I know I'm supposed to be on hiatus, but I couldn't help myself. :D I'd made this list anyway, and it only takes a couple minutes to post. :D
I've lately been convicted of several areas in my family life that I need to work on. I started working on them, but I was scared that I might forget what I was working on, or get lazy or start thinking that it's not a big deal down the road. So out came this list to keep myself accountable! I thought it might be helpful if I shared this. So I am, and I'm turning it into a challenge!! (It's been awhile, eh?)
I challenge you...
to ask yourself all of these questions every night before you go to bed or when you get up each morning. Perhaps you can print it out and put it by your bed or post it on your wall.
This is just MY list. Feel free to take it and edit it to fit yourself. I intentionally made it a list of questions, not a checklist, because I knew how easy it would be for me to put it up somewhere, check it off for three days, then forget about it. I wanted them to be questions that I would get in the habit of asking myself throughout the day.
Also, if you think of any scriptures to go with the ones that I'm missing, feel free to post below!!
And I'd LOVE to know if you accept the challenge! (even though I'm not posting regularly, I still read all the comments y'all post. :D)
I put a * by each one that I explain below. :D
Daily/Weekly Questions To Ask Yourself:
Did you get up on time with a grateful heart? (Ps. 149:5)
Did you read your Bible and pray? (1 Cor. 1:9)
Did you plea for wisdom? (Jam. 1:5)
Did you surrender the totality with nothing left out? (Ps. 24:1; Matt. 5:36)
Did you memorize Scripture? (Ps. 119:11)
* Did you write anything about your parents in your gratitude journal? (Eph. 6:2) (Weekly)
* Did you write your parents a thank you note? (Weekly)
Did you pray for wisdom for your dad? (Jam. 1:5)
Did you pray for wisdom for mom? (Jam. 1:5)
Did you pray for wisdom to be a good son/daughter? (1 Pet. 3:6)
Did you make it exciting for your dad to come home?
Did you show affection to each family member? (Rom. 12:10)
Did you smile and say a cheery good morning? (Prov. 15:13)
Did you stick to your screen time block? (Jam. 4:14)
Did you get rid of something? (Matt. 6:19)
Did you keep your thoughts about your parents captive to the obedience of Christ? (2 Cor. 10:5)
Did you do everything on time?
Did you speak only gentle, life-giving words? (Prov. 31:26)
Did you forgive instantly? (Matt. 6:14)
Did you rejoice at the panic point? (Rom. 5:1-5)
Did you do your work right away, all the way, with a happy heart? (Eccles. 9:10)
Did you choose gratitude and joy? (Ps. 107:22)
Did you exercise? (Prov. 31:17)
Did you make sacrificial food choices? (Prov. 23:21)
Did you meditate on Scripture? (Ps. 1:2)
Did you volunteer happily for any extra tasks mama/daddy wanted done? (2 Sam. 15:15)
Did you take time for your siblings? (1 John 4:21)
Did you go outside? (Ps. 145:5)
Did you sing praise to God? (Ps. 47:6)
Did you write a note to someone at church or elsewhere? (Phil. 1:3) (Weekly)
Did you love idolatrously or sacrificially? (John 13:14-15)
* Did you write down something that God did in your life this week? (Lament. 3:23) (Weekly)
Did you read at least part of a good solid Christian book? (Phil. 4:8)
Did you have one meaningful conversation with an adult? (Tit. 2:4)
Did you invest in someone younger? (Tit. 2:6)
Did you intentionally notice the needs of others? (1 John 3:17)
Did you share God’s Word with someone? (Ps. 34:3)
Did you forgive yourself because He forgave you? (Ps. 86:5)
Do you love God today more than you did yesterday? (Matt. 24:12)
Did you treasure and seek the fear of the Lord and wisdom? (Prov. 1:7)
Did you think of sin lightly? (Ps. 130:3)
Did you treasure instruction? (Prov. 8:33)
Did you live worship-fully in the light of the gospel and eternity? (1 John 1:7;)
Were you a visible beatitude, a living doxology of joy, gratitude, and adoration? (1 Chron. 29:11-14)
Did you do all these things for the glory of God or yourself? (Ps. 115:1)
Explanation #1: Keeping A Gratitude Journal For Our Parents
I keep a gratitude journal for my parents. I noticed that often my thoughts about my parents are critical. "They shouldn't have done that, That wasn't the best option, I can't believe they're asking me to do that!" I didn't want to have these thoughts, but I found that if I didn't replace them with gratitude, they would come back. I try to write something in there every day that I'm grateful for about them, i.e. "I'm thankful that my parents treasure God's Word and value it above everything else." Whenever I'm feeling negative thoughts about them, I go through and read what I've already written, and my perspective changes. Us children often have 'Radars' where we pick up all the signals our parents send out, whether good or bad, and we evaluate them and judge them. Keeping a gratitude journal is helping me to turn off the radar and only dwell on what I'm grateful for.
Explanation #2: Writing Our Parents Notes
Our parents do so much for us!! Mama was sick the last two days and so I took over. It really opened my eyes to not only how much they do, but how much they have on their minds all the time. "Where are the kids, what are they doing? What are they supposed to be doing? What is the state of their heart? How will my choices affect them later on? How can I build their character? What needs to be done next? What are we going to eat in 2 hours?" are just some of the things I thought perpetually these last two days. Not to mention laundry, dishes, appointments, clean up, dealing with discipline issues, and a thousand other things! AND trying not to yell at the kids and kick the cat on top of that!!! I tell you it really took intentional effort not to yell the last two days!! This is a slice of the life of our parents... things they do e v e r y d a y ! The least we can do is cheerfully and instantly obey, be thankful and encourage them. One of the ways we can encourage them is write them notes. My parents LOVE my notes! I didn't even think they would like them as much as they do! Sometimes it's just a quick, "Dear mama/daddy, thank you for --- I love you, have a great day!" Or I'll handletter a word like 'hope' or 'joy' and leave it on their sink. Other times they're much longer. I found it's really easy to write these notes if I pull them from my gratitude journal.
Explanation #3: Writing Down God's Faithfulness
I used to do better at this, when I published my "Of God's Faithfulness Posts." Once I got out of the habit of doing that, I found that I don't think about or notice when God provides. I know that He is always faithful, and there is always something that I can write down (his mercies are new every morning - great is His faithfulness!) it's simply that I don't intentionally write things down. I couldn't help but think of the verses in Psalms 78+79 that talk about telling the generations to come of God's mighty and wondrous works, especially Psalm 78:4.
We will not hide them from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.
~ Psalm 78:4
I kept thinking to myself, "how can I tell the generations to come of God's wonderful works that He has done if I don't write them down?" Sure, I may be able to tell them to my children (at least the ones I remember) and I may be able to tell them to my grandchildren (IF I remember!) but what about the next generation and the next generation and the next and the next? Will they hear about how God was faithful to their great-great grandma? Or will all the things that God has done for me not be remembered? God may get glory from me, but what about my descendants? I am determined to write them down again!
I could put an explanation down for each one of these questions. Maybe I'll do that later. :D But for now, I encourage you to ask yourself these questions. Keep yourself accountable - look up the scripture references. If you have any questions or comments, or if you accept the challenge, please let me know below!
I'm praying for each of you!
Katarina