An Exercise in Writing

On my journey to transform my life, I have been reading about others that have transformed their lives and things that helped them to get out of their rut and to make real changes.  Yesterday I came across the writing exercise below and thought I would try it.  I am including the article, in case you decide you would like to give this a chance, instead of paper and pen I will be using my keyboard, but whatever follows, you can be assured that it is what comes off the top of head.  I have not thought about it, in fact I did not even read the assignment through all the way until right now, because I did not want to think about what I was going to write beforehand.

So let me set my timer.  Ok, here goes:

1. I want to run a marathon
2. I want to have a successful Arbonne Business
3. I want own my own home
4. I want to make enough money to be able to give away 90% of what I make
5. I want to open a home for unwed mothers
6. I want to start a program for Junior Highers that will teach them how to think, how to help others and how to take personal responsibility for their lives.
7. I want to dance on Broadway
8. I want to lose 50 pounds
9. I want to take my grandson to Disneyland, and on vacations around the world.
10.  I want to buy property large enough for my family to live close by.
11.  I want to attend a black tie affair
12. I want to be able to open my home to those in need
13. I want to have weekly family dinners
14. I want to help others achieve their dreams
15. I want to help my sons achieve their dreams
16. I want to be able to move my mom into my home, and be able to afford to give around the clock care.
17. I want to have a big extended family Christmas
18. I want a marriage that points others to Christ
19. I want to have weekly Bible Studies in my home
20. I want to be able to be a secret Santa to those in need
21. I want to give back to everyone who has ever helped my over the years in ten fold
22. I want to travel to Isreal
23. I want to take an RV trip around the US visiting every state.
24. I want to feel good about myself when I look in the mirror
25. I want to laugh more
26. I want to feel free to invite people over to my house on a whim, no planning
27. I want an extra room that is always available to anyone in need.
28. I want have girls night in
29. I want to do more with my step-daughters
30. I want to spend more time with all my grandsons and get to know them better.
31. I want to love more
32. I want to have my life mean something
33. I want to be able to say yes more and not have to worry about what it will cost
31. I want to shop more
32. I want to be able to see a need and meet it
33. I want to be prepared when I see someone struggling to lend a hand
34. I want to know Christ more intimately
35. I want to spend more quality time in prayer
36. I want to believe God for more
37. I want to be used by God to bring others to salvation
38. I want to do the things that Jesus tells his disciples that we will be able to do
39. I want to  attend church more
40. I want to be true to my word
41. I never want to feel ashamed because I do not have the money to join in
42. I never want to have to come up with excuses of why I can not do something, when I know that it is money that is holding me back
43. I want to have a swimming pool
44. I want to attend more sporting events
45. I want to help my husband be whatever it is he wants to be
46. I want to dream more and bigger dreams
47. I want to decorate my home, how I want
48. I want to buy a fixer upper and redo it and sell it or give it away
49. I want to be able to visit my kids more
50. I want to write a book
51. I want to have a blog that I can make money with
52. I want to write a play
53. I want to choreograph more
54. I want to do a play with my sons again
55. I want to
Ok, well I did not get through 100, but that was 20 minuets.  Some of what I wrote may sound trivial, but it was honest as it came to my mind.  I did not censor anything, or second guess myself.
Now, over the next 87 days, let's see how many of the above I can start working on.  Should be interesting.  
You've got 20 minutes to change your life in 100 ways. Go.
This is the premise of an exercise I tried once, when I was feeling stuck in life. I wasn't sure what was amiss, but the routine I had fallen into was not satisfying the inner voice in me that insisted there was something else out there for me. (See also: Change Your Life With Storytelling)
After trying (forcefully) to understand what was going on, reading self-help books, filling out aptitude tests, and working with business and life coaches, I was given a suggestion that became a catalyst for some pretty big personal changes.
Here is how you can change your life in 20 minutes, step by step:

1. Clear all distractions. Turn off the phone, the TV, the computer. Lock your door, and go to a quiet place.
    
2. Sit down comfortably at a desk or table, with a blank piece of paper and a pen in front of you.
    
3. Set a timer for 20 minutes.
    
4. Go. Write down 100 things you want to do. Or careers you want to have. Or people you would like to meet. The sky is the limit.
    
5. Don't be realistic. Dream big. Write down the craziest things you can think of, as well as the things that you don't even think bear mentioning because they are so simple. Write it all down.
    
