Just Do It”.

And so I shall…

What do you struggle to follow through with?

 

 

A Sticky Situation

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Since shortly after Christmas, a pair of my daughter’s flannel reindeer PJ’s have been staring at me from the kitchen counter.  They have been on my “TO DO” list.  Fortunately for me, I discovered 2 bandaids  stuck to the leg just before I threw them into the washing machine.  I started widdling the bandaids away with a paring knife.  No, I didn’t make much progress.  So they’ve sat on the counter.  For two weeks.  Staring at me.  Reminding me, that I need to figure out a way to get them off before winter is over.

So, as any good mom does, I decided to google it tonight!  And I discovered that if you rub hand lotion all over the surface of the bandaid and along the edges, the band aid will come right off.  Well, I was a bit skeptical, but I tried it.  And guess what?

IT WORKED! Fabulously!

I still used the paring knife to help lift them off, but it worked amazingly well! So well, that I wanted to pass it along.

So for all moms who have kids who love to play with bandaids….you will do well to remember this.  Because at some point, you too will be in a “sticky situation”.

 

How I Want to Be Remembered…

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Have you ever thought about how YOU want to be remembered?  Have you ever thought of your life with the END in mind, first?

I’m sitting in Starbucks, creating my life plan for 2014.  I started listing my priorities for this current year and was inspired to think about how I want to be remembered.  I’ve heard others talk about writing their obituaries.  To me, writing my obituary is not inspiring.  It’s depressing.  But thinking about “How I Want To Be Remembered”, now that is inspiring.

As I started writing, I started dreaming of and envisioning my future.  I started really thinking about what people will say about me someday…maybe when I’m gone, or maybe when I’m seasoned and gray sitting and reflecting on the one life God had given me.  Who was Alissa Perez? Writing about who I want to become, most assuredly helps me to create who I want to be today.

This is who I hope to become…

how I hope to be remembered…

and who I will intentionally strive for being today.

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Alissa Perez loved her family and friends, and her love for her God was contagious.  Her faith in God was evident in how she lived her life.  She taught others to seek first God’s kingdom and her time with God was sacred.  She was a devoted wife and her husband was blessed by her all the days of his life.  She loved, served and respected him in all he did.  Her children adored her and felt calm and peaceful in her presence.  She devoted her life to training her children well.  She taught them a love of reading, to fear, love and trust God, to respect themselves and others and a genuine love of learning.  She showed her children the importance of serving others.  She lived selflessly, caring for the needs of other above her own.  She had the best smile.  And people felt welcome in her presence.  Her strong character was apparent to all: integrity, gentleness, compassion, patience and kindness. She cared about others and their circumstances.  Her parents always received her heartfelt respect and honor.  She invested in her relationships with her friends and family.

She never seemed rushed or in a hurry.  Commitment was important in her relationships.  She was devoted to prayer and passionately loved to share the message of Jesus with others. The Bible was her book of wisdom, instruction, guidance and truth.  She exuded joy-even in difficult circumstances.  Thankfulness was in her heart and on her lips.  She tried to live simply in a world of abundance.  She stuck to her budget and did not desire excess.  She was fun to be around and brought humor and grace into her home.  She loved to travel and teach her children about the world  She listened to jazz and classical music and loved exposing her children to the fine arts.  She was quick to listen and slow to speak.  When she spoke, she chose words that brought life.  She responded with gentleness and grace, not anger and condemnation.  She sought God’s wisdom above her own or the opinions of others.  She sought order, not chaos but lived a life of freedom and spontaneity.  She chose what was better and turned away from that which deterred her from a full life in Christ.

She was confident in who God created her to be and was thankful for the gifts she had been given.  She used her talents to the best of her ability in serving the body of Christ.  She was not envious but found joy in the blessings of others.  She focused on pleasing God, not pleasing man.  She loved unconditionally.  She lived purposefully.  She chose freedom in Christ over fear from the Enemy.  She passed on an inheritance of strong faith and character to her children.  They will forever be reminded of her love by the intentional memories she created.  She was authentic and real.  She chose to live for today and hope in tomorrow, rather than regret her yesterdays.

She lived a life full of faith, hope and love.

And above all else she chose LOVE.

 

How do YOU want to be remembered?

Mommy Recharge: 5 Ways to Restore Your Soul

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"Image courtesy of samuiblue / FreeDigitalPhotos.net".

“Image courtesy of samuiblue / FreeDigitalPhotos.net”.

