Surrounded by Treasures: LBY Week 10: The Biggie (self-control)

Saturday, June 03, 2006

LBY Week 10: The Biggie (self-control)

What a finish... and what a start.

Wow, did I need this week. As I would tell Jenn when we would be having our IM sessions during the video segments, Beth was POKING me this week. Tonight, yeah, as I was watching the video (more on that in a minute) but she was poking me most energetically through the five days of Bible lessons in Week 10 in the book. I needed every one of those days. I think most people probably do. I needed to think about what comes out of my mouth, and what goes into it. I needed to think about a respectful life of self-control vs. the opposite. I needed to think about the waste of effort that it is to pursue things. I needed to think about what I allow to enter my mind, what I allow to cling to me. And most of all I needed to think about the self-discipline -- self-control -- that I lack in the area of a daily walk with God.

There have been times in my life when I got up early. These times have never lasted long, except for the two years that I got up at 5 AM three days a week because I had to be at work at 6:15. During these times I would get up, get some housework done, get some exercise in, and spend some time praying (often with my husband) and reading the Bible and just communing with God before all the distractions of the day set in. Every time I've managed to do this I've been blown away by how much better it feels to be looking at work completed and reflecting on my spiritual breakfast at 8:30 or 9:00, instead of rolling out of bed and stumbling to my e-mail. And yet I always fall back into the pattern of sleeping late and foregoing the very real satisfaction I get from self-discipline. Self-control is like that -- it feels so good after you exercise it that you wonder why you ever don't. Until the next opportunity comes along. In my case, anyway. I have always envied people for whom this sort of thing came more naturally. But you know what? If it came naturally to me, then God wouldn't be about to use it to teach me what I hope I have the strength to learn, and that's the good that comes out of doing it even when it doesn't come naturally.

Tonight in the video session (after we were introduced to the Beth puppet in possibly the funniest scene I've seen on the Internet this year) Beth spent a good amount of time talking about our bodies, and moderation, and being temples of the Holy Spirit, and that's all well and good. I needed to hear it; I know I fall on the Neglect side of the scale and that's something for me to work on. But what I most needed from tonight was the Hannukah section at the end -- my own Hannukah -- my own rededication (Hannukah, for those who don't happen to have just watched a video discussing the topic, being the Jewish holiday that commemorates the rededication of the temple after it was profaned during the second century BC). And I think I need some accountability partners in this. It will be especially difficult since right now we don't have an alarm going off at our house; since T's been off work we've all just kind of slept until we felt like waking up. Which is a wonderful kind of feeling, especially when you have your husband in bed all warm next to you. But even more than I need that wonderful feeling, I need some time to build the foundation for my day in prayer, in the Word, in some good old virtuous labor, before I get caught up in stuff like school and child-tending and the Internet (I am a little fly, stuck in the world-wide web, all wrapped up. Speaking of addictions and new starts). Would you other LBY ladies (and of course anyone else who feels led) pray for me in this? Would you even check up on me -- ask me how I'm doing in it? Thank you.

So. I might as well start tomorrow, Saturday and all. Ack. I can't do this. But He can through me.


Addie	Heather*	Carol
M	Rach	Jeana
Jenn	Amanda	MamaB
GiBee	Boomama	Maria
Blair	Heather	Nancy
Janna	Flipflop	Robin
Sherry	Patricia	Tara
Lauren	HolyMama!	Faith
Christy	Eph2810	Karin
Leann	Rachel	Janice
This is a list of the women participating in the study and the links to their blogs. New postings on the study will be published for the next ten weeks, between Friday 8pm - Saturday 8am. Please feel free to visit each of us and comment. Everyone is welcome to participate in this discussion as we seek to live beyond ourselves. May God bless you richly from the hearing of His word.

Posted by Rachel on June 3, 2006 12:51 AM in Living Beyond Yourself study

Comments

Rachel, that is a fantastic post! I agree with you on every point. I, too, have multiple "poke" marks from the entire 11 weeks, but especially from this week! I'll be ready to go back through this study again soon, I suspect! Love ~ Patricia

Posted by: Patricia at June 3, 2006 03:55 AM

I can't believe this is the last week :( I have to finish my homework and then post on nine and ten tonight. I loved your points here and I know exactly what you mean. I know this session is going to be huge for me because of everything I've given up and everything I still need to work on. Ugh, it is times like these that make me feel totally weak.

Posted by: jenn at June 3, 2006 11:08 AM

I still haven't watched the video...but it sounds like there's a treat in store. And I'm going to renew the early morning time on Monday - so we'll have to check up on each other. Thanks for the reminder that it's because something isn't easy that it's probably the very best thing for me.

Posted by: boomama at June 3, 2006 03:23 PM

Thank you for this awesome post, Rachel. I can relate to you so well! I've struggled with getting up early for years. I'm so tired at night after getting the kids to bed that waking up early is the only time of day I can be alone. The Holy Spirit speaks to me in the morning more than any other time. Let's pray for each other -- that we'll rise early and meet with Him. Before the chaos resumes! :0

Posted by: Heather I. at June 3, 2006 06:36 PM

You've got me laughing again at the sight of that "Beth" puppet. LOL Did you notice that Beth was even dressed like the puppet? :) That was definitely one of the funniest things I've seen her do. Good luck on your getting up early. Keep us posted on your progress!

Posted by: Janna at June 3, 2006 08:10 PM

What an amazing post. I wish I currently had the desire to get up early for my quiet time. I think the problem starts with the fact that school gets out and I will be able to sleep until I wake up. Maybe when I've had a few days of that the selfishness will wear off and inspire me. I have a funny story a friend shared on this subject that I will post, maybe tomorrow.
Nancy

Posted by: Nancy at June 12, 2006 07:47 PM

New blog, Miss Rachel! Not much there, yet, and please don't laugh at my photos compared to your beyootiful works of art!

Valerie

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