Skimming the Fat

This has been the phrase in our household lately, courtesy of my wonderful husband. Alex is CONSTANTLY monitoring our spending, looking for fat we can remove that is just excess, as well as areas we can make more of a priority. Additionally, I am trying to do that with my stuff in the house. Cleaning out stuff, re-organizing, donating that which we can etc etc

Well I was thinking about this a couple of weeks ago and God is currently skimming the fat in my spiritual life as well. I have been SO convicted about the 'excess' in my life. Where is my time focused? Where are my conversations/thoughts/actions focused? Is it in a way that always points to the Lord or not?? Well if I am truly honest, I am not sure how much attention God gets between my thoughts and actions around busyness at work, busyness at home, busyness doing fun things, busyness in trying to eat and exercise a certain way. Now all of those things are mostly a necessity and most are not bad things. We need to work, we need to eat healthy and exercise, we need to spend time with family and friends -- BUT ALL those things can in one way or another point to the Lord. It is all about my focus in all those things that matter and that I allow God to be my navigator - He needs to determine my steps rather than my inviting him to sit in the passenger seat in my life.

So, the last couple weeks have been interesting. I have been trying to filter through my life and see what areas are excess, or not necessary at all. What am I portraying to others? Am I loving and non judgemental? Am I patient and selfless? Not surprisingly, as I am praying for God to skim the fat, I am being challenged and tested, and not like a little ropes course, but more like being thrown into an iron man. In these challenges, God has revealed that my words have become somewhat harsh...now if you know me, I am not a mean person and would never say something hurtful intentionally, but God has shown me the little ways that words can have a BIG impact, good or bad. So, I am working on that for sure!!!

I feel like I have been going 90 to nothing trying to do everything right, but not making any progress. Like I am trying to tread water in quicksand. I was telling the girls at bible study last night that I feel like I spread so thin that I am useless to everyone...keep in mind, I know that I am not useless and I am being a little overdramatic but this is what blogs are for...to word vomit when I need to.

I am not sure if I am making any sense or if anyone can relate or if anyone even reads this....but thats ok. This post is the beginning of what I am hoping will become a heart change. We just started a new study called Capture my Heart by Laura Wilcox and it is all about the many facets of the heart and how they impact everything!! I am really looking forward to it and know that God is intentionally teaching me this lesson while teaching me about my heart and what it looks like to be wholly devoted to God.

I am praying that God will help me to have eyes to see the areas I need to skim the fat. Teach me how to be wholly devoted to him in all avenues and paths I cross. Linds mentioned this funeral she attended. She said that a bunch of people got up to speak regarding the man who had just passed away and how they all had the EXACT same overlying theme -- he loved the Lord, loved people and loved his family and spent his life serving in that way. He was the SAME person no matter where you crossed him. That is what I hope to achieve through this time of trials.

Thanks for listening. Let me know if this makes no sense. Pray for me as God skims my fat. I would love to hear your feedback and see if God is challenging anyone else in the same way.

These are some verses that God has brought to my attention lately...

"Finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things." -Phil. 4:8

"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear."
-Eph. 4: 29

Erika re-iterated this one last night from our bible study as well...
"Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life." -Prov. 6:5

Have a blessed day!