6. Work quickly. 20 minutes isn't very long, and you have 100 items to get through, if you can. Don't think about whether or not to write down an idea — just write. Write everything that comes to mind, even if it doesn't make sense. Just keep on writing, and don't stop until that timer goes off.

Something happens after about 10 or 15 minutes if you employ the exercise to its full potential. You stop caring about what specifically the ideas are, and you start to release an inner creativity that may have been locked away for a while. In an effort to get through 100 things in 20 minutes, you start to write outlandish things down that you aren't even really sure you want, but that are ideas that came to you nonetheless.

Today's weigh in:

I know there are some that say that I shouldn't weigh myself every day, I do this to keep accountable and to keep me consistent.

Until tomorrow.

Think on these things

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Does anyone else find this incredibly difficult.  I mean I know what I am supposed to think, meditate, on but it seems like everything in our world is trying to keep us thinking about other things.  

I mean let's look at it, "true",  how do you focus on truth when it seems that you cannot count on anyone to give you the truth.  You look at anything on the Internet, newspapers, news stations it seems like everything is slanted one way or another to get you to buy into their truth.  There doesn't seem to be any absolute truth anymore.  Even within the church, what is true for one church is not necessarily true for another.  

Whatever things are noble, honorable from the root word meaning to revere, religious.  Is there any honor anymore?  It doesn't seem that people value nobility or honor anymore, for true nobility is having an excellent moral character and morality seems to be a thing of the past.  

Whatever things are just.  Justice is something we cry out for when it comes to others, but not so much for ourselves.  Just, is more and more subjective, we say things like "he was just in doing that". "I am justified in my actions".  Without moral absolute every action can be justified by the individual who chooses it.

Whatever things are pure.  Purity, really?  It seems to be a gag for the tabloids.  Even if you try to be pure or think on things that are pure you just have to wake up in the morning and the world is bombarding you with everything but purity.  From TV, Movies, commercials, radio, internet, all around us.  Even opening your email can be a land mine of negotiating through spam emails trying to seduce you into every  impure act known to man.  Drive by your local junior or senior high school and you will what our kids, especially our sons are up against.  Girls fully developed wearing short shorts or skirts, low cut tops, leaving nothing to the imagination.  I am amazed that parents allow their daughters to dress like this.  Even if boys wanted to think on what is pure, it is nearly impossible.
Whatever things are lovely.  These are the things that one has an affection towards.  So the things that you like.  The things that you think about, are the things that you are friendly towards, the things you like, so ask yourself, what is it that dominates my thinking?  What is on my mind when I wake up?  When I fall asleep?
Whatever things are of good report.  What things have a good reputation, well spoken of.  Are you looking for the good to focus on, or are you focused on the bad.  When you mind is continually focused on the bad, whether it is personally in your own life, or in society or in the world, it will have an affect on you and what you do.  God knows there is a lot of horrible things going on in the world, and I don't believe that he is saying that we are not to be aware of that what is happening, but the question is what are you focused on?  Try focusing on things that are of good report and see if that doesn't change your attitude and your behavior.
If there is any virtue?   Virtue comes from the same root word as manliness.  A man of valor, excellence.  Is there any virtue?  Do we see men or women that are worthy of praise?  Men and women of valor, courage, bravery?  I think we do, those are the stories we need to hear more about.  Yes there are plenty of people that make the news for messing up, but what about having more news about those that step up to the plate, put their lives on the line, the true unsung heroes of our time?
The next goes along with the above, if there is anything praiseworthy, mediate on these things. 
How would our lives change if we started putting this verse into practice each and every day.  If we got rid of the idea that "sex sells"  and replaced it with "valor sells"  "nobility sells".  Turned off the violent TV shows, games, stayed away from movies that didn't uplift.  Remember this only pertains to Christians, although I believe everyone would benefit from doing this. 
But my challenge is to Christians, examine this week what you are watching, listening too, reading and run everything the filter of Philippians 4:8, and see what may need some changing.  I believe for too long we have slowly allowed the enemy to take control of our minds.  I know when I am conscientiously aware I am amazed by the oh so subtle and subtle ways the enemy uses to take me away from who God made me to be.  If you take this challenge, please let me know, what if any changes God challenges you to make in your life.  I would love to pray for you and with you.  God Bless