I had ISTEP last week and I am on week 8 of a 9 week online course that is a huge time sink. In the mean time I am arranging interviews with some interesting people to be posted probably next week with the roll out of the new site design!  I will be throwing out random posts about things that catch my eye and make me laugh.

This post over at The 2.0 Life made me laugh.  Out loud.  That doesn’t happen much on blogs.  It was subtle and maybe it was the coffee..

Over at the blog at Get Rich Slowly there is a great recent post on self-sufficiency sites and magazines.

Thanks!

On Dave Ramsey’s site you can see the books he recommends.  They cover topics ranging from financial success to relationship success and leadership.  This list isn’t a complete list of the books I have heard him recommend but it is a good start for anyone who wants to invest in personal development.

Dave’s Library.

Hi all.  I am taking an online class and getting rid of my internet to help pay for my Dave Ramsey Baby Steps.  This means my online time has been more limited to the class and other important stuff while on my lunch break or at the coffee house on the weekends.  I save money paying for a 67 cent cup of coffee and getting internet once a week instead of paying 56 dollars a month to have internet all the time.

Here are some things you might find interesting.

I am reading Vintage Jesus.  The next book in the series is Vintage Church.

I made a Google Reader page with podcasts from Stuff You Missed In History Class for pure listening history entertainment!

Spring is near so it’s time to get the garden ready.  Again, my Google Reader page on gardening.

Here is my Google Reader page on personal finances if you want to get some inspiration.

If you have a site or a blog you really like, feel free to drop it in the comment box!

Don’t be too proud to eat beans and rice.  It’s saving us money.

Pray for others.

Pray for others.

Pray for others.

Pray for those you love.

Pray for those you hate.

Pray for those who have hurt you.

Pray for the renewal of your mind.

Pray for the renewal of your spirit.

Pray for wisdom.

Walk and talk and act in a new way.

Praise Jesus for tough times.

Glorify Jesus in the tough times.

Bless others in the tough times.

Give insanely in the tough times.

May the Lord bless you and keep you.

Praise Jesus.

Check this out.

Blogging has been tough lately.  I am walking thru the fire these days.  I do love writing so doing what you love can be stress relieving.

This week’s spiritual discipline from Mars Hill:  Lovemaking.

Here is a great video to watch if you are interested in making your own windmill electricity.

A good DIY project for taming the remote controls.

Great article over at OneSimplicity on the best organization resources on the web.

A paper based personal productivity system called Autofocus.

Ken Shamrock finally got a win.

Drive By Truckers were on Austin City Limits.

Here is a list of the Top 100 Productivity Blogs.

Hi, I have had a grueling week emotionally and financially (put on your shocked face, they are linked!) so blogging hasn’t been where I want it.  I enjoy bringing interesting resources that can help encourage you.  John Piper is extremely well respected as a writer and pastor.  I suggest you check out his site.

Don’t Waste Your Life is a book written by John Piper encouraging the reader to not, well, waste their life…

DWYL is also a FREE DOWNLOAD as either a PDF document or an audio download.

I’ve downloaded it to my thumbdrive so I can read it when I get a chance at any computer near me.

Please feel free to comment if you found this resource helpful.  Blogs are much more fun with comments!

It seems like encouragement comes from a place of experience and humility.  Like saying ‘I walked thru this too’ or ‘I made mistakes and here is how God helped me’.  Personal encouragement comes in a variety of ways.  Do you see the blessings in your life?  Do you see the answers to prayers that come?  Do you thank God for them?  Are you an encouragement to others?  I know that my life is a lot more satisfying when I take the focus off myself and start serving in little ways thru the day.  I also have become much more thankful for the times when others have helped me or my family.  I have walked thru some times of discouragement this week and I really began to grapple with the idea that my attitude is everything and no matter where I am in a situation the sun also rises.  Time will keep rolling so what are the little decisions that can start helping me win at life things like relationships and money?

The little things matter.

Discouragement was piling up.  Change was really hard for the family.  He had some dark times, sitting in the dark, thinking.  Clay was trying to move things in the right direction but it seemed like everything backfired.  Clay made a decision after a few days of this to pick himself up, dust himself off and get back in the octagon.  He started listening to a series of sermons by Mark Driscoll called the Rebel’s Guide.

He hoped for the best and started working to prepare for the worst in all things.