Bloom Where You’re Planted.com

Have fun while traveling to your Christmas, New Years and Holiday destination. According to the Library of Congress, Did you know……

Okay, I do not pretend to even know how to do this BUT…. I have been reading that 8 out of 10 people in America are in some type of debt so obviously, the good majority need this information.

Here are some suggestions for paying off debt…

1. Get a 2nd job. Yes, you can flip burgers and yes, there are burger flipping jobs out there.
2. Sell on the internet- Craigs List and other FREE sites give opportunity for you to get rid of some of your stuff. “One man’s junk is another man’s treasure”.
2. Slow down the spending. Share meals with others, eat sandwiches at home or buy the lesser expensive products.
3. Cut out some of the frills- Stop the newspaper, get a smaller plan on the phone. Use your cell phone for long distance calls and cut out your long distance monthly fee. Think of other ways to trim off $5.- $10- $50 a month.
4. WRITE down your plan for paying “something off”. You won’t do it without a plan so get a plan going.
5. Ask God for guidance. He knows your need, your desire and your situation. Remember… “Ye have not because ye ask not”, says the Holy Scripture.

I’m going to try all of the above PLUS I’m going to refer to the experts.

Have you ever thought about your heart having eyes? The Bible teaches that God wants to give us the desires of our heart. The Holy Scripture also tells us that our heart should be fixed on Him that we might learn the mysteries of God.

I never thought about my heart having eyes until I read the book Our Jealous God but having read it, I want to better protect my heart and the watchful eyes of God as it relates to my own wants.

Bill Gothard dedicated his life and himself to helping people make wise decisions. He is now over 60 years old but through the years wrote many books to drive personal success. One thing he says that helped him as a young person was to “make a vow” in areas where he might fail. Here are 5 suggestions of things to do in the new year to build a successful 365 day plan:

1. Make a vow- Choose Gothard’s idea to help you safeguard yourself against things where you might be weak. Make a vow NOT to find yourself in that place, with those people, in that area, etc.

Gary Smalley suggests that we always leave the homelights burning for our family members.

2. Accept family members and love them unconditionally- We all make mistakes but we need family to stick with us through thick or thin. This year, just love your family members and always keep the homelights burning.

Rick Warren suggests that we all have an actual purpose for being on this earth.
3. Seek out your purpose and “just do it”. What is it that really LOVE doing and do it day in and day out.

Florence Littauer writes that by uncovering the roots of your personality, you’ll discover yourself.
4. Discover the real YOU. Are you in introvert or extrovert? Do you think to talk or talk to think? Are you organized or disorganized. How can you really BE YOU and affect for the positive others? Work on finding this out this year.

Benjamin Franklin once began a small “club” among friends. He called it “Junto”. In the club, he wrote rules that all would follow and here are some of them:

5. Develop a Strong Base for Meeting and Sharing- Who could you commit to this year? Could you meet monthly with some friends? Could you develop a team in which you grow and learn? Try this.

Here we are …. 2010 is just around the corner. One thing that is never out-of-date is to learn something new so I’m suggesting that we all determine in our minds that we will take on some new task and learn how to expand our horizons!

The internet is not going away so that is one area in which we can all grow. Of course, we all have our own area of expertise and to keep us sharp at the workplace we should spend time honing that field too.

The Bible is a book of great wisdom and by it will the truths bring about great knowledge. We should pause to exceed in areas of spiritual growth. One handbook that I love to use to help me is a book called “

Rightly Dividing the Truth

” by Clarence Larkin. Also, a great book to learn truth is by Bill Gothard called

Basic Truths.

For the most part, I am “on time”. And I mean that… “on time”. I don’t tend to be early. No, let me say that again, I am rarely early but generally walk in about 5 minutes before an event begins.

This morning was a bit different. The cold got me up and stirring. For one thing, I wanted to make a fire in the fireplace. Living in Florida, this is rare so I wanted to do it while it could be done and enjoyed.

Still, being a clock watcher, because I don’t want to be late, getting to Sunday School was still a big deal but today, I was actually 20 minutes early! Wow!(Wikipedia photo).

A lot of times, I don’t take seriously my duty as a Christian. I gain the benefits of God’s grace but I am not willing to do my part. This is true. Colossians 4 is a mandate for the Christian to look, see and do. I am going to try to in 2010 to do a better job by reading God’s Word and better follow through on “doing” as it says. This was the Sunday School lesson today from Colossians 4:

1Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

2Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

3Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:

4That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.

5Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

7All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:

8Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;

9With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.

10Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister’s son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;)

11And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.

12Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

13For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.

14Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.

15Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.

16And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.

17And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.

18The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.

Today, I stopped by the make-shift memorial created for little Kaitlyn, the 6 year old who died after being hit by a Ford Expedition at the corner of San Jose and Kori Road in Jacksonville. According to news reports from WJXT and The Florida Times Union, it is possible the light turned green before the mother, who was pushing her brother in a stroller crossed with the little girl. Reports indicate the SUV took off when the light turned green hitting the little girl. The boy has some injuries as well including some broken bones.

An investigation is still in place but no one has been charged. ‘Very sad situation at any time much more at Christmas.

While “Turtles” are probably my all time favorite candy, the sideline snack that I just LUV is Peanut M n M’s . The small chocolate M n M’s often go on sale but so often, Peanut M n M’s don’t and such was the case today.

As a result, I tried the Almond M n M’s today. Nothing’s changed. I still love Peanut M n M’s best. Yum but until I get a bag on sale… I’m out!