Lisa notes

How Can I Change My Way of Thinking?

By LisaNotes May 26, 2021 Book reviews, Encouragement 11 Comments

A Mind Reset

It’s a new day.

I look at my digital calendar, which works essentially as my to-do list. Many of the blocks are already full with daily things:

make biscuits
pay bills
take a shower
renew library books

I look at the things I want to add in:

order new grandbaby photos
answer blog comments
renew a year-delayed breakfast date
plus SO MUCH MORE

There aren’t enough blocks of time. I keep scrolling through the list.

My mind gets itchy. How can I fit it all in? I know I can’t.

And then I land on an item I added a few months ago. I scheduled it to show up on my list every day.

And every day I need to read it. And do it.

It says:

“I don’t have to finish today. It’s okay to never finish.”

It’s not really an item to do. It doesn’t have a time block. But as I read it every morning, I try to do it.

It resets my mind.

I need reminders like this. Things I already know, but that easily slip away.

It’s why I’m a fan of Paul’s advice in Philippians 4:

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
Philippians 4:8

Think on these things. Good things. God things.

My random thoughts need guardrails when they start wandering astray.

Dwell on These Things

Because I need little mindset changes throughout the day, I was drawn to read this new book by John Stange, Dwell on These Things: A Thirty-One-Day Challenge to Talk to Yourself Like God Talks to You.

The voices we listen to the most are our own.

What if we change what we speak to ourselves?

In the book Dwell on These Things, we get 31 positive, godly truths to repeat to ourselves. Stange gives examples from his own life as well as from scripture to accompany each truth.

We’re reminded that Jesus quoted the truths of God when he was countering the lies of Satan in the wilderness. Stange says we can do the same thing, replacing the lies we tell ourselves by talking to ourselves with the words God would use instead.

Each chapter/day begins with a truth, such as:

Day 1: You are loved more deeply than you realize.
Day 7: You can rely on God’s unconditional love.
Day 11: Make the most of your privilege to repent.

The middle of each chapter contains a few pages of devotional material to read.

Then each chapter concludes with the exact words to speak over yourself, like these:

Dwell on this (Day 1): Today I will remember that in Christ I am loved more deeply than I realize.
Dwell on this (Day 7): Though people with whom I have conditional relationships may disinvite and abandon me, I can rely on God’s unconditional love today and every day.
Dwell on this (Day 11): Repentance isn’t terrifying; it’s a privilege that Jesus is calling me to make the most of today and every day.

This is a good book, especially if you are struggling with a lot of negative self-talk. You can thumb through the chapters to find the messages you need the most each day, or just read the book straight through.

How can I change my negative way of thinking?

By thinking on better things.

Do you need to challenge your self-talk? Share in the comments.

Related reading:

My thanks to Net Galley and WaterBrook
& Multnomah for the review copy of this book

Share Four Somethings—May 2021

By LisaNotes May 24, 2021 Life updates 16 Comments

Here are my “four somethings” from April. I’m sharing at Heather’s.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Something Loved

ONE SECOND EVERYDAY APP

Many of you have asked about the One Second Everyday videos that I include here every month. Here’s the link to download the One Second Everyday app.

It’s available for both iPhone and Android. I’ve always used the free version for iPhone (it does everything I need!) but there is a pro version if you want more options.

It is VERY easy to use! If you can take a video with your phone, you can do this.

The hardest part is remembering to take a video each day (but you can choose any schedule you prefer; it doesn’t have to be daily). I usually let my videos pile up on my phone and then choose the ones I want to use after about a week or so.

The easiest part is letting the app put all the seconds together. You don’t have to stitch the moments together yourself. The app does it for you when you’re ready, for whatever time period you choose. I choose a calendar month for my videos.

I’ve been doing them every day (almost) since July 2015. I absolutely love looking back for 30 seconds to relive any month from the past 6 years!

Get motivated by watching this 8-minute TED talk by the creator of the one second concept.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Something Read

TWENTY-ONE TRUTHS ABOUT LOVE

I finished a fun novel this month written entirely as lists! It’s Twenty-one Truths About Love by Matthew Dicks.

The main character Dan is an obsessive list-maker, so we follow the plot by reading the lists he makes. It’s a very fun (and often funny) way to follow a story.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Something Treasured

OUR NEW GRANDSON!

