Rushing around....that's what life feels like most days. Rush to work, rush to get dinner ready, rush to get kids to activities, rush to appointments of all kinds, rush to the grocery store - (and then rush through the grocery store!), rush to get the family ready and out the door for church....rush, rush, rush.
It makes me want to say...."hush, hush, hush....momma needs some down time!"
Life will become a hectic mess, IF you LET it. It's a daily struggle for most....the elusive ability to take life by the moments and not constantly living for the future and what "must" get done...
One of my favorite verses is from the book of Psalms...chapter 46, verse 10....
The NIV translation says it like this "He says, 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." The NASB translation says 'cease striving' OR simply 'relax'.
Relax??? Most of us are thinking - or at least I know I am - how in the world can I relax? I don't have time to relax!!!! If anyone else is like me, my days are filled to the brim, and I often don't get accomplished half of what I set out to do. For those that have little children at home, like me, there are so many unforeseen events during the course of the day, that I often find it pointless to plan out my day. So, when I'm constantly feeling "behind", how can I ever just relax???
At least from what God has spoken to my heart over the years, I believe that God desires us to be hard-working at the role He has placed us in....but, we are to seek Him in all that we do. Only through that earnest seeking and reliance on Him, through the Holy Spirit, God supplies us with the energy and motivation to accomplish necessary tasks throughout the day. It then becomes an important step to identify the "necessary tasks" and not over-stuff our daily schedule. God did not intend for us to be so busy that we barely have time to interact with each other.
Each family is made up of different dynamics, and we all do things a little differently - so I'm not implying that everyone should be living life at the same speed. I always say, "God created each person with their own uniqueness, and what a boring world if we all tried to be the same, talk the same, dress the same, act the same, etc. I love the diverse human race that God created."
However, we do need to be sensitive to when we're letting ourselves and the rest of our family get TOO busy. We can fill our extra time with lots of extra-curricular activities that are fun but can be fleeting - OR - we can seek out ways to work for His Kingdom....this is an area to which I pray God keeps my heart sensitive as my children grow older and can participate in more areas. Instead of filling time with dance classes, tee-ball, soccer, music lessons, gymnastics, basketball, art classes, etc, etc....I am challenging myself to think of other areas God can use my children to fill their time and be a light in this world.
It's wonderful to be a part of a sports team or learning how to make music with an instrument or your voice....and I do desire to give those opportunities to my kiddos. However, I desire for us to be balanced - to not get so caught up the rush of activities....to not be selfish with the time we can sacrificially give for Christ to use us in the lives of others.
My prayer is to be diligent at completing necessary tasks throughout the day, living in the moment with my beautiful children, and seeking - truly looking for - time in our schedule to give to activities that reach out to others. Ultimately, I can "be still" in Christ, knowing that when I daily seek Him and rely on Him, my day will flow as He desires....I need not worry what didn't get done on MY to-do list.
It makes me want to say...."hush, hush, hush....momma needs some down time!"
Life will become a hectic mess, IF you LET it. It's a daily struggle for most....the elusive ability to take life by the moments and not constantly living for the future and what "must" get done...
One of my favorite verses is from the book of Psalms...chapter 46, verse 10....
The NIV translation says it like this "He says, 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." The NASB translation says 'cease striving' OR simply 'relax'.
Relax??? Most of us are thinking - or at least I know I am - how in the world can I relax? I don't have time to relax!!!! If anyone else is like me, my days are filled to the brim, and I often don't get accomplished half of what I set out to do. For those that have little children at home, like me, there are so many unforeseen events during the course of the day, that I often find it pointless to plan out my day. So, when I'm constantly feeling "behind", how can I ever just relax???
At least from what God has spoken to my heart over the years, I believe that God desires us to be hard-working at the role He has placed us in....but, we are to seek Him in all that we do. Only through that earnest seeking and reliance on Him, through the Holy Spirit, God supplies us with the energy and motivation to accomplish necessary tasks throughout the day. It then becomes an important step to identify the "necessary tasks" and not over-stuff our daily schedule. God did not intend for us to be so busy that we barely have time to interact with each other.
Each family is made up of different dynamics, and we all do things a little differently - so I'm not implying that everyone should be living life at the same speed. I always say, "God created each person with their own uniqueness, and what a boring world if we all tried to be the same, talk the same, dress the same, act the same, etc. I love the diverse human race that God created."
However, we do need to be sensitive to when we're letting ourselves and the rest of our family get TOO busy. We can fill our extra time with lots of extra-curricular activities that are fun but can be fleeting - OR - we can seek out ways to work for His Kingdom....this is an area to which I pray God keeps my heart sensitive as my children grow older and can participate in more areas. Instead of filling time with dance classes, tee-ball, soccer, music lessons, gymnastics, basketball, art classes, etc, etc....I am challenging myself to think of other areas God can use my children to fill their time and be a light in this world.
It's wonderful to be a part of a sports team or learning how to make music with an instrument or your voice....and I do desire to give those opportunities to my kiddos. However, I desire for us to be balanced - to not get so caught up the rush of activities....to not be selfish with the time we can sacrificially give for Christ to use us in the lives of others.
My prayer is to be diligent at completing necessary tasks throughout the day, living in the moment with my beautiful children, and seeking - truly looking for - time in our schedule to give to activities that reach out to others. Ultimately, I can "be still" in Christ, knowing that when I daily seek Him and rely on Him, my day will flow as He desires....I need not worry what didn't get done on MY to-do list.
