You can have results OR You can have excuses~~Excuses are Useless

Today.....

I'm a day late writing and posting this blog....sorry... but....I do have a good excuse....I was facing a major deadline on another project.....

Excuses, excuses.

When you don't want to do something, instead of giving some big long drawn out reason, you might as well say, "The cat has a fur ball" because it doesn't matter WHAT the reason is....you just really don't want to do it. One excuse is as good as another!

You know, when I don't get something done, I always have a good reason...or excuse....but honestly, unless there are unforeseen and uncontrollable circumstances...the reason I didn't do something is because I didn't prioritize it.

I had decided something else was more important!

So....I will just be honest.... dear reader....I love you...but this other project was more important yesterday than my blog!

Someone once said,

"If it's important to you, you'll find a way. If it's not, you'll find an excuse!"

Shall we talk? What do you keep making excuses for?

Do any of these statements sound familiar:

I would exercise, but I just don't have the time.

I would have an emergency fund in savings, but everything is so expensive!

I would love to get involved at church, but my children tie me down.

I wish my house was clean, but my spouse is so sloppy.

I would give money to my church, but I just never seem to have enough.

People who get things done and make things happen in life find REASONS, not EXCUSES.

EXCUSES ARE USELESS. WHAT GOOD DO THEY DO?

You can have what sounds like a really good excuse to not exercise, but the excuse is not helping you fit into those jeans or keep your heart healthy!

An excuse won't put any money in your savings account or in the offering plate of your church.

An excuse won't teach the kids in your children's church.

Excuses don't get your house clean.

I so admire my daughter, Jen. She is a pastor's wife. That alone deserves recognition.

On top of that, she is a wonderful mother to three little girls-ages 6,4,2.  She home schools her 6 year old and her 4 year old. She doesn't have any spare time.

After her third baby was born, she wanted to lose that"baby weight." She had more excuses not to make that happen than anyone I know!

Don't get crazy, here. I'm not saying she needed to lose weight or that YOU need to lose weight. My point is, she WANTED to lose weight. She had been an athlete in high school and she missed that physical discipline.

Instead of making excuses (and then complaining) about her inability to lose that weight,
she started attending a boot camp that BEGAN AT 5:00 AM!  5:00 AM....that's in the MORNING!!!

It was important to her. She made a decision and made it happen.

She recently got certified as a boot camp instructor. She didn't have time for that, either....but she made the time. Her husband helped her and supported her.
(Contact her here about attending one with her...
JenniferT@Texasfitchicks.com)


Then she joined a Runners' Club that runs on Saturdays. As pastors often do, her husband normally works on Saturdays. Now that would be a great excuse not to run. Three kids, no family in town, husband has to work....But no....this is important to her, and she found a way to make it happen!  It is not easy. It takes planning. It takes effort that the other runners don't have to expend. But she has decided IT IS WORTH IT TO HER!!!! She loads those three girls in a triple stroller and pushes it-she did 5 miles a few weeks ago....pushing about 120 pounds!

What's YOUR excuse?

You can always find a way to  make things happen that are important to you... you can at least take a step in the right direction!  

Excuses are a result of this society's reluctance to take responsibility.
Have you noticed how EVERY PROBLEM IS THE OTHER GUY'S FAULT?

When you don't take responsibility for your life, you lose the power of self determination in your life. Do you know what I mean? It sounds like this~~

"I can't get ahead because THEY [whoever they may be-Republicans, Democrats, Management, Unions, etc.] are keeping me down."

"I just can't get control of my eating habits because my mother forced me to eat everything on my plate."

 People can step on you, stomp on you and sit on you....but they can't keep you down forever...unless you resign yourself to that position of inferiority. 

Being stepped on, stomped on, and sat upon should be a reason to wiggle, holler, move, and claw your way up out of that position! But you've got to move up and on....you can't stay there and bemoan the fact that someone is trying to keep you down....unless you prefer staying down to taking the action needed to GET UP!

EXCUSES ARE READILY AVAILABLE.....BUT THEY PRODUCE NOTHING!!!! 

Rather than make excuses, why not take some positive action?

Maybe attending boot camp isn't available to you, but if you want to do something about your physical condition, you can begin by doing 5 minute workouts that are available in droves on Youtube.

OK-so saving hundreds of dollars a month isn't possible with your budget, you can begin by saving $25.00 per paycheck!

Instead of trying to go from "Horders" to "HGTV" perfect in your house, why not take 5 minutes a day (Set a timer!) and do SOMETHING to get the mess under control?

And....I didn't get this blog done yesterday, but yesterday I jotted down a few ideas for it.....and...HERE IT IS!!!

You can have results or you can have excuses. Which will it be?

Stop blaming other people for your situation. OK....they may be blamable, but NOW what are YOU going to DO ABOUT IT? TAKE POSITIVE ACTION!!!!

And one more thing.....please.......when someone asks you to do something and you really don't want to do it....don't make some lame excuse...."Sorry I can't help with that project at church because....ummm...my cat has a fur ball!" Just say politely, "Thank you for asking, but that's not something I will be doing right now." :-)

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Philippians 4:13

If this blog encouraged you, or made you mad :-) please share it! I'll blog you next week...no excuses!  Until then, do something TODAY to fulfill your purpose!