living intentionally by faith everyday

L.I.F.E by Ashley Pichea

Category Archives: Faith

Monday Musings {05.07.12}

Random Thoughts in My Brain:

{#1}

You know how I planned out the remainder of our homeschool year a few weeks ago? Yeah – we’re definitely not “on schedule” to finish in mid-June. But I really don’t care. Other than math, Jenny is so far ahead of the curriculum it’s not even funny. So, I’m mainly focused on finishing math.

{#2}

After talking with a number of homeschooling gurus {aka, they’ve been there, done that} at the 2:1 Conference, I’ve decided on a “no curriculum” approach to next year.

Other than math {we’ll be using Horizons Grade 2}, we’re going to do more of an “unschooling” approach {which is really what we’ve done this year} using life to inspire academic learning. It’ll require a bit more intentionality on my part – but we really need a bit of that anyways around here! {Oh, and we’ll have a Bible curriculum of sorts to work through – that’s something we haven’t done as well with and need to do better.}

{#3}

I need a new planner. I’m so sad that BusyBodyBook Planners are no more, and I need to find a new planner that will work for me. {Or maybe I just need to create one.} I really like the look/feel of a few of the planners I checked out at the 2:1 Conference – now to remember which was which and which I liked best. {Enough “which”es in that sentence?}

{#4}

I need better “Me Management.” At the 2:1 Conference, Heidi St. John taught us that time management is really just me management – which makes total sense to me. If I can manage me {aka get out of bed in at a decent time each morning and stay focused on one task at a time throughout the day}, my day will flow much more smoothly and I’ll get so much more accomplished.

This is really crucial as I try to balance working from home, homeschooling two kids, blogging, writing, managing my home, and all the other odds and ends that require my time and attention.

{#5}

One of the ways I need to focus on in realigning my day and my priorities is my time in the Word. I’ve been neglecting this as of late, and it’s starting to show. I’m a firm believer in the need to be filled in order to be able to overflow, and I haven’t been allowing myself to be filled lately.

It’s time to go back to the well of the Word and drink deeply!

{#6}

Last week was a week of the never-ending to-do list. Honestly, it had little to do with coming back from a conference and more to do with my lack of prioritizing and focusing. I tried to multitask all week and be everything to everyone. In the end, my deadline barely got met {and some at the very last minute}, and my week was quite stressful.

I definitely can see the difference between getting all my work done early on in the week {and saying “no” to “extras” during my working time} and having a less stress week and the way last week was. I think this is another “me management” area I need to work on.

{#7}

I think I want to try a “rice and beans” budget this summer {if I can convince my husband to go for it}.

I think if we do, we can pay off our vehicle loan by the end of the summer.

{#8}

I realized this weekend that I’ve been busy “working in religion” rather than “walking in relationship” lately.

Friday night, I was having trouble falling asleep {even though I was dead tired}, and I was prompted to start praying. As I began to pray, God impressed on my heart my serious neglect of my relationship with Him over the past few months. It was an amazing time of reconnecting on a heart-to-heart level with Him as I laid all my burdens down and let His peace wash over me.

{#9}

When you give a mouse a cookie… We all know how that ends. But have you ever experienced the one that goes like this: “When you ask God for something…”?

I have – many times over – and yet, I still ask. Friday night was just another example of what happens when you ask God for “A” {Ashley’s will} and He gives you “B” {better for you because it’s God’s will}. When I asked God to wake me up at 5:30am on Saturday morning – well rested and refreshed – so I could get my work done before the family woke up, He woke me up at 2:15am and didn’t let me fall back asleep. So instead of starting work at 5:30am, as I had planned, I started work at 3:30am, as He had planned.

P.S. Plan “B” {better for you because it’s God’s will} is always better than Plan “A” {Ashley’s will}!

{#10}

I got an awesome “fortune” in my fortune cookie last week: “As long as you don’t sign up for anything new, you’ll do fine.” I think I need to hear that at least once a week – if not once a day. Saying “No!” is not my strong suit.

