How grateful I am to serve a loving God, who I believe provides joy in the ordinary and a reason to laugh when we want to cry!
A Mis-Understanding of Sorts!
To be honest, it was his idea. When we started some three years ago, I was in the midst of wedding planning. And...that can unfortunately be an all-consuming task. Sunday evenings were a "to do" on my list. God opened my heart. Now, spending time with the youth is a part of the week I crave. Time with those I love. Renewal for my soul in the form of loud, funny, worshipful fellowship.
Dan and I were supposed to lead our seventh grade group in a discussion of Jacob. Somewhere around Genesis 33. Dan read the 33 in the lesson plan as a 38. And promptly asked one of our seventh graders to start reading aloud at around verse 15. The reading was to be followed by discussion.
I'm giving Dan the "cut" gesture. Searching frantically for the lesson plan. Certainly we're not going to have a discussion with seventh graders about this!?
After the reading, silence. Blank faces. We clear our throats and Dan launches into reading Chapter 33. And, discussing Jacob.
And, if this doesn't prepare us for having our own children one day, I can't imagine what will.
Just Breathe
I'm linking this with Tuesday's Unwrapped over at Chatting at the Sky.
It sometimes feels like there is a heavy weight on my chest. Do you know this feeling?
There is an urgency in the day to day living -- the day to day needing...I need to...do laundry, clean the house, pay the bills, find ways to save money in our budget, blog, plan a baby shower, call a friend, do well at my job, touch base with my family, grocery shop, cook a healthy dinner, volunteer, walk the dog, work out, spend time in devotion, talk to Dan, decorate the house...and it all needs to be done now. And, perfectly.
Don't get me wrong -- there are plenty of days for feet up relaxing -- but these needs are just a bit much. Sleep-robbing and anxiety-producing.
And I wonder when desire turns to need. And what needs are really necessary.
Sometimes it takes just making a list to discover priorities.
And, I think the laundry may wait another day. The house might be a little dusty. And the pantry might have three flavors of Cheezits, but there is no real cheese in the house.
But I am going to spend more time here:
And with special friends:
And with him:
Because when the day is done, I can rest easy knowing: "...He who began a good work in you will carry it out to completion." Phil 1:6
Perseverance
Training for an upcoming marathon has certainly been interesting. Running provides opportunity for reflection and the most beautiful place I have run so far was just off the Blue Ridge Parkway during a New Year's getaway to Boone with friends. Dan and I found a quiet lake at sunset with a trail that goes around the edge of the water. Lately I have been struggling through long runs with pain in my left shin and calf. It's so frustrating to train for something and not be able to control your body! These pictures, along with inspiration from Isaiah 40: 29-31, keep me going. I don't know if I'll see the finish line of 26.2 miles -- but so far the journey continues to be amazing!
"He gives power to the tired and worn out, and strength to the weak. Even the youths shall be exhausted, and the young men will all give up. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40: 29-31
Mission Possible
Dan and I went as counselors on a college mission trip to Camp Glisson last week. Here's a sample of the fun we had. I can't tell you how much I LOVE these guys. We painted parking lots, cleared trails for a zip line and split wood for camp fires -- all to get the camp ready for the hundreds of kids who will worship God and have fun there this summer. It was an amazing way to enjoy a few days away from my job...even if it was stil HARD work!
Finding Jesus in the Dirt
How often do you clean your windows? Is it sad I had to "Google" "how to clean windows"? We've lived in our house for almost three years now and the urge to wash the windows came on full force over the past few months. That's strange, isn't it? Who has an urge to clean windows? I think I have a problem!
It was a gradual build-up. I mentioned to that cute guy I live with that we should clean the windows. I think he mumbled something to Munson about me being crazy and continued whatever he was doing, probably playing Mafia Wars on Facebook.
But, I was determined. I went to Target and spent forty-five minutes determining what supplies to buy. Should I go with brand name cleaners, hard-core bleach or home-spun, organic, so-safe-you-can eat-it cleaner? I researched "cleaning" recipes -- like mix ammonia with water and a drop of dish soap (but don't add bleach -- did you know that mixing ammonia and bleach makes toxic fumes??...good thing I did my research!). I settled on a Swiffer 360 to dust the blinds. And, in the end, I went home-spun for the cleaning solution. Ammonia and hot water. Spray on, wipe off. And, I used a newspaper to wipe the actual window panes. Because newspaper won't leave streaks like paper towels do. How crazy is that??
But, I was determined. I went to Target and spent forty-five minutes determining what supplies to buy. Should I go with brand name cleaners, hard-core bleach or home-spun, organic, so-safe-you-can eat-it cleaner? I researched "cleaning" recipes -- like mix ammonia with water and a drop of dish soap (but don't add bleach -- did you know that mixing ammonia and bleach makes toxic fumes??...good thing I did my research!). I settled on a Swiffer 360 to dust the blinds. And, in the end, I went home-spun for the cleaning solution. Ammonia and hot water. Spray on, wipe off. And, I used a newspaper to wipe the actual window panes. Because newspaper won't leave streaks like paper towels do. How crazy is that??
I learned, apparently, you should dust your blinds more than once every three years. You would not believe how gleaming the windows, sills and blinds are! Or, maybe you would because maybe you clean your blinds a little more often. The view out of the windows is so crystal clear. I think the dirt must have come a little at a time over the past few years and I didn't realize how it was obstructing the light.
I'm pacing myself to clean all 27 windows in our house. It's a monotonous chore. I wonder to myself if it would be any easier a task had I stayed on top of cleaning the windows.
And, I can see the parallels this chore has to my life right now. How often do we let the dust settle so subtly in our lives that we don't realize how it's obstructing our view of His plans for us? How wonderful would it be to Swiffer away all the unimportant in the everyday so His light could come shining through? What if I did something every day to "stay on top of it" -- so that I don't wake up one day feeling like I am in darkness?
So, I pray. I spend time in devotion. I have Bible verses e-mailed to me so that His word will be written on my heart. And, when I find myself feeling in the dark, I remember to keep searching for the light.
What little thing do you do to keep clean the window of your soul?
And...p.s. -- what other chores literally...not figuratively...beyond the basic...dust, vacuum, etc. should I be doing more than once every couple of years?! Yikes!
I am linking this post over at "Chatting at the Sky" where the always-inspiring Emily is hosting "Tuesdays Unwrapped".
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