When we were in Florida last week, we had the crazy idea to visit all four Disney theme parks in four days. This led to some serious fun but serious exhaustion as well. You could stay for a week and still not see everything the city of Orlando has to offer as far as FUN is concerned. I had to laugh quietly to myself as we took the dreaded bus trip home from the Magic Kingdom. That had been our second day and our longest by far. We were there soon after the park opened and stayed until the gates were closing. The little kiddos on our bus were all about to pass out, my girls included. Little heads bobbed as their eys struggled to stay open. I thought to myself how many fun memories had just been made by all the families on the bus. But that is not to say there were no bad moments as well.
When traveling with toddlers and preschoolers, tantrums and breakdowns are bound to happen. I decided the Disney people might want to add the byline: Happiest place on earth - full of fun memories and meltdowns!
The meltdown portion was very evident at a stage show we attended. It was geared just for those ages two to six. It was all their favorite characters and lots of singing and interaction. The problem is, the time of the show was right after lunch. In our world and generally the world of so many two to six year olds, this time equals nap time. Oh there was laughing and excitement as the show started, but by the end, you could hear the whining and the crying starting to creep up all around us. (We were embarrassed that even Granddaddy had nodded off during the show.)
Something the kids adored so much, but they just couldn't make it through. They were just so tired. They wanted to have fun. They loved the show. It was not their fault that they were having a whiney meltdown moment. This was nap time. Nap time is crucial for a fun filled evening to occur.
Just like a trip to Disney, our whole life is going to be full of ups and downs, memories and meltdowns, triumphs and tantrums. How will we handle the negatives? Will we only dwell on the bad?
Today's Verses
"I will remember the works of the LORD: surley I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings." Psalms 77:11-12
If I only looked at the few bad parts of the trip... the few times when the girls were whining, when they were tired and a little fussy, or when the bus and boat transportation was not going just exactly how we wanted it, it would overshadow the most important parts. The fun memories that were made are what I want to dwell on, not the meltdowns.
The same is true in my life. I want to mediate on all the wonderful things God has done in my life. There are so many blessings. There are things I take for granted. There are things I am not thankful for that I should be. Yes, there have been some disappointments. Yes, I have had some meltdowns from feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. Yes, there are some prayers and concerns currently in my life. But I want to focus on the positive. I want to be thankful for the works and wonders God has performed in my life. I want to tell others of His love and blessings. Let's focus on the good memories and the many more to come! Every single day, not just a Disney day, is the chance to make good memories and focus on the blessings in our lives.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Wash Wash Wash
I believe my little Valentine had a fabulous birthday yesterday. We made a beautiful birthday cake shaped like a butterfly (my first time "carving" a cake to decorate). I posted a picture below. We had a fun party at her preschool. It was exciting getting to be in her class for the afternoon. I have not had that chance this school year, and I loved getting to really meet and talk with all her classmates. The students were all very appreciative for the party, and I loved helping them decorate their Valentine boxes and pass out their cute Valentines. The boys and the girls are in the "cootie" stage. Do you remember that stage? Where the girls think the boys have cooties and the boys do not want to be near the girls. So funny!
After the grandparents came for over for supper, I was forced to do the dreaded cleanup from the day. And it had been a long day. I was tired, but I cannot make myself go to bed with a dirty kitchen. Thankfully I had used a hostess's best friend...throw away plates and cups! But even so, there were plenty of things to be washed. I made my piles. I had a pile that I would place in the dishwasher, and the pile that I would hand wash. My hand wash pile seemed soooo much bigger!
Yes I do still hand wash a lot of dishes. In fact, I hand wash dishes pretty much every night. I think it just runs in my blood because my mother is the same way. My friend who used to live in NC before moving to GA used to get so mad at me for not using my dishwasher more. She did not have one in her first house, and had to hand wash everything. She could not understand why I wouldn't use my dishwasher! (I miss you AWC!)
