I
love being a mommy. I enjoyed playing with my three children and now my grands.
I fill each day with teaching them their alphabet, shapes and colors, as well
as to recognize the world of nature all around them. We read books, play games
and do many crafts together.
Each
child is a blank slate, ready for me to introduce them to life. I wrote praise songs
for my children, and taught them to worship God. I serenaded them with my
guitar, and we sang together as each of them learned to use the potty.
However,
as they each went off to school, one right after the other, I am the one who
cried. I felt at loose ends. I had no purpose or direction for my time. I
volunteered as an aid in their classrooms, and learned a love for teaching; but
I still felt empty.
So,
I cried out to God for guidance. Then, I felt a compulsion to sit and write in
my journal. I did this day after day for weeks. As I emptied myself of my inner
clutter and chaos, God filled me with all of His fullness (Ephesians 3:16-19).
Then,
I also started straightening up the outer clutter in my life as well. I felt so
much freedom as I simplified my life, had a place for everything, and put
everything in its place. I started putting my priorities in order.
Over
the years, as I aged and my children developed lives of their own, my leisure
time increased. I no longer scurried around behind the patter of little feet,
but I spend more time sitting at Jesus’ feet.
I
stayed more in tune to His replies to my prayers, since I no longer race around
in tune to children’s cries. My hearing of His Spirit's directives improved as
I prayed for specific people, did housework for someone in need, or sat quietly
and praised Him as the great “I am.”
I
developed an intimacy and unity with our Father God that grows stronger every
day. My time is full now of surrendering total control of my life to Him and
only doing that which God's Spirit directs me to do. Christ truly is my life
(Colossians 3:3-4).
Prayer:
Father
God, when we allow the pressures and distractions of life to monopolize our
attention, we run at full speed all day, and then fall into an exhausted sleep
each night - without ever spending quality time with You. Then, the next day
our mind refills with clutter and distraction, and we get pulled in too many
directions at once.
You
worked out the issues in my life for me to serve You as a pastor’s wife with
all of the responsibilities accompanying that title; yet, You continue to call
me to reserve my personal time for You alone. Thank You for teaching me to
follow Your Spirit's direction in my service to You, my family and my church. Teach
us to focus on You and Your Kingdom, trusting that You will abundantly supply
all of our needs.
Thought
for the Day:
When
we allow the chaos of clutter to fill our thoughts and life, we lack depth in
our spiritual life, and our body and soul suffer as well; God’s voice cannot
compete with our diversions or penetrate our awareness, because the clutter is
too overpowering; therefore, our only hope is to walk in the Spirit and we will
not fulfill the lusts of our flesh.
-
Galatians 5:15-25
