Living A Life Of Purpose

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Have you ever wondered what your purpose in life was? If there was a particular cause or reason your are alive for? I've wondered about it from time to time. The thought comes to mind and I think about it a while. Then, as usual, life gets busy and I lay the thought aside, thinking that for now I'll continue my casual, daily Christian walk with no great focus on a "plan" or "mission". But I've come to think about it a lot more lately. And this time I find myself shoving aside some of the things that has distracted me in the past.


I've been talking to God about my purpose for a few days and this devotion was a helpful insight, right in line with my thoughts and prayers.


"If your life was condensed into one short sentence - what would be said of you? How our lives are summarized depends on the choices we make each day. We have the tendency to become distracted with cares and responsibilities. Those distractions keep us from our primary purpose - pleasing God." 


Reflection & Prayer: 
Devotion Focus: PURPOSE


Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this; He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Psalm 37:5-6 


How will you be remembered? What is one sentence you could use to summarize your life so far? What might God want to change your life so that your life summary will be different? 


Excerpts taken from Busy Mom's Bible

How Does Your Garden Grow?

I've got my work cut out for me. I have a back yard that just screams for attention! I have small garden plans and look forward to getting started. Here is what I have to work with... oh, and don't judge me too harshly on these photos. I work full time, go to school, run the household (all the shopping, paying bills, most of the cooking and cleaning). I just haven't had the time to get to this part yet. ;-)

This shot is the far left corner of the back yard. The chain link fence needs some cleaning of all the vine overgrowth, as well as something done with that old rusty burn barrel. This corner will be the focus area of the garden. I'm thinking something with some height growing back there or some other way that might create some privacy. You see... the view I have from the back yard can be seen in this wider shot of the back yard below.

We have a lovely view of a 4-lane highway, complete with overpass over the highway. :(

I have this area in the back of the yard and some space along the wall of the detached garage you can see in the picture below.

So tell me... is it any wonder I never come back here to spend any time? Not real fond of watching traffic speeding up and down the highway. I'm hoping to change all that though and make some use of the space. I'm am starting to search for ideas, tips and inspiration. 

I just have a couple of little things I have to keep in mind...

This is not MY property but rented property (with approval for some gardening). That being said, of course I need to be thrifty and not put a lot of money into this. I just want something better to look at and use, but not sink a lot of money into property I don't own and will leave one day.

Anyone have any ideas? Pictures? Tips? Websites? Anything gardening to share with this newbie?

I'm hoping to grown a few vegetables (tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers) as well a floral gardening area to. I'd love to hear your ideas and welcome them!

Getting To Know You - Sunday



The Questions:

1. do you weigh yourself?

2. what's the nastiest thing you've ever eaten?

3. snail mail or email?

4. do you have any irrational fears...what are they?

5. do you play an instrument?

6. would you rather be bitten by a snake or attacked by a bear?

7. do you ever go braless in public?

8. today i am thankful for........................?

My Answers:

1. Do you weigh yourself?

Rarely. I know I'm staying about the same or if there is a change by my clothes and that's all I need to know. Numbers do not always indicate "health", not to the extreme people use them. And I choose health before obsession. :)

2. What's the nastiest thing you've ever eaten?

I have tasted a lot of things I didn't like but "nasty"? Hmmm I'd have to say a recent smoothie I tried. It was a mixture of a lot of good stuff but when you have fiber husk, and chia seeds not ground it's a nasty texture in your mouth.


3. Snail mail or email?

Email is convenient. You can access email from almost anywhere these days. But I love receiving a REAL LETTER from a friend or loved one in the mail box.


4. Do you have any irrational fears...what are they?

I don't know what's rational or irrational to any of you but I'm afraid of heights - terrible! To the point of getting queasy and feeling butterflies in my stomach even watching a movie with a scene from high up and the camera is looking down - Cliffhanger just about did me in.


5. Do you play an instrument?

Not now. I took piano lessons for 2 years in high school and loved it but never stuck with it after that.

6. Would you rather be bitten by a snake or attacked by a bear?

Bitten by a snake. It may or may not kill me but I know the bear would for sure. And a snake bite is less violent and would have to be less painful than being torn apart.


7. Do you ever go bra less in public?

Never. I could not pass that test.

8. Today i am thankful for........................?

my family - we're all close and get along (no family squabbling), my job - so many people don't have one, for a beautiful sunny day today

Run over to MannLand and link up and play along!

 

Getting To Know You - Sunday

It's time for this week's edition of Getting To Know You!

Here are the questions...

1. what inspires you?

2. what was the last thing you bought yourself?

3. would you rather watch a movie in a theater or from the comfort of your own home?

4. household chore you don't mind doing?

5. coffee or tea?

6. what could you eat every day and not get sick of??

7. what's the last book you read?

8. do you think you look you "look" your age?

And here are my answers...

1. what inspires you?

Progess, my family, and seeing the good things others do... that inspires me to do and give as well.

2. what was the last thing you bought yourself?

About a month ago I finally decided on my "joint-occasion" gift. Some years I choose to combine my Jan 20th anniversary with my Jan 23rd birthday (or for something bigger I might have been dreaming about I might add in Valentine's Day on Feb 14th *wink*). This year I decided on a new 42" Vizio LED TV and a new stand for the living room. LOVE IT! :)


3. would you rather watch a movie in a theater or from the comfort of your own home?

I enjoyed the theater for years but I really do enjoy the privacy and comfort of my own home now. Is that I sign of getting older? (yikes!)


4. household chore you don't mind doing?

I don't mind laundry. Most of the actual 'work' is done by the machines. I love the smell of fresh laundry from the dryer. And the folding is something I can do... while watching a movie from my home if I want to. :)


5. coffee or tea?

I hate tea! But I LOVE my coffee! My sweet hubby fixes and brings to me my morning cup every morning to get me going. Then I will have 1 or maybe 2 more cups through the day at the office. He only likes one brand and 'flavor' (Maxwell House Columbian Supreme) and I love it too. But I wouldn't mind experimenting (like I have at the office) with some other brews with a new Keurig. That is on my gift list now. :)


6. what could you eat every day and not get sick of??

I have gotten tired of a lot of stuff over time that I have been stuck on. So I don't know if anything would last indefinitely. Lately though I have had to have my piece of Sourdough bread toasted with butter at least once a day. I love that stuff!


7. what's the last book you read?

The last book I finished was Darkest Hour, the 5th in the Cutler series by V.C. Andrews. Love her stuff! Now I'm reading Made to Crave by Lysa TerKeurst.

 
8. do you think you look you "look" your age?

I suppose. I don't think I look older. Maybe somedays when I'm not feeling my best and don't fix myself up but mostly I do.

It's your turn! Stop over and link up at MannLand5 and play along! Have a great day and week! 

 

Smile! You may be on Candid Camera

I am convinced the post office in my small town is messing with me.

When I receive a package that is too large for my post office mailbox, I receive a key in my small box for a large lock box that holds my bigger package - 
similar to this one...

Easy enough to see that you need to obtain your package from locker #18, right?

 

 

 

Twice now, in the last two weeks, I have received a key like this one in my mailbox for parcel pickup...

After the second time (yesterday), I almost looked around for the hidden cameras, as I started trying to unlock random lockers, hoping my un-labled little key will fit one of them. Do they really not see the problem with continuing to use and un-labled key? Or do they really just not care that I have better things to do with my time than stand around going from locker to locker trying to find one that matches my key???