Here's the thing I discovered last night. Some things are of course not dishwasher safe. I had used some of my serving pieces, and I never put them in the dish washer. My mom has started giving me a Le Creuset piece for Christmas every year, and I only ever hand wash them as well. But even things that are deemed "safe" for the dishwasher, I just feel like I can do such a better job washing them myself. I can get them more clean. I can make sure it is just right. I can do all the washing!
What parts of my life do I feel the same way about? Are there parts that I try to "hand wash" myself and not let the Lord handle? Are their aspects I think I can do a better job at than He can?
I know I am guilty of this. I have tried to "hand wash" too many problems. "Oh I can handle this little problem. It is no big deal." "Do I really need to pray about that?" "Yes I have a plan and my plan will work!" These thoughts can be a detriment to our lives. God wants to be involved in every decision, every problem, every single circumstance we go through. He wants to be consulted. He wants to be included. He wants to be in control. There is no way we can handle anything in our lives better than He can!
"He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he." Proverbs 16:20
Trusting in the Lord is a guarantee of happiness, and I believe that trusting Him with every part of our lives is the ONLY way to handle our matters wisely. Don't try to "wash" everything yourself, give it ALL to God. He can "wash" it ALL!
I still plan to hand wash my dishes most nights, but days I do decide to use my trusty dishwasher I admit I enjoy the break. The other thing about hand washing...it usually provides a great time for prayer. As I am washing away...I can give every care and concern about my day over to the Lord to wash and take care of.
After the grandparents came for over for supper, I was forced to do the dreaded cleanup from the day. And it had been a long day. I was tired, but I cannot make myself go to bed with a dirty kitchen. Thankfully I had used a hostess's best friend...throw away plates and cups! But even so, there were plenty of things to be washed. I made my piles. I had a pile that I would place in the dishwasher, and the pile that I would hand wash. My hand wash pile seemed soooo much bigger!
Yes I do still hand wash a lot of dishes. In fact, I hand wash dishes pretty much every night. I think it just runs in my blood because my mother is the same way. My friend who used to live in NC before moving to GA used to get so mad at me for not using my dishwasher more. She did not have one in her first house, and had to hand wash everything. She could not understand why I wouldn't use my dishwasher! (I miss you AWC!)
Here's the thing I discovered last night. Some things are of course not dishwasher safe. I had used some of my serving pieces, and I never put them in the dish washer. My mom has started giving me a Le Creuset piece for Christmas every year, and I only ever hand wash them as well. But even things that are deemed "safe" for the dishwasher, I just feel like I can do such a better job washing them myself. I can get them more clean. I can make sure it is just right. I can do all the washing!
What parts of my life do I feel the same way about? Are there parts that I try to "hand wash" myself and not let the Lord handle? Are their aspects I think I can do a better job at than He can?
I know I am guilty of this. I have tried to "hand wash" too many problems. "Oh I can handle this little problem. It is no big deal." "Do I really need to pray about that?" "Yes I have a plan and my plan will work!" These thoughts can be a detriment to our lives. God wants to be involved in every decision, every problem, every single circumstance we go through. He wants to be consulted. He wants to be included. He wants to be in control. There is no way we can handle anything in our lives better than He can!
"He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he." Proverbs 16:20
Trusting in the Lord is a guarantee of happiness, and I believe that trusting Him with every part of our lives is the ONLY way to handle our matters wisely. Don't try to "wash" everything yourself, give it ALL to God. He can "wash" it ALL!
I still plan to hand wash my dishes most nights, but days I do decide to use my trusty dishwasher I admit I enjoy the break. The other thing about hand washing...it usually provides a great time for prayer. As I am washing away...I can give every care and concern about my day over to the Lord to wash and take care of.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
He is Love!
It is the day of love!
But what is love????
If you are a Christian you know the real answer.....God is love!
I know you may have seen this before, but it is my favorite Valentine of all!
Today's Verse
"He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."
