Separating the Good from the Bad

Capture Fall Leaves

Last week, autumn 2019 visibly revealed itself with massive piles of leaves to rake in many areas of the country. Usually not a favorite chore for adults although children enlisted to help thoroughly enjoy themselves and eventually end up playing and jumping into the piles more than working to clear them. A great photo opportunity! It takes a while--and sometimes more than once or twice--to get the job done for the season. The result is winterized yards and trees that need plenty of rest.  

Now some people say this is a depressing sight. But it doesn't have to be that way. If we think about this natural occurrence, it’s all about survival. According to the Children's Museum of Indianapolis, trees can lose a lot of water in the spring and summer just producing leaves. In the winter they no longer have enough water, so the tree actually "pushes" the leaves off the branch so they can reserve their energy to grow new ones in the spring again. Amazing!

None of us can say we are bare trees waiting for the spring, but we can certainly understand the concept of needing rest to rejuvenate our bodies. No! No! We are not promoting hibernating and never getting our bodies to move just because it is winter. Far from it. We probably need even more exercise in the winter, or we could waste away like the leaves. But this week isn't about exercising per se. Whew! Almost lost you there! 

Better Than Bad
What we want to encourage right now is how to move forward as single-again women and really get a head start on what we want to do and where we want to go. It may seem like we are talking about New Years' resolutions, but we are not. We just want to throw out the bad (anything useless or worthless) and issue in all that is good (useful and valuable). It's not so hard. In fact, it may be as simple as picking and choosing some of these fun seasonal ideas (or add your own):  

To Do
1-Make/craft something new and fresh. Wreaths, tree garlands, gifts. Donate or trash the old Fall and Christmas decorations (they belonged to another era).

Try a New Recipe

2-Create at least one new tradition and try a recipe of your own instead of the one that's been in the family for centuries.

3-Change your furniture around. Add new pillows. It will change your attitude too.

To Go

1-Invite a friend or two to a midnight candlelight service on Christmas Eve.

2-When was the last time you went ice skating? It's still fun!

3-How many of us have ever seen a live stage production of The Nutcracker Ballet? No excuses, most towns have this classic between now and Christmas. Grab a friend and just go. Not into ballet? There is also The Nutcracker movie (hint: it just isn't the same though!).

It Takes a Community

Hopefully, with an open mind and heart, we may discover that the Fresh Start Momentum blog is all about us—women who are trying to survive adversity, heartache, and misery! We want to encourage and help as many women as possible all around the globe to re-create an old life into a new, successful life. Why? Because maybe we haven't done this before and can't seem to get started. But it really can be better than it is now. Some people say, "it takes a village." We say it takes a community. A group of other women who have gone through this mess.

That’s just part of it though. We also know it takes Someone in control to be our Helper—our Guide. Someone who knows us inside and out. . .all the pain, sorrow, and grief that has tried to bring us down. Amazingly, He also knows our heart. He created it! He created each one of us as unique and special in all ways. And God is the most important part of our past, present, and future. Just know one important thing--He didn't cause our divorce, but He knows everything that happened from beginning to end. Now He is ready to take us in His arms and never let us go. We are that valuable to Him!

"He is ready to separate the chaff [anything false, useless, worthless, wicked, evil] from the wheat [everything true, useful, and valuable] with his winnowing [sifting] fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire" (Matthew 3:12 NLT). (Emphasis added).