IMG_4206

Counting My Blessings: #241-275

  1. Quiet mornings {even if it is 3:30am}
  2. Eating Papa Johns {which I’d been craving} without getting a sinus headache
  3. Sunshine
  4. Warm weather
  5. Trips to the pond
  6. Celebrating with friends
  7. Discovering my blog moved up in Google’s page rank
  8. The feeling of accomplishment after working hard on a proposal
  9. Feeling of being “at home” at a blogging conference
  10. A weekend away without the kids
  11. A supportive husband who gets me
  12. Coffee
  13. My Keurig
  14. A surprise visit with siblings
  15. Stopping at the library only to remember they have a book on hold you’ve been waiting to read
  16. Finishing the Hunger Games trilogy
  17. Inspiration for my new e-book
  18. Coming home to a mostly prepped week of blog posts
  19. Snapping the “perfect” picture
  20. Instagram
  21. Connecting and building community online
  22. Heart-to-heart chats in person with online friends
  23. Gleaning wisdom from more experienced VAs
  24. Watching God blossom new relationships into something beautiful for His glory
  25. Spending a weekend with people that “get” me
  26. Fresh fruit
  27. Coconut milk
  28. Scripture memory notecards next to my computer screen
  29. Parents who are willing to babysit all weekend
  30. “Birthday Freebies” at Menards
  31. Google/Swagbucks {I love my search engines!}
  32. Lots of notepads available for my use
  33. A new book to study on my blog
  34. Encouragement for each day, based on the Word of God
  35. YOU!!

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See where I’m linked up…

Related posts:

Caffeinated Conversations {05.04.12}: Colossians 3.1-4 and the 2:1 Conference

It’s hard to believe that it’s already May! Where has this year gone??

April’s Memory Verse: Colossians 3.1-4

During the month of April, I worked on memorizing Colossians 3.1-4. Watch the video below to see how I did! {If you can’t see the video, please visit the blog to watch it.}

Caffeinated Conversations {05.04.12}

The 2:1 Conference

I told you all about the 2:1 Conference before I left last week, but I had NO idea how AMAZING it was truly going to be!

I’ve been to other blogging conferences before, but I always felt a bit disconnected from the majority of the other attendees.

This was NOT the case at the 2:1 Conference.

Sure, I’m still a relatively new homeschooler, and an even newer “homeschool blogger,” but that didn’t matter at the 2:1 Conference. The attendees {both bloggers and brand representatives} at the 2:1 Conference were so warm and welcoming – there was no room to feel “left out” or like a “misfit.”

Friday

When we checked in on Friday afternoon, we received a goodie bag full of awesome swag from the conference sponsors – I still haven’t had time to go through carefully to see all the fun goodies we got!

Friday night started with a “Sponsor Speed Dating” session that was a perfect way to get to know each of the sponsors in a succinct way in order to know which sponsor booths you wanted to be sure to visit throughout the weekend to get to know them better.

After dinner {yum!} and an encouraging keynote address from Rebecca Powell, Apologia {one of the amazing sponsors} hosted a pajama party for the group.

DinnerRebecca PowellApologia Pajama Party

Funny story: As we were heading back to our rooms to change into our pajamas, a group of high-schoolers arrived in the lobby. As I headed back to the conference area in my pajamas, another hotel guest asked me if I was with the homeschool kids group. I quickly informed him that I was not a “homeschool kid” but a “homeschool parent.” He didn’t believe me. He was sure that I was a homeschooled high school student!

Saturday

Saturday was a full day of sessions – some were focused on homeschooling while others shared blogging know-how.

Our morning keynote was given by my good friend, Rachel Martin, and we were reminded that “comparison is the death of contentment.”

Rachel Martin

I attended a session on Growing Your Online Reach taught by my friend, Angie Kaufmann.

Angie Kaufmann

I picked up several helpful tips in this session that I’m eager to implement!

Christine Young gave a keynote address on bloggers building relationships with brands that was insightful and challenging.

I’ve even taken what I learned in her talk and put it into action this week already!