1 John 4:8
I do hope you know the one True God of love. The One who sent His only Son to show us the ultimate love. He died for us. He died for everyone. He loves us no matter what we have done. He loves us no matter what! God is Love!
I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day. Happy Birthday to my little Valentine present born five years ago today!
If you want to read a funny Valentine story keep reading. I copied a hilarious story from the Moment's with You devotion by Dennis and Barbara Rainey. Soooooo Funny!
This is Valentine's Day. And Sam forgot it.
Sam's wife had a card addressed to him, hidden in her top dresser drawer. Her gift to him was under her dresses in the closet. She waited for him to make the first move, to end this little dodge of his. There he was, sitting down to watch television at 7:30 at night as if he might be camped out there till bedtime... as if he'd actually forgotten what day this is!
But what is love????
If you are a Christian you know the real answer.....God is love!
Today's Verse
"He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."
1 John 4:8
I do hope you know the one True God of love. The One who sent His only Son to show us the ultimate love. He died for us. He died for everyone. He loves us no matter what we have done. He loves us no matter what! God is Love!
I hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day. Happy Birthday to my little Valentine present born five years ago today!
If you want to read a funny Valentine story keep reading. I copied a hilarious story from the Moment's with You devotion by Dennis and Barbara Rainey. Soooooo Funny!
This is Valentine's Day. And Sam forgot it.
Sam's wife had a card addressed to him, hidden in her top dresser drawer. Her gift to him was under her dresses in the closet. She waited for him to make the first move, to end this little dodge of his. There he was, sitting down to watch television at 7:30 at night as if he might be camped out there till bedtime... as if he'd actually forgotten what day this is!
Finally, at 10 P.M., when Sam had stumbled upstairs to brush his teeth, he found his wife sitting bolt upright in bed. Somehow the temperature felt noticeably cooler in that room than in the other parts of the house.
"What's the matter? What'd I do?" He did a super-quick scan of his usual offenses. Everything checked out.
"Tomorrow morning," she said through clenched teeth, "I expect to find a gift in the driveway that goes from zero to two hundred in less than six seconds. And it had better be there!"
With that, she snatched her pillow and blanket and trudged off, presumably to the downstairs sofa, leaving Sam standing there looking very unmanly, totally exposed as a Valentine forgetter. But his pride wasn't about to be threatened so easily.
The next morning his wife found a gift box in the driveway. She tore it open and looked inside.
It was a bathroom scale.
Sam has been missing since Friday.
"What's the matter? What'd I do?" He did a super-quick scan of his usual offenses. Everything checked out.
"Tomorrow morning," she said through clenched teeth, "I expect to find a gift in the driveway that goes from zero to two hundred in less than six seconds. And it had better be there!"
With that, she snatched her pillow and blanket and trudged off, presumably to the downstairs sofa, leaving Sam standing there looking very unmanly, totally exposed as a Valentine forgetter. But his pride wasn't about to be threatened so easily.
The next morning his wife found a gift box in the driveway. She tore it open and looked inside.
It was a bathroom scale.
Sam has been missing since Friday.
Monday, February 13, 2012
More Time
Oh how I wish I could relive every detail of our trip. We had a fabulous time! We did not want to come back home! Our oldest daughter said she really hoped we missed our flight home. And she has already been asking today when we were going back.
Disney World really is a happy and magical place. We wish we could have spent more time there, but we were blessed to have those four wonderful days riding rides and seeing all our favorite characters. We had a blast! Not that there were no bad moments, because with two little ones and not a lot of sleep, there were some meltdown moments. But, overall we could not have asked for a better trip. The girls were on their best behavior, our youngest daughter took wonderful naps in her stroller, our oldest daughter rode Splash Mountain twice, we saw all our favorite characters, the hotel was wonderful, the plane rides were great, and the Lord truly blessed us with good health, good weather and lots of fun.
