Meandering through Monday

Time seems to be flying past me.

How can it be Monday again.  

What happened to last week?  

Where did it go?

First off, update on my Getting Healthy Journey.

Today I began riding the bike for 45 minutes.  

Whew it seemed like I was on the bike forever. 

How come we think nothing of sitting down 

to watch a 3 or 4 hour football game

but can't seem to spare 45 minutes of our day to take care of ourselves?

At the 37 minute mark I was ready to quit thinking

of all the things I need to get done today. 

But wait,  am I not as important or even more important 

as the things I need to do here at the campground?

So I pedaled on.

45 minutes, 10.21 miles, burned 520 calories.

And I am down 1.2 lbs this week, 

for a total loss of 9.8 lbs since August 27th.

My devotions this morning centered on 

 Community: a group of people who live in the same area (such as a city, town, or neighborhood); 

a group of people who have the same interests, religion, race, etc.

Who is my community?

What is my community for?

Where does my community reside?

How do I fit into my community?

"Community" is mentioned 82 times in The Message.

I like how Isaiah tells us how we should live in community. In Isaiah 58:9-12 he says: “If you get rid of unfair practices, quit blaming victims, quit gossiping about other people’s sins, If you are generous with the hungry and start giving yourselves to the down-and-out, Your lives will begin to glow in the darkness, your shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight. I will always show you where to go. I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places— firm muscles, strong bones. You’ll be like a well-watered garden, a gurgling spring that never runs dry. You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew, rebuild the foundations from out of your past. You’ll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community livable again.

I feel I have many communities in my life: my family, close friends, church family, RV'ing friends, my Tuesday morning fellowship group Forever Friends, those I live with in our campground. My community is large at times and other times it is very intimate.  

My community is widespread as I have community in our hometown of Blaine, WA/Whatcom County.  I am in community when we are visiting our son in Clackamas, OR and residing here in Branson, MO.  My community is also online and I keep in contact with them through Facebook (though I continue to cut down how much time I spend in that community), phone calls, emails and cards/letters.

My community provides me security in knowing I can call on others in my communities but most importantly I need to find my security in the LORD. People in my communities encourage me when I am down, share my joys and sorrows but the most important person in my community is Jesus Christ...it is actually through Him that I get my strength, my happiness and peace within.

Jesus teaches me over and over again in His Word that we need to serve our community.

We can do that in many ways: through prayer for others, by physically meeting the needs of others, being an encourager, sharing with those in our communities during the good times and bad.  There are simple ways to serve others: sharing a smile with those you pass in the aisles at the grocery store, opening the door for someone walking beside you as you enter a building, saying "hello" to someone in line at the checkout.  Asking the elderly lady loading her groceries into the trunk of her car "can I help you with those?" There are endless possibilities out in our world that we can serve those in our community.

How do you serve others in your community?

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Today I give Thanks for the sunshine here in Branson.  Having a sunny day greet me helps me to have a positive outlook on the day.  I give thanks for a home to live in, healthy children and grandchildren and a job where Ron and I can work together and share our lives with others.

What are you thankful for today?

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Today I would like to ask for prayer for the Lindsey/Beebe family as Tayler Beebe is undergoing surgery to remove a tumor from her pituitary gland.  Asking God to protect Tayler during the surgery,  comforting her parents/hubby/siblings as they wait news from the doctors, for the surgeons and nursing staff who are taking care of her and for complete healing for Tayler.

And for our son Brandon and his family for financial needs to be met.  With the government shut down, his unemployment has been stopped - for peace during this time of not knowing when funds will begin coming into the home again, for stress to not enter their home and for their physical needs will be met...having 4 growing boys groceries are definitely a necessity.

Thank you for praying. 

And if you have a special prayer request, please let me know.  

I so appreciate the prayers of others and want to be able to bless others in the same way.