Powerful & Reflective Lists For Growth

As a wife, mother, daughter, teacher, speaker, and writer there are days I feel like all I do is give. We live in a busy society with high expectations. Various media venues advertise and encourage we do and be all we can. Whether it is the next new "thing" or club to join, we are teased and deceived to do more than our bodies are designed for. 

Whether you are male or female, we (I am lumping myself in this too) tend to do for others first, then ourselves. Women though, I think are most guilty of this. We push, do, serve, and teach all the time for the betterment of others, and sometimes (but often) for ourselves. 

We need to remember to take time for ourselves. It is okay to devote time, love, and effort to those we love but sometimes we need to slowdown, pause, and remember the motivation for all we do. If all this busyness has you grumbling about the very things we should be thankful for then it is time to make a list.

The task:

1. Write down everything you do during the day (you might want to do this for a week but probably before Noon on the first day you will notice the pattern)
2. Now you are going to color-code your list (I love a reason to use my highlighters and will help you notice the patterns) Highlight the things you 1) must do like work 2) tasks you have to do because you have volunteered or have committed to but could be done by someone else 3) fun and fluff activities you do because you simply enjoy them 4) things you do because "you have to" (or so you feel
3. Share your list with someone (if you dare)
4. Reflect on your new realizations
5. Now compile a second list
6. This second list is for the things you are blessed to have in your life - we might be "doing" a lot but remember there are people who only work and go home because they don't have loved ones to busy with or for. 
7. Enjoy life and remember God loves you!

Here is a start to my second list. I am blessed to have: 

• a husband to love
• a daughter to raise alongside my husband
• parents who continue to teach and model
• students hungry to learn
• opportunities to share my story with others as I speak and write
  
• and most of all, a relationship with Jesus

A special thanks to Lisa Buffaloe for the use of this photo design. To visit Lisa Buffaloe's page blog: http://lisabuffaloe.com/lisas-blog/

About Lisa Buffaloe:I’m a joyfully in love with God, Christ follower. I’m also a writer, speaker, radio host for Living Joyfully Free Radio, and a happily married mom of a son in college.

I’m not a perfect wife, perfect mother, or perfect at anything. I keep a fairly clean house, cook semi-decent meals, and love to write. I’m a real life woman with real life problems. I’ve made stupid mistakes, sinful mistakes, and often traveled down the wrong roads. God never gave up on me, never let go, and He welcomed me home when I stumbled back seeking His grace.

To read more about Lisa or her journey with Lyme disease click on the photo of Lisa or copy and paste the below link.
http://lisabuffaloe.com/about-lisa-buffaloe/

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