I do wish I could spend a lot of time telling of all the great adventures, but life seems extra busy after getting back. With my Big Girl turning the Big 5 tomorrow, party plans are in the works. Yes I have the ultimate sweetheart with her Valentine's Day B-day. Cakes are being made, Valentines signed for the class, and lots of things to do. Just like we wanted more time down in Florida, I need more time today!!!!!
I sat down to rock my little one and decided to check a few quick emails on the i-pod. This little device had been lost before the trip, but was thankfully found out in the playhouse yesterday! The time is still set from when my husband was in Nevada a few weeks ago. Although it was really 1:00 the time read 10:00. I couldn't help but wish for a brief moment that it really was 10:00. I am feeling so overwhelmed today, and more time would be a blessing.
But as you all know, we all only have 24 hours in a day to make the most of. I was tempted not to sit down and read a passage today. I kept thinking, "Oh I will read something tonight". But, I need that time with the Lord so He can show me how to best use the rest of my time today. I need that time of refreshment, renewal and strength that can only come with time spent in His Word.
Today's Verse
"See then that ye walk circumspectly (carefully), not as fools, but as wise. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:15-16
"Redeeming the time" means to literally "make the most of every opportunity". I would have missed the opportunity to fellowship with the Lord today if I did not redeem my time wisely. I cannot walk carefully if I am not seeking time with Him. Yes I could be using this time for work and chores, but would things go smoothly if I had not spent any time with God? I will be the first to admit that my days are never smooth if I don't spend the time reading my Bible, praying and asking for guidance.
So let's be grateful for the time we have today, and lets use it wisely. But no matter how busy we are, let's make sure we are spending some of our time talking to our heavenly Father.
I do feel like I rushed through this post, but I really must get back to work. I do want to say a Big Happy Birthday to my wonderful Mother, and I hope everyone has a Happy Valentines Day tomorrow!
Disney World really is a happy and magical place. We wish we could have spent more time there, but we were blessed to have those four wonderful days riding rides and seeing all our favorite characters. We had a blast! Not that there were no bad moments, because with two little ones and not a lot of sleep, there were some meltdown moments. But, overall we could not have asked for a better trip. The girls were on their best behavior, our youngest daughter took wonderful naps in her stroller, our oldest daughter rode Splash Mountain twice, we saw all our favorite characters, the hotel was wonderful, the plane rides were great, and the Lord truly blessed us with good health, good weather and lots of fun.
I do wish I could spend a lot of time telling of all the great adventures, but life seems extra busy after getting back. With my Big Girl turning the Big 5 tomorrow, party plans are in the works. Yes I have the ultimate sweetheart with her Valentine's Day B-day. Cakes are being made, Valentines signed for the class, and lots of things to do. Just like we wanted more time down in Florida, I need more time today!!!!!
I sat down to rock my little one and decided to check a few quick emails on the i-pod. This little device had been lost before the trip, but was thankfully found out in the playhouse yesterday! The time is still set from when my husband was in Nevada a few weeks ago. Although it was really 1:00 the time read 10:00. I couldn't help but wish for a brief moment that it really was 10:00. I am feeling so overwhelmed today, and more time would be a blessing.
But as you all know, we all only have 24 hours in a day to make the most of. I was tempted not to sit down and read a passage today. I kept thinking, "Oh I will read something tonight". But, I need that time with the Lord so He can show me how to best use the rest of my time today. I need that time of refreshment, renewal and strength that can only come with time spent in His Word.
Today's Verse
"See then that ye walk circumspectly (carefully), not as fools, but as wise. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:15-16
"Redeeming the time" means to literally "make the most of every opportunity". I would have missed the opportunity to fellowship with the Lord today if I did not redeem my time wisely. I cannot walk carefully if I am not seeking time with Him. Yes I could be using this time for work and chores, but would things go smoothly if I had not spent any time with God? I will be the first to admit that my days are never smooth if I don't spend the time reading my Bible, praying and asking for guidance.
So let's be grateful for the time we have today, and lets use it wisely. But no matter how busy we are, let's make sure we are spending some of our time talking to our heavenly Father.