Christine Young

By the middle of the afternoon, I was at a breaking point. Too much socializing and too much information – I needed a nap before I had a breakdown. {I came close to breaking down on my way out of the conference area – I was that close to losing it!} I skipped the second afternoon breakout session and headed back to my room for a much needed time of solitude!

I rejoined the fun an hour or so later, just in time for Heidi St. John’s keynote address on time management for busy moms.

Heidi St. John

The biggest nugget of truth I gleaned from this talk is that “time management” is really just “me management.” Wow – I needed to hear that!

Saturday night, I was able to “sneak” away from the conference and spend some time with my husband {who came along for an escape from reality}. It was nice to be able to get away for a bit and decompress!

Sunday

Sunday morning started with a great breakout session by my good friend, Stef Layton, on cultivating online community.

Stef Layton

My favorite nugget from Stef was a reminder that community is about a place and interaction – not about numbers!

In our closing keynote session on Sunday, we were blessed to be lead in praise and worship by Jessica McGuire.

Jessica McGuire

What a beautiful sound – over one hundred women joining their voices together in praise to God!

Rachael Carman closed our time together, challenging us to choose joy as we returned home.

Rachael Carman

It was an incredible weekend, and I’m sure I’ll be revisiting my notes often to remind myself of the truths taught and the tips gleaned!

To see more photos from the weekend, check out the 2:1 Conference 2012 Flickr Group!

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See where I’m linked up…

Related posts:

Finding Freedom: Week One

Join me in Finding Freedom this summer – freedom from perfection, control issues, and the tendency to listen to talking snakes {i.e. believe the lies of the devil}.

Each Thursday we’ll be looking at three chapters from I Blame Eve, discussing what God is teaching us through what we’ve read and looking for ways to apply our learning to our lives.

Finding Freedom at LIFE by Ashley Pichea

Chapter 1: I Wish Eve Hadn’t Eaten the Apple

“[Eve] was completely unaware of how fantastic her experience was.” {p. 25}

How often do we take our eyes off of Christ and forget what an incredible blessing life is? I have found counting my gifts each week to be a great way to remember all the good things that God has blessed me with when I’m tempted to take my eyes off Him and focus on my circumstances instead of Christ.

“I know God is in charge, but I’m still going to do what I want to do anyway.” {p. 27}

Ugg! How many times a day is this my attitude?!? I see it in my kids {especially David} and get frustrated, only to realize that God is using my children’s disobedient hearts to show me where I am falling short. This is definitely an area of struggle for me – letting go of my {falsely} “assumed” control and yielding control to the Holy Spirit.

“Death. Did they know what death would look like? That it would be the loss of hope and freedom and joy? That days would be filled with hard work and a side of crankiness? That death could mean a thousand kids of dying each day?” {p. 27}

How do you experience “death in a thousand ways each day” in your own life?

 

Chapter 2: I Would Listen to a Talking Snake

“Instead of touching base with God, Eve began to consider the possibility that maybe God wasn’t being entirely up-front about things.” {p. 34}

Every time I read this, it hits me square between the eyes! How quick are we to fall prey to doubt, casting judgments based solely on our own feelings about a situation, and failing to seek God’s perspective of a situation. I need to stop taking things at face value {especially in the heat of the moment or when I’m emotional} and start seeking God’s perspective through prayer and study of the Scriptures to see the situation through His “big picture” view.

“We may not acknowledge that we are perplexed or wavering in our faith, but somehow these doubts weave their way into our thoughts and camp out in our souls.” {p. 34}

I’ve never experienced the sensation of doubt when it comes to my faith, but as I read this section, I realized that I’ve often lived out my faith in a doubting manner. What we say we believe does not always play out in how we live our lives. I need to examine my life to see where I’ve stopped trusting God and allowed doubt to take root in my heart and soul.

“It is important to invite God into the snaky conversations that take place in our minds and the niggling doubts that dig into our souls, because this is where the battle begins, sister. The battle of good versus evil.” {p. 35}

We MUST take EVERY thought captive!

“Our battle begins in our hearts and minds when we are feeling alone and wavering in our knowledge of what is right and true.” {p. 35}

What thoughts do you need to take captive today?