Psalm 23: 1-3

“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside quiet waters.

He restores my soul;

He guides me in the paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake.”

Restore.  What does it truly mean to be restored?  To be restored sounds just lovely to me.  Wouldn’t any woman desire that?  Don’t I, as a mother and wife (sometimes exhausted from my daily life) want what restoration can offer?

To be restored means to return to the original, usable and functioning condition; to give new life or energy; to replace what is broken.  This is what I desire!  Newness to what is broken in my life!  As we start this new year, its an opportunity to reflect on where I’ve been and what I want for my tomorrows.  Its a chance to see what hasn’t worked in my life and to plan for changes that can lead to true transformation.  So I’ve been thinking of what I desire most of all.  The other day I thought, “I wish I could just be made new, start over, get rid of all the junk and just be filled with all things good and true.”  I get so easily frustrated with myself when I fall back into the old patterns and ways that have haunted me for so long.  I desire to live life differently; to give more grace to my family, to speak words of life, to be free from fear and worry, to be deeply thankful for all I have, and yet I live each day with the same patterns and routines.  I want different results, but stick with doing the same old things.  I, like so many others, agree that resolutions aren’t the answer.  I have failed them so many times.  They are great ideas that might make my life better, easier and more meaningful, but they are just that…ideas.  They aren’t goals.  They aren’t plans.  They aren’t changes.  They never leave my head.  They will never transform me.

Only Jesus Christ can do that.  Only He can transform me into something new.   1 Cor 5:17 ” Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.” (HCSB)  That is great news!

Restoration comes from a relationship with the Lord, Jesus Christ!  Psalm 23 says that “He restores my soul.”  No one else can do that.  Nothing else can do that.  No great ideas, no well perfected plans.  Only Him.  So, what must take priority on my journey of restoration?

Building my relationship with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Making God the priority in my day.  Not just talking about making God my priority, but actually DOing it!  James 1:22 says “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.” (NIV)  This surely has to be the focus of my life, if restoration is my goal.  The Lord alone can and will fill our cups.  And knowing this gives me hope.  Because my cup needs filling daily.  I can have a super day, feel like God has filled my cup to overflowing and feel amazing peace and joy.  And tomorrow…my cup starts leaking.  And leaking…  And leaking…  And eventually I’m dry.  Completely dry.  And when I’m dry, its really easy to start that negative thinking.  That defeating reminder that I’m not what I want to be, that I’m failing and I will never measure up.

Seeking the Lord is the first step in restoring my broken soul.  But even though the Lord alone can and will restore us and fill our cups, my heart has to be willing to seek and listen to God. And sometimes, I have personally found it hard to engage in any relationship when I’m running on empty, when my battery isn’t charged.   I have found there are a few things I can do to prepare my heart to seek the Lord.  This isn’t an exhaustive list, but a simple one to remember when you find yourself dry; emotionally, physically and spiritually.

5 ways to Restore your soul….

1. Be still

In the busyness of our days, I find it very difficult to “be still”.  I am moving all day.  There is always laundry to do, toys to pick up (endless toys), a house to clean, bills to pay, beds to make, children to bathe, teeth to brush, errands to run, etc.  You get the idea.  Having 3 toddlers, I am never still.  But if seeking God is my priority, I must intentionally take the time to still my mind and my body.  Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God.”  Practically, this may look like laying on the floor in the middle of the toys and just closing your eyes for 5 minutes.  Just stop.  Be quiet.  Listen.
2.  Be thankful.

Look around you.  Instead of focusing on what you don’t have, and can’t ever seem to find time to do, be thankful for what you do have and are able to do.  We all would say we are thankful for our husbands, children, home, food, etc, but are we?  Do we just say it?  Do we really believe it?  What about being thankful for the sun shining, having eyes to see, hearing our children’s laughter, toilet paper? It is true…a thankful person sees the good and God in things that many of us cannot.   I want to be thankful.
3.  Go for a walk.  

Get outside and breathe some fresh air.  Refill your lungs with some clean oxygen.  Get your blood flowing.  Use the body that God gave you to move.  As much as I believe exercise is essential, I’m not talking about running a marathon or even starting an exercise program, although those are fabulous ideas.  I mean just get out and get a fresh perspective.  The routine-ness of our daily life, our family and our home can become overwhelming.  We can become bogged down with the realities of life.  When we are feeling like this, its hard to listen to God and to feel anything but fatigue.  Walking gives you energy.  It lifts your spirit.  It releases endorphins in your body.  There have been so many occasions that after a good walk outside, my attitude and thoughts on something have changed.  So, get moving.