I do feel like I rushed through this post, but I really must get back to work. I do want to say a Big Happy Birthday to my wonderful Mother, and I hope everyone has a Happy Valentines Day tomorrow!
Friday, February 3, 2012
Leaving on a jet plane
So I am taking a quick break from packing. Yes we leave very early Monday morning to head to Disney World. I do not know who is more excited, my girls or my parents :). We are all so overjoyed to be going and are praying for a safe and fun trip. I am a little nervous about flying, but I have all my fear verses in my back pocket.
Every time I prepare to fly, I cannot help but think of that scene from Armageddon the movie. They are preparing to board the shuttle and they begin to sing, "I'm leaving on a jet plane, I don't know when I'll be back again...". I don't know why I think of that, but I have been singing it all day.
So you know it is important if I post on Friday. I know we have talked a lot about fears recently. I had to share a post I read yesterday. It is by Tracie Miles and was posted on February 1st. It was a wonderful post and I do encourage you to check it out next week. Two of my favorite parts came from the the devotion she referenced called Jesus Calling. The first talks about not wasting energy on worrying, and the second talks about God being our best security system. I believe I am going to put that on our security keypad to remind me of that truth when my husband is traveling. I love it!
So please check out Tracie's blog, and I will be back week after next. I am sure there will be some wonderful stories to share!
http://www.traciemiles.blogspot.com/
Today's verse "But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.". Psalms 66:19
Every time I prepare to fly, I cannot help but think of that scene from Armageddon the movie. They are preparing to board the shuttle and they begin to sing, "I'm leaving on a jet plane, I don't know when I'll be back again...". I don't know why I think of that, but I have been singing it all day.
So you know it is important if I post on Friday. I know we have talked a lot about fears recently. I had to share a post I read yesterday. It is by Tracie Miles and was posted on February 1st. It was a wonderful post and I do encourage you to check it out next week. Two of my favorite parts came from the the devotion she referenced called Jesus Calling. The first talks about not wasting energy on worrying, and the second talks about God being our best security system. I believe I am going to put that on our security keypad to remind me of that truth when my husband is traveling. I love it!
So please check out Tracie's blog, and I will be back week after next. I am sure there will be some wonderful stories to share!
http://www.traciemiles.blogspot.com/
Today's verse "But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.". Psalms 66:19
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Praying for pet peeves
That is a tongue twister! Can you say praying for pet peeves three times fast?
Ok, you might be thinking I have lost my mind. Why would we ever pray for pet peeves? But just hear me out. I happen to have a lot of pet peeves. I cannot stand irritating noises. Little ticks and beeps and clicks can drive me up a wall. There is not a single clock in our house that ticks. Every clock has to be digital or there is not any batteries in the ticking ones. My human pet peeves make up a long list. My number one pet peeve would have to be smacking. Smacking gum, smacking food, smacking candy... please can't you eat and chew more quietly.
I have a "sister" that can vouch for this. The story is kind of famous in our family. My sweet little innocent five year old cousin was simply smacking on star-burst candy one day. I gave her warnings. I threatened. I begged her to stop. When she wouldn't quit, my thirteen year old selfish self, proceeded to chew a piece of the candy up and put it in her hair. Yes I know, that is horrible. You don't have to tell me how evil that was. I was having a very mean spirited moment, but she has forgiven me. Nonetheless, I should not have done such a horrible act. We laugh about it now, but the way we react to pet peeves can speak volumes.
What are some of your pet peeves and how do you react to them? How do we react to rudeness? How do we act in bad traffic situations? How do we react when someone is really getting on our last nerve?
I listened to a Focus on the Family broadcast over Christmas break about strong willed children by Cynthia Tobias. She told the story of a mom that started praying for her strong-willed teenage son every time he did something that bothered her. Things turned around and their relationship improved greatly. Sadly, her son died soon after the reconciliation. Cynthia told how that mother was so grateful for the turn in their relationship, and they were able to have six good months together. The story broke my heart. But it also started to stir something inside of me. Everything improved because of her prayers.
