[ Step 1 ] [ Step 2 ] [ Step 3 ] [ Step 4 ] [ Step 5 ] [ Step 6 ] [ Step 7 ] [ Step 8 ] [ Step 9 ] [ Step 10 ]

Mean Business with Yourself

If you're really serious about helping your family, then you first need to address yourself.  Change is not easy!  Do you really mean business?  Are you looking for a family band-aid... or family open-heart surgery, performed by God Himself?

If you're ready to make radical changes, these first assignments might seem trivial.  They're not!  By starting with yourself, you will take yourself more seriously.  Your family will take you more seriously, too!

So let's get started.  First of all, did you take a shower this morning?  Are you dressed?   (And sweat pants or a beat-up t-shirt don't count!)  Have you fixed your hair attractively?  Do you have some make-up on?  Are you wearing shoes?  You should be!  

I'm not going to take the time to go into all the reasoning behind this, but if you haven't done these basics today, stop reading, get up, and go get pretty!  (When you come back, you can click on this link and read more about this:  Getting Dressed to the Shoes.)

Now don't get comfortable.  Have you made your bed this morning?  If not, go do it now.  

How about breakfast?  Or if it's later in the day, how long has it been since you ate something nourishing?  How long since you've had a glass of water to drink?  Go take care of this now!

Now that you're back, resolve to start each day by making yourself look presentable, making your bed, and eating a good breakfast.  This is a small step, but it's the first step toward getting your family back on track.  If you don't take care of yourself, how can you care for anyone else?

Next you need to clean out your purse.  Just turn it over and shake out all the contents on your living room floor (or maybe a table, if toddlers are crawling nearby).  Now throw out what you don't need, and only put back in your purse what you really DO need!  Everything else can be set aside to tackle in Step Six.

Finally, if you have the time today and the money to do it, take a trip to your local discount store and make the following essential purchases:

• a 3-ring notebook.  Mine fits notebook paper that is 5 1/2 x 8 1/2, but any size will do.  

• some lined paper for your notebook.

• several divider tabs to put in your notebook.  

• if you can't find any pens in your house, you might need to buy those, too.  

• a highlighter 

• do you own a Bible?  If not, get one!

We're going to be using your new notebook to organize your life and help you get control of things.  Your pen and highlighter will help you write down things you need to remember.  We'll be reading a lot of books in the next few weeks, and I'd like you to take notes and even highlight in any books you own (like your Bible).

We're ready to move on to Step Two, but before we do, add the following book to your "Reading List."  (Maybe after your trip to Wal-Mart today, you could stop by the library and check it out!)

The Gentle Ways of the Beautiful Woman, by Anne Ortlund

Okay, now let's go to Step Two...