My very favorite thing in May is the arrival of our newest grandson! He surprised us all by coming 2 1/2 weeks early, but we didn’t mind.

He’s already met his two girl cousins, all his grandparents, and survived his first photo shoot (photo credits to April Stanley Photography, although he should be quite used to cameras by now with two photographer parents!)

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Something Ahead

NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTY

Our neighborhood is going to have its first Block Party in June! Although I know a few of our neighbors very well, I don’t know the rest at all. We’ve been getting to know each other better the past year through our neighborhood Facebook group, so now the time has come for an outside cookout in the cul-de-sac.

I imagine we’ll be sharing snake stories when we get together. Several of us have spotted snakes this spring and share a common dislike of finding one slithering in our yard. (I’ll share later about my botched attempt to shoot a snake last Friday as I was planting flowers.)

previous Share Four Somethings

What’s a highlight from your May? What are you looking forward to in June? Share in the comments.

Are You Going Back to Church?

By LisaNotes May 21, 2021 Church, Grace & Truth Link-Up 22 Comments

Online Church

Since March 2020, I haven’t been inside the building where my church meets.

For a short period, they closed down. But sooner rather than later, they opened back up.

But I wasn’t comfortable returning. It didn’t feel safe. While some covid precautions were taken, they didn’t meet the CDC guidelines. Too many virus outbreaks occurred.

So I watched from home. And that was good.

Until it wasn’t. I’d occasionally switch to another church’s online service that I liked even better. And over time, I switched to a third church’s online service in another state that I preferred best of all, where I saw Jesus most of all.

But now it’s decision time.

Go or No Go?

Jeff and I are both fully vaccinated now. The CDC has given us the scientific green light to return to in-person services.

Yet I’m still hanging back.

Why?

I’m disappointed by the way many churches mishandled pandemic protocols.
I’m discouraged by the lack of concern they showed for each others’ health.
I’m uncomfortable with the extreme sides taken by the people on the pew that feels disrespectful to Christ’s message of unity and love.

How can I go back to that?

One step at a time.

My Steps

First, I need to do a heart cleanse.

God knows my heart better than I do, so I need his Spirit to show me what attitudes I need to release, what forgiveness I need to offer, what grudges I need to repent of.

Then second, I need to clear my head of biases.

I’m old enough to understand that no church is perfect because no people are perfect. My expectations need to be realigned with what’s reasonable, not with what’s ideal.

And third, I need to make a move.

It can be a temporary move. My initial decision doesn’t have to be a permanent one; it just needs to be a forward one. It may take trial and error to find the best place we need to be. Maybe it’s where we left off. Maybe it’s not.

But I won’t know if I don’t go and see.

God Can Be Trusted

It’s a new season and we’ve been changed by this past year’s experience.

Faith has shifted for many.

by David Hayward

But God is still trustworthy.

We can still place our confidence in him, even while we regain our footing on which people to trust, even which church to trust. God’s perpetual love for us as individuals and as a group remains steady.

God still has my trust.

Now Let’s Link Up!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

One Word 2021 Linkup—May
—3 Challenges to Take with Your One Word

By LisaNotes May 20, 2021 One Word Community 14 Comments

This is our May linkup for your One Word 2021!

Leave us a comment about your word.

Then add links below to your blog posts, images, quotes, etc., about your one word.

3 Challenges for Your One Word

Here are three challenges to keep you moving forward with your word.

1. MAKE A MIND MAP

See Jean Wise’s example here on how to create a mind map with your One Word.

2. TRY ONE WORD JOURNALING FOR A MONTH

Jean also points us to Emily Freeman’s podcast episode, “How to Journal Using One Word.” Try writing a few lines about your word every day for a month.

3. SHARE WITH THE WORLD

Share a photo or a quote or a blog post about your word either in person or online.

This linkup will remain open from May 20 – May 31.

The next One Word linkup will be June 21.

If you’d like to receive a monthly email for suggestions about your word, sign up here.

You can also join our One Word 2021 Facebook group here for more interaction.

Share your thoughts in the comments.

Now let’s link up!

I Need a Nudge

By LisaNotes May 19, 2021 Encouragement 41 Comments

The scissors are in my hand. I’m on our deck, looking at my schefflera houseplant.

I need to make a pruning decision. But it feels so final to make an actual cut.