Another pet peeve of mine is neatness. I am a neat freak and self -proclaimed OCD. My youngest daughter, as you might have read yesterday, loves to pull clothes from drawers and empty baskets all over the house. She just dumps all the contents and simply walks away. This drives me crazy to say the least. I am constantly picking up. After listening to the broadcast, I felt the urge to start praying every time I have to pick up after the girls instead of fuming. Some days I really wanted to scream to the top of my lungs after I had picked up the crayons and art supplies for the seventh time.
I now pray every time a basket is dumped onto the floor. I pray for my girls current needs, their safety, and their future. The list is endless on things we can pray for our children. Just a quick prayer for the offender. I also ask God to help me handle my irritation for the pet peeve. This praying for the girls instead of yelling at them has been such a relief. I am not saying I am perfect and have not gotten frustrated over some pet peeves, but the number of angry reactions are down.
But what about others? Can we use this same concept on others in our lives? Can we pray for those people that do things that get on our nerves? Should we pray for the person that cuts us off, is extremely rude to us at the check-out line, or even the person that smacks their food while they eat next to us at a restaurant?
Today's Verse
"Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21
Short verse, but oh such a powerful verse. Let's "overcome evil with good". That is something that could really get under Satan's skin. Instead of letting pet peeves get under our skin, it would be so much better to get under the devil's. Every time someone you love or even someone you do not know at all, does something that irritates you, put a smile on your face and lift up a simple prayer. I do not want to ever be overcome with evil like I let my thirteen year old self do all those years ago. I do not want to yell at my kids when they are messy. I do not want to be rude back to the person who just offended me. I want to pray for them and even myself. Pray for their salvation, for their day to turn around and pray that my light and love for God can still shine through and not my irritation. Let's pray for those that spark pet peeves in us and maybe someone will pray for me if I were to ever do anything irritating : ) (which I know is a ton of things)
Ok, you might be thinking I have lost my mind. Why would we ever pray for pet peeves? But just hear me out. I happen to have a lot of pet peeves. I cannot stand irritating noises. Little ticks and beeps and clicks can drive me up a wall. There is not a single clock in our house that ticks. Every clock has to be digital or there is not any batteries in the ticking ones. My human pet peeves make up a long list. My number one pet peeve would have to be smacking. Smacking gum, smacking food, smacking candy... please can't you eat and chew more quietly.
I have a "sister" that can vouch for this. The story is kind of famous in our family. My sweet little innocent five year old cousin was simply smacking on star-burst candy one day. I gave her warnings. I threatened. I begged her to stop. When she wouldn't quit, my thirteen year old selfish self, proceeded to chew a piece of the candy up and put it in her hair. Yes I know, that is horrible. You don't have to tell me how evil that was. I was having a very mean spirited moment, but she has forgiven me. Nonetheless, I should not have done such a horrible act. We laugh about it now, but the way we react to pet peeves can speak volumes.
What are some of your pet peeves and how do you react to them? How do we react to rudeness? How do we act in bad traffic situations? How do we react when someone is really getting on our last nerve?
I listened to a Focus on the Family broadcast over Christmas break about strong willed children by Cynthia Tobias. She told the story of a mom that started praying for her strong-willed teenage son every time he did something that bothered her. Things turned around and their relationship improved greatly. Sadly, her son died soon after the reconciliation. Cynthia told how that mother was so grateful for the turn in their relationship, and they were able to have six good months together. The story broke my heart. But it also started to stir something inside of me. Everything improved because of her prayers.
Another pet peeve of mine is neatness. I am a neat freak and self -proclaimed OCD. My youngest daughter, as you might have read yesterday, loves to pull clothes from drawers and empty baskets all over the house. She just dumps all the contents and simply walks away. This drives me crazy to say the least. I am constantly picking up. After listening to the broadcast, I felt the urge to start praying every time I have to pick up after the girls instead of fuming. Some days I really wanted to scream to the top of my lungs after I had picked up the crayons and art supplies for the seventh time.