 

Chapter 3: I Think God Is Holding Out On Me

“Desire can scream so loudly in our souls that we cannot hear anything else. There is almost nothing we won’t do if we really want something. Our desires give birth to temptation.” {p. 39}

How many times have you let desire get the best of you? I know I am guilty of this more times than I can count – even this week. And it’s the “little” things that we let slide – the desire for something “good” in lieu of what is “best,” the desire to relax when we know we ought to be productive, the desire to shut out the world when our families need us to be an active participant in their lives. When we yield to these desires, we are allowing sin to gain a foothold in our lives – we are telling God that we don’t agree with His plan for our lives – that we know better. It is yielding to these desires that move us away from God, one baby step at a time.

“The suggestion gets us thinking or wanting or longing for something that God is not offering us. Suddenly, we are baby stepping away from God’s purpose for our lives, throwing caution to the wind, wanting what we want, and not giving one thought to what lies in store for us after we get what we want… What we don’t realize is that we are walking away from the One who loves us most toward the one who wants to destroy us.” {p. 40}

It’s a slow fade… just like the song says. It’s a series of “gray choices” that lead us from black to white. What “gray choices” have you made this week?

“I thought God wouldn’t give me what I wanted. In reality, God wouldn’t give me what would destroy me… He wasn’t holding out on me. He was trying to hold me, close to his heart and his truth. He was trying save me from myself.” {p. 41}

I need to trust God {in how I live out my faith}, that His plan is the best one for my life!

 

Your Turn

What stood out to you this week as you read? What light did God illumine your heart with, challenging you to grow in your knowledge of Him?

Share your thoughts with us – you can blog about it {and share the link in the comments} or simply comment below.

 
Life is not meant to be done on your own – when we do LIFE together, we grow together as we encourage and challenge one another on the journey!
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Related posts:

Today is Your Best Day: Because Christ is in You

When I began reading through Today is Your Best Day a few months ago, I was challenged to see each day as my best day.

Today is Your Best Day: Because Christ is in You

It doesn’t matter what the day produces in terms of circumstances, but each day is my best day because Christ is in me.

“For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.” {Colossians 1.27, NLT}

As believers, we are not to view our lives in light of this world, but we are to keep our eyes on Christ, viewing our lives in light of the hope of spending eternity with Him.

I love how Roy Lessin puts it:

“Being in Christ brings you into heavenly realities; Christ being in you brings heavenly realities into your earthly walk.” {p. 30}

And as we keep our eyes on Christ, the Holy Spirit works in us to bring us closer to the image of Christ.

“Being in Christ allows you to see what God wants you to become; Christ being in you means that you can become what God wants you to be.” {p. 30}

You see, if you are a believer – if you have trusted the finished work of Christ on your behalf,  today IS your BEST day – because Christ is IN you!

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Today is Your Best Day series…

I hope you’ll join me as we spend each Wednesday in May examining reasons why Today is Your Best Day.

I’ll be sharing some of my favorite reasons, and I’ve asked some friends to share theirs as well.

I’m looking forward to sharing this series with you!

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See where I’m linked up…

*A

Related posts:

2 Corinthians 5.17-21: May’s Scripture of the Month

2 Corinthians 5.17-21 {NASB}

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.  Now all these things are from God,who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself,not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ,as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

2 Corinthians 5.17

Spending an entire month on this passage will not only help with retainment, but it will also allow me to meditate on the passage, looking for ways to apply it to my life as God uses it in my life throughout the month.

Scripture memory for its own sake is pointless – anyone can memorize a passage of Scripture and regurgitate it. Scripture memory when coupled with meditation and application is life changing.

I want my life to be changed through the discipline of Scripture memory. I want this exercise to not be an end in itself but to lead to growth in grace and love as I seek to be changed into the image of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Will you do LIFE together with me?

Will you be intentional about Hiding God’s Truths in YOUR Heart?

Share your Scripture memory journey with us by linking up related posts or by simply sharing your verse of the week/month in the sidebar on LIFE by Ashley Pichea.

Let’s encourage one another and hold each other accountable as we seek to grow in grace as we do LIFE together!

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