Good Monday morning! In an effort not to inundate my subscribers’ inboxes with lots of posts on one day, I’m going to attempt a somewhat daily update of the regular stuff for awhile and see how that works. I’ll use these posts for my daily devotional findings, exercise updates and anything else that I feel is worth sharing in an overview. Here’s what I have for today, Monday, August 18, 2014:

Daily Devotional: 31 Days in Proverbs: Proverbs 18

Seeing as it is August 18, today’s reading is Proverbs 18. I did my initial reading while on the stationary bike this morning, and the very first verse grabbed me. Here it is:

Scripture: Proverbs 18:1

Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.

Observation:

Isolation causes us to lose perspective. We are meant to be in community.

Application:

He created us to be in community. Right from the very beginning in Genesis we are told that man shouldn’t be alone, and that is why God created woman. God wants us to be in community with others. I don’t know about you, but so often I can feel alone, even though I am in contact with others in many different ways. Just being in contact with others doesn’t put us in community with them. Community is when we reach out, share our stories, listen to others’ stories and offer support and encouragement as needed, all while accepting that back, as well. That keeps us from losing sound judgment. We had a rockin’ community going here on MomsToolbox with all of our Bible in 90 Days sessions, and even with several SOAP devotions after that. And I let it slip away. Today’s reading reminded me of how important community is and assured me that recreating community here on MomsToolbox is a good idea. I hope you’ll join me in building our community here, or find the right community in the right place if this isn’t the right one for you.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for this reminder not to isolate ourselves, but to seek out and thrive in community with others. You know that so often I feel alone, even though you have placed amazing people in my life. Help me to build a community and join communities that honor you and keep me on the path you have set out for me. I know that some people might get frustrated with changes I am making to this community in combining my blogs and interests here. Please help me in seeing YOUR guidance and in following YOU. Help me to hear those who will point me in the right direction and use me, Lord, as you will.

Exercise/ Fitness

Last week I shared that I was starting a new fitness plan. So far, all is going well. Saturday and today I exercised with intervals on my stationary bike. Here’s my plan for now:

Warm up for 5 minutes

Intervals for a total of 14 minutes:

• Cycle as hard as I can for 1 minute
• Recover for 1 minute
• Repeat

Cool down for 5 minutes

After that I do a few pushups and sit ups. This morning I did 20 of each. As I explained last week, the trainer modified my technique at the gym to check my form on my push ups.

That photo up there is my new exercise buddy to check my push-up form at home.  With each push up I touch my chest to the top of the hat and the width of the sombrero keeps my hands out wide. And, of course, the whole thing makes me laugh a bit as I face the sombrero in the morning. (I know, so high tech!!)

Exercise music for the day:

Today I exercised while listening to elections from Hillsong Young & Free- We Are Young & Free

General Stuff

It was really nice to be home all weekend. Life has been so busy for quite awhile and a death in the family last week almost took me away for another trip. But instead I decided to stay close to home and soak in my husband and kids. I am so thankful that I did that. I needed that community.

Friday night I watched my daughter break her first board for a Tae Kwon Do color belt test and watched my older son break three boards for his first Tae Kwon Do test after earning his black belt. Plus, we got the good news that my 6th grader made the school varsity soccer team, which means he’s on the team with 7th and 8th graders. And this will only be his second year playing soccer…  I am so excited for him! We also had some relaxing time and played catch up with the laundry. All in all, staying home was the better call for us.

That’s all I have for now.

I hope you had a nice weekend yourself and that you make it a great Monday!  I already feel like mine is off to a great start.

PS: I’ve linked this post up to Works for Me Wednesday, because that sombrero sure works for me!