Day 14: Weekly Reflection

1. Am I listening for and hearing God's voice? What is he saying to me?
Yes, I believe I am but not nearly as much as I could if I spent more time alone with him. If I were willing to pause long enough to just sit and listen. I believe he is saying to me slow down listen to me a bit before rushing out the door, during the day take time to just pause and see what I have to say about how your day is going or what you need to do. I spent time in prayer and time in Bible Study daily but I rush through things in the morning and at night and don't take time to pause and see what he has to say. At work I allow my day to get hectic and myself frazzled because I do not pause to listen and pray throughout my day. Therefore, I have committed to follow the morning and evening routines I have build into my schedule; that's where I'll start.
2. Am I increasingly manifesting the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23)? What areas look encouraging? What needs prayer?
Love yes. Joy at times but need to not mention ailments so much and be grateful for how far God has allowed me to come recently. Peace, not this past week have allowed myself to become frazzled way to often and angry on Friday. Patience, doing better here but still need God's help to work on my patience while waiting in lines. Kindness, yes but again need God's help to improve. Goodness, again need God's help to improve. Faithfulness, need God's help here to stay the course and not get bored or disappointed. Gentleness, this is another area I need God's help. I tend to be far to abrasive in certain circumstances and my words can be far to harsh. Self-control, God has brought me a long way but He needs to bring me further. I need to follow his lead and allow him to work in me through the Holy Spirit so that he can make even more improvements.
3. What did God teach me during my TAG?
To slow down and linger longer, to not rush through this most important appointment in my day. To do this I will need to get up 30 minutes earlier in the morning and start my nightly routine 30 minutes earlier.
4. Which priorities did I live by? Which goals did I pursue?
This weel I wished I could report that I lived by my priorities set forth in my personal vision statement but I did not. Instead of using creativity and empathy at work to bring other women together I yet my judgmental attitude and feelings of superiority work against this priority. I firmly believe that God was trying to get my attention in the statement made by my boss of what he wanted me to do. Instead of feeling like the victim, the one being taken advantage of, and building a resentment, I am praying now that God will bring to mind through the Holy Spirit my vision statement and Gal. 5:22-23 before I open my mouth.
5. Which priorities or goals did I neglect?
(See above). Plus I spent way to much time at work on things not related to work and I need to stop doing that. At home I need to work on getting up earlier, not spending more than 8 hours in sleeping, not wasting time on things that do not bring God glory.
6. What new thing did I learn--about life, God, my family, and the people around me?
A. That life is to short to allow myself to become overwhelmed, frazzled by trying to do it all. B. That my family loves me just as I am. C. People around me like me but also get very upset with me at times because I rub them the wrong way. That I need to be more considerate of them and offer them help without thinking about how it might inconvenience me.
Well that has been my week.
Prayer:
O Father God, please help me to have control over my tongue. Holy Spirit, help me to guard my tongue to keep my words kind, non-judgmental, helpful, hopeful, gentle, and kind. Dear Lord Jesus, help me to show your love to everyone, joy in you and the life you have given me. Bring to me your peace and help me to display that to the world around me. Direct me as to the tasks that I take on so that I do not overload myself and become frazzled but also to not waste the time I have each day. Teach me your patience, kindness, and goodness so that I can reflect them back to the world around me. Show me how to be faithful in the things that you want me to do, keep me faithful in my service to you. Build in me the gentleness that was displayed by the women in the Bible and instill in me self-control. Self-control of my mouth in praticular. Self-control in the words that come out of my mouth and self-control in what I put into my mouth. I know God that I can never hope to achieve these things without your help. I know that I will never be perfect but do not allow me to use that as an excuse not to strive towards that perfection. These things I ask in the mighty, saving name of Jesus Christ. Amen.