I now pray every time a basket is dumped onto the floor. I pray for my girls current needs, their safety, and their future. The list is endless on things we can pray for our children. Just a quick prayer for the offender. I also ask God to help me handle my irritation for the pet peeve. This praying for the girls instead of yelling at them has been such a relief. I am not saying I am perfect and have not gotten frustrated over some pet peeves, but the number of angry reactions are down.
But what about others? Can we use this same concept on others in our lives? Can we pray for those people that do things that get on our nerves? Should we pray for the person that cuts us off, is extremely rude to us at the check-out line, or even the person that smacks their food while they eat next to us at a restaurant?
Today's Verse
"Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." Romans 12:21
Short verse, but oh such a powerful verse. Let's "overcome evil with good". That is something that could really get under Satan's skin. Instead of letting pet peeves get under our skin, it would be so much better to get under the devil's. Every time someone you love or even someone you do not know at all, does something that irritates you, put a smile on your face and lift up a simple prayer. I do not want to ever be overcome with evil like I let my thirteen year old self do all those years ago. I do not want to yell at my kids when they are messy. I do not want to be rude back to the person who just offended me. I want to pray for them and even myself. Pray for their salvation, for their day to turn around and pray that my light and love for God can still shine through and not my irritation. Let's pray for those that spark pet peeves in us and maybe someone will pray for me if I were to ever do anything irritating : ) (which I know is a ton of things)
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Silence is Golden
My girls seem to own every toy that makes a noise. There are the play phones ringing, different things singing, baby dolls crying, and not to mention the instruments. Now I love my family dearly, but we do not seem to be musically inclined. I knew they had no chance from my side of the family, but my husband has a few piano players on his side, so I thought there might be a chance. This does not appear to be the case, but yet we still own about every instrument you can think of. I hear the piano, the organ, the guitars, the drums, the violin, and the horns, oh those terrible, ear-splitting horns.
Silence...........AAAHHHHHH!!!!!! Wonderful!!!!!
When it occurs, it is usually such a breath of fresh air.
But wait, it is not nap time. It is not bed time. What in the world could be happening?
If silence does occur between the times of 7:00am-1:00pm or 3:30pm-8:30pm there is a chance there is mischief taking place. Now in my girls defense, this is not always the case. There are times they are quietly reading books or coloring in a coloring book or playing quietly in the tent. And when I peer in on those oh so blissful moments, my heart is overfilled with joy. But, and there is always a but, there are the silences that are full of quietly coloring on the furniture or dumping every basket in the house or pulling all the clothes out of every drawer.
Silence............SSSCCCRRRRREAM!!!!! "Don't do that!!!!!!"
Silence during nap time/quiet time is so refreshing. No wondering if they are misbehaving. No mediating arguments. No fixing broken toys. No calming crying babies. No noise!!!!!!
But then I sit down to read my Bible, read an article, read a chapter in a book, and pray, and the noise starts back. The noise may not be audible to any body else, but it sure is audible to me. The noise is my thoughts. I need to pay bills, make the grocery list, do a few loads of laundry, get supper started, call that person back, and the list keeps going and the noise is still there.
Silence...........YIKES!!!!!!!!!! My to-do list is impossible!!!!
How do I get my thoughts focused on God? How can I "listen" to Him if I am instead listing everything that needs to be done? I have to find true silence. I have to focus and pray for the "noise" to stop before my true "Quiet Time" begins. I am not good at that. Sometimes I just sit down like it is a duty to read my Bible not like it is a joy to read my Bible. I have to really get alone with God. Really listen. Really be ready to learn. I have to stop the noise in my head.
We all know the verse Ps 46:10a "Be still, and know that I am God". How can we be still?
