Personal Accountablility

Accountability simply means being responsible for the decisions we make, following through on those decision.  For me, it helps to have someone in my life who I am accountable to...

...first off I am accountable to God for every thought, decision, choice I make.

Accountability is part of our whole life.  Our actions, thoughts, behaviors...you name it everything about is we are accountable or responsible for.

One thing that helps me is to have a real life person to be accountable to...my bestie, Dee and I do an accountability email to each other every day, well most every day.  We tell each other what we have eaten, if we exercised and how we are feeling...we tend to be a barometer for each other.

And really, I tell a lot of people what I do.  

In fact, my friend Lynda C. says she doesn't have to worry about me doing anything bad/wrong 

and hiding it because I am always telling on myself.

And then of course, I write most everything here in my blog

...may not be right away but eventually I do.

And this morning as I began my quiet time the title of my first devotion was

Personal Accountability

Galatians 6: 4-5

Galatians 6:6

Galatians 6: 7-8

And from The Message

4-5 Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, 

and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. 

Don’t compare yourself with others. 

Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life. 

6 Be very sure now, you who have been trained to a self-sufficient maturity, 

that you enter into a generous common life with those who have trained you, 

sharing all the good things that you have and experience. 

7-8 Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. 

What a person plants, he will harvest. 

The person who plants selfishness, 

ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!

—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! 

But the one who plants in response to God,

 letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him,

 harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.

And Ali's translation:

We each individually need to look at our own situations and decide what we need to do.  

I can only take care of me, I can only decide what I am going to do.  

Whether that be to exercise, to eat a healthy piece of fruit or that yummy chocolate candy truffle,

read an inappropriate book or watch a TV show that is degrading to others.  

Yes I may be influenced by others but ultimately it is my decision, my choice.

And those choices is what I have to answer to God about.

God tells us in Luke 2:49

Just as Jesus said, He needs to be doing His Father's business, 

we are called to serve Christ. 

My calling may not be the same as yours but we are each called to do something.

And that calling may change.

Right now I believe Christ is calling me to Get Healthy.

I need to be healthy to be able to 

love my husband, our sons and their families,

to do my job here at Branson View Campground,

to be an Encourager to those who cross my path 

whether it be for an hour, a day, a week or extended season.

And I can't let Satan, people, circumstances or 

anything else derail me from Getting Healthy.

I need to make GOOD choices each and every day...

...like choosing an apple cinnamon muffin over a gooey, chocolatey, peanut butter fudge brownie

...sleeping in versus getting up before the alarm goes off to ride the bike for 40 minutes

I am reminded of something I learned in Parents Anonymous almost 30 years ago...

...if I don't take care of myself, how can I take care of my children.

Today, it is IF I don't get healthy, make changes in my daily life,

how can I be around for my grandchildren, 

my hubby, friends and family.

Changing Directions ~ Giving Thanks

I usually write a blog post for each day in November for something 

I am thankful for.

This morning I was reminded in 

that God loves me, consoles me, gives me hope, extends grace 

and never leaves me and is with me each and every day.

And I need to give THANKS every day!!  

So at the end of each blog post I am going to share something I am thankful for.

Not just in November, but every day.

Today as I was reading, praying and listening

I reflected back over my life.

That no matter the situation or circumstances I have found myself in,

whether by my choices/actions or someone else's

that God has always provided for me 

whether it be safety from others, food to eat, 

a place to lay my head or shelter from a storm.

I am thankful for my friend Dee,

she is my accountability partner, my prayer partner,

my coffee date friend and my sister!!!

And like she reminds me when I am in the middle of some struggle

"God has never failed me yet, what makes me think He will this time?"

Thank you Dee for loving me!

I hope each of you have a bestie or two or three in your life.

I am blessed and thankful for all my girlfriends...

Dee, Merel, Lynda, Mary, Tina, Carolyn, Kimberly, Norma...

...oh before I get in trouble for missing someone

I will leave it at that...

I am thankful for all my girlfriends!!!