I’ve been waiting for consistently warmer weather at night before I moved the schefflera houseplant outside. It thrived outside last summer, especially after I pruned it to a better shape. It looked better than it ever had.

The forecast this week is finally staying far above the 40s. It’s safe.

My husband Jeff brings the plant outside Sunday morning for me. He’s done his part. Now I need to do mine. Make the cut.

But I can’t do it.

I can get near the end, but I can’t make the cut.

I call for Jeff to come back. I need a nudge.

I need a closer.

A closer is someone who can finish the deal, lock up the shop at night, pitch the final inning to win the game.

Jeff is my closer.

Tell me it’s a good thing to cut the plant.

It’s a good thing.

Tell me this will make it even prettier.

It will.

Tell me this branch needs to go.

It needs it.

I take my scissors and make the cut. First one, then another. And another.

That’s enough for today.

I thank Jeff and send him back to whatever he was doing.

That was all I needed. Someone to gently push me to do what I already knew I needed to do. To help me finish the job.

I’m grateful for the closers in my life. For those who either step in and take over when I’m too tired to finish, or else who can encourage me to wrap things up myself.

We’re not meant to go this alone.

Thank God we don’t have to.

Do you have a closer in your life? Share in the comments.

Has Your Life Returned to Normal Yet? Is This Now Normal?

By LisaNotes May 17, 2021 My stories, Uncertainty: My One Word 2021 33 Comments

We all wonder: when will life return to normal again?

I turn off the ignition. I stay in my car. No other cars are here yet. But it’s only 4:20 p.m. I’m still 10 minutes early.

I’ll wait.

This is a big moment.

After a year of uncertainty about what to do and what not to do, this is the first of my pre-covid life volunteer opportunities that is opening back up. I wasn’t sure I would return to it when it did reopen. But now that teaching English-as-a-Second-Language has become available again, I’m saying yes.

And I’m excited about it.

Earlier in the day I reviewed my ESL workbook. I opened the Google Translate app again on my phone. I looked over the list of my students from late 2019. I wonder which ones will return to learn more English after a year of no classes?

4:25 p.m. Still no one. I check the door even though there are no cars. Maybe someone was dropped off and is inside. But no, the door is locked and the lights are out.

4:30 p.m. Now I’m officially worried. Did I get the date wrong? The time?

Or am I still trapped in the uncertainty of the pandemic?

In 2020 we all felt large and small moments when our life flipped from certainty to uncertainty. And this is continuing to happen in the first half of 2021.

But slowly, surely, with each new CDC update, we’re finding encouragement.

We’re starting to turn again from uncertainty to certainty.

This ESL opportunity has been one such moment.

But now this specific moment? No one is coming today. I’m certain.

4:35 p.m. I text the class leaders. I’ll stay until 4:40 unless I hear something first.

Ding!

The response says,

“I’m so sorry! J must have forgotten to tell you that there weren’t enough students willing to return yet. We’ll try again in the fall!”

I take a minute to collect myself. I’m disappointed. I’d gotten excited for nothing. This has been a false start.

It’s still not my time to step back into normalcy.

But normalcy will keep creeping back in anyway, maybe at times when I can see it, but more likely when I’m not looking so hard for it.

I text my reply,

“No problem. These things happen. Just keep me posted.”

I crank my car and enter the afternoon traffic. I’m going back home.

Normalcy isn’t beginning today. But at least I got in a test run.‘

Or maybe now this is normal.

Has your life returned to “normal” yet, whatever that is? Is uncertainty now normal? Has it always been? Share in the comments.

UNCERTAINTY is my One Word for 2021. The One Word ‘21 Linkup will be open on May 21 for you to add your own posts, updating us on your one word.

Read more here about Uncertainty:

Lisa notes

on Life and Love

How Can I Change My Way of Thinking?

A Mind Reset

Dwell on These Things

Share Four Somethings—May 2021

Something Loved

Something Read

Something Treasured

Something Ahead

Are You Going Back to Church?

Online Church

Go or No Go?

My Steps

God Can Be Trusted

Featured Post

“Getting It Backwards”

Now Let’s Link Up!

One Word 2021 Linkup—May
—3 Challenges to Take with Your One Word

3 Challenges for Your One Word

Now let’s link up!

I Need a Nudge

Has Your Life Returned to Normal Yet? Is This Now Normal?