I have to ask for it. I have to pray for the thoughts rushing my mind to stop. I have to pray for those quiet moments throughout my day. I might not have but just a moment to spend with God some days, but every moment I do spend reading and praying is a moment of strength. That strength is what helps me get through the rest of the noise of my day.
Today's Verse
Isaiah 30:15b "In returning and rest shall ye be saved: in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength"
If I don't turn everything off, including my own thoughts, I will not get that quietness that is required to give me strength. I cannot "hear" what God might be saying through His Word, if I am listening to other thoughts. Later in the same chapter of Isaiah verse 21 we read "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saying, This is the way, walk ye in it..." I cannot hear that direction if I am not focused and truly seeking His direction in my life. Silence is a must to seek His will.
Silence...........Golden!!!!!!!! And truly needed for the strength to make it through the day.
If you are looking for a good, quick and encouraging devotion for today, I really did enjoy the Proverbs 31 Devo today. The link is below if you have a moment to read it (in silence hopefully). It really hit home for me today!
http://devotions.proverbs31.org/2012/02/im-beyond-hurt.html
Silence...........AAAHHHHHH!!!!!! Wonderful!!!!!
When it occurs, it is usually such a breath of fresh air.
But wait, it is not nap time. It is not bed time. What in the world could be happening?
If silence does occur between the times of 7:00am-1:00pm or 3:30pm-8:30pm there is a chance there is mischief taking place. Now in my girls defense, this is not always the case. There are times they are quietly reading books or coloring in a coloring book or playing quietly in the tent. And when I peer in on those oh so blissful moments, my heart is overfilled with joy. But, and there is always a but, there are the silences that are full of quietly coloring on the furniture or dumping every basket in the house or pulling all the clothes out of every drawer.
Silence............SSSCCCRRRRREAM!!!!! "Don't do that!!!!!!"
Silence during nap time/quiet time is so refreshing. No wondering if they are misbehaving. No mediating arguments. No fixing broken toys. No calming crying babies. No noise!!!!!!
But then I sit down to read my Bible, read an article, read a chapter in a book, and pray, and the noise starts back. The noise may not be audible to any body else, but it sure is audible to me. The noise is my thoughts. I need to pay bills, make the grocery list, do a few loads of laundry, get supper started, call that person back, and the list keeps going and the noise is still there.
Silence...........YIKES!!!!!!!!!! My to-do list is impossible!!!!
How do I get my thoughts focused on God? How can I "listen" to Him if I am instead listing everything that needs to be done? I have to find true silence. I have to focus and pray for the "noise" to stop before my true "Quiet Time" begins. I am not good at that. Sometimes I just sit down like it is a duty to read my Bible not like it is a joy to read my Bible. I have to really get alone with God. Really listen. Really be ready to learn. I have to stop the noise in my head.
We all know the verse Ps 46:10a "Be still, and know that I am God". How can we be still?
I have to ask for it. I have to pray for the thoughts rushing my mind to stop. I have to pray for those quiet moments throughout my day. I might not have but just a moment to spend with God some days, but every moment I do spend reading and praying is a moment of strength. That strength is what helps me get through the rest of the noise of my day.
Today's Verse
Isaiah 30:15b "In returning and rest shall ye be saved: in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength"
If I don't turn everything off, including my own thoughts, I will not get that quietness that is required to give me strength. I cannot "hear" what God might be saying through His Word, if I am listening to other thoughts. Later in the same chapter of Isaiah verse 21 we read "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saying, This is the way, walk ye in it..." I cannot hear that direction if I am not focused and truly seeking His direction in my life. Silence is a must to seek His will.
Silence...........Golden!!!!!!!! And truly needed for the strength to make it through the day.
If you are looking for a good, quick and encouraging devotion for today, I really did enjoy the Proverbs 31 Devo today. The link is below if you have a moment to read it (in silence hopefully). It really hit home for me today!
http://devotions.proverbs31.org/2012/02/im-beyond-hurt.html
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