4.  Smile 

Recently I happened to glance at myself in the mirror while I was busy cleaning up the house and what I saw made me take a double take.   I was frowning.  And since that time, I have realized, I frown…a lot.  Not because I’m grumpy or even mad, although I am sometimes, but because I think I’ve trained my face to look sad.  Seriously.  So if I want to be restored, I am intentionally focusing on smiling.  And honestly, it feels weird.  Try it.  Stop right now and just smile.  Come on…show some teeth.  Weird, huh?  But you felt better didn’t you? So did I.  The more I smile, the lighter I feel.  Don’t wait to smile until you’re happy; smile and you will feel happy.

5.  Pray Scripture.

Why pray scripture? Sometimes when I’m feeling down and overwhelmed, or mad or frustrated at something, the last thing I want to do is pray or read my Bible.  That  is why praying scripture is so important.  That is why memorizing scripture is so important.  Or at the very least, having some index cards with your favorite scriptures on them so you can pull them out at the moment you feel like exploding.  Psalm 46:10 … Lord, Please help me to be still.  Help me to know right now that You are God.  James 1:19…Lord, help me to be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry right now when all I want to do is scream. Praying scripture is a cry for help to a God who loves to listen to us cry out to Him, to speak his Words of truth and who loves to pour out His love, grace and mercy into our broken lives.

And that is what we are…broken.  Every one of us.  But never beyond repair by the Only One who can restore our empty soul, our Comforter, our Healer and the Lord of our lives, Jesus Christ.   Moms, sisters, daughters and friends, we cannot run our cups to empty and expect fulfillment.  Doing these things is not a guarantee of life transformation, but quieting our hearts and come to the Lord as we are will prepare us to receive ALL that he has to offer.   He alone will fill our cups, He will restore our souls.  Trust me…you and your family will be so thankful you did.

 

Don’t Just Be….Become

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image courtesy of wiangya/freedigitalphotos.net

image courtesy of wiangya/freedigitalphotos.net

“Don’t just Be…Become, ” were the words I said to my husband about a month ago.  We were discussing some dreams and desires we had for ourselves and that sentence just flew out of my mouth.  I paused and then I said it again, this time I listened to what I was saying.  I don’t just want to “BE”….I want to “BECOME”.  To “BE’ means to exist, to be alive.  Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with existing or being alive.  I’m quite thankful for both.  But, it sounds so stagnant.  I questioned myself…is that ALL we were meant for? I think not.  Rather, to “BECOME” means to undergo a change or development!  That was it.  That was a turning point.  Since then, I started taking a look at where I am and where I want to be.  I realized several things; first that I am amazingly blessed!  We have a beautiful healthy family and being a stay at home mom is what I’ve always dreamed of.  I have a devoted, involved and loving husband who inspires me and encourages me in everything, I have a wonderful family and a fabulous group of friends.  The second is that I’m a habitual “non-follow-througher”, an “I can’t-er”.  I find myself wishing and hoping and wanting and too often, not accomplishing, doing or following through.  I’ve set New Year’s Resolutions and failed at following through with them.  I think of so many home ideas, activities or memories I want to create for my family but instead find myself saying…”I wish I could…” or “I would love to be able to…” “why can’t I…” or “I wish I would have”.    Too often I find myself feeling disappointed and discouraged.

I’m ready to BECOME the woman God wants me to be!  Am I the wife, mom, daughter, sister, or friend that I am supposed to be, that I should be?  Am I living my life with intention and purpose?  I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to miss out on this beautiful life God has given me TODAY.  I want to be intentional, to live life on purpose, to be disciplined.  I’m exhausted from waking each day without a plan and purpose.  This is my journey.  My journey to follow through, to finish what I start, to be intentional with my days, and to pursue life change through God’s word! I want to be a real life do-er!  And my journey begins right now, right here, this moment!  The best part is that I don’t pursue this intentional life alone.  God is with me every step of this journey.  He is my biggest encourager, guide and inspiration.  And I am so thankful He also uses people to encourage us on our journey as well.  Your life is entirely different from my own, but ladies, we are on the same team!  We were created to encourage each other, to live life in relationship and to build each other up!  I’m ready to make some purposeful changes in my life.  Let’s do this together!   Let’s impact our  lives, our families, our world, one small finished task at a time.  Are you ready?  Let us pursue an intentional life….together!