Mid-Week Motivational Menu

Starting Your Day Out Right!

Devotional Thought

A couple of weeks ago, I addressed planning out your day, recalling that God is a God of order, as revealed through his detail of creation. However, this week, I wanted to highlight another seemingly contrasting characteristic of God. What about being spontaneous? I don't know that the omniscient God of the universe can be spontaneous Himself, but He certainly urges us to listen to his promptings and follow his leadings.

Dictionary.com defines spontaneous as "coming or resulting from a natural impulse or tendency; without effort or premeditation; natural and unconstrained; unplanned." It's hard to follow God's leading and ignore our own natural impulses or thoughts.

Psalm 25: 4-5

Show me your ways, O Lord,
Teach me your paths;
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
For you are God my Savior,
And my hope is in you all day long.

Is Your House in Order?

Cleaning, parenting, marriage tips, etc.

Instead of doing what you think needs to be done, really pray at the beginning of this spontaneous day about that which God would have you to do. It could be a big housekeeping project, or extra time with the kids, hard work on a writing project, or time spent with a friend.

Ask Him. Listen to Him. Then act on it and trust that He will take care of all the things that you think you have to be doing.

Afternoon Pick Me Up
Writing Inspiration

Sometimes we have that urge to write, but we don't know what to write. Or we sort of have an idea what we want to write, but we lack the inspiration to give the idea the oopmh that it needs to be fleshed out on paper.

This is when a good book comes in handy--one that is full of writing prompts and ideas for when the ideas aren't coming, and/or one that inspires us to wear that Writer namebadge proudly, and do it justice.


Page after Page is both. I recommend it highly.

What's For Dinner?
Quick Dinners

Being responsive to what God is impressing upon me to do right then that day is a good thing, but then it leaves me in a frantic rush by the end of the day. That's when pantry dinners come in handy. I like to have at least one or two standbys that I can prepare without having thought ahead, and with no thawing required. I keep these ingredients on hand at all times. I recently posted my two favorite recipes here.

A Restful Night's Sleep

Scripture for a good night

Wouldn't our lives be so much easier and more fulfilling if we just drifted around from one patch of grass to the next, following our Good Shepherd? Free from worrying about our next meal, our next novel, or our next activity?

Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
He restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love with follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Jennifer Donovan, who blogs at Snapshot, lives in Connecticut with her husband and two children. She has gotten her feet wet with concentrated blogging over these last six months and now has her sights set on publication.