Have you ever felt uncomfortable in your own skin? Perhaps it was just for a fleeting moment because of something you said or because of an embarrassing situation that happened. I remember one time thinking I knew someone and calling out their name, waving to them. When I got a better look at their face I realized it wasn’t who I thought it was. I wanted to crawl out of my skin as they looked at me like I was half-baked.
Sometimes that feeling of being uncomfortable in your own skin lasts more than a moment. It could be something that you struggle with on a daily basis. It could be for a number of reasons…you don’t like your outer shell or perhaps you wish you had a differently personality.
I used to struggle with the whole wanting a different personality thing. I used to read that part of I Peter 3:4 about how women should have a gentle and quiet spirit, feeling like I could never attain that. It isn’t natural for me to be “gentle” or “quiet.” I could name a dozen other women that were more fitting and I began to wish that God would make me more like them.
However over the years I began to discover that God didn’t want me to be just like them…He wanted me to be me. He made me the way I am, personality and all. Sure, I come with a few (okay, maybe more than a few) rough edges but that is what reading and living out the Word was about, smoothing out those rough edges. It wasn’t about being someone else.
What I greatly appreciate about the church I attend is the massive amount of talent there. I don’t look at the worship team and wish I could sing like them. Instead, I embrace and enjoy their talent. I don’t look at the dancers in some of our musicals and wish I was graceful like that. Instead, I appreciate the way they make everything so much more beautiful.
Learning to become comfortable in my own skin has taken many years. There are still some things about my skin I would like to shed, such as a few pounds. But God reminds us in Jeremiah 18:3-4 that we each start out as being marred.
We are imperfect in the hands of Jesus. So what does He do? Thankfully He doesn’t just leave us as we are. He makes us into another vessel. When once we were nothing more than a piece of clay, we become a vessel. That is powerful! Vessel sounds so much nicer than clay, doesn’t it?
But here is the key…we are made “as seemed good to the potter to make it.” He has free will to do with us as He desires. So who you are is who He has desired you to be, flaws and all.
Instead of complaining or pouting about those things you don’t care for when it comes to your “skin,” appreciate them and value them for how God wants to use them. Going back to the whole gentle thing…one of the things I have come to discover is that for the tasks God has give me, gentleness (at least in the way I was envisioning gentleness) wouldn’t work for me.
You see I had this skewed idea of what gentleness is about. I took it to mean that I had to speak quieter; I had to be meek and just let life happen around me. If I didn’t have the personality God has given me I wouldn’t have been able to do some of the things I have been able to.
I am learning to appreciate some of those very qualities about myself that I used to disdain. It doesn’t mean I don’t work on those things that need work. It just means I am learning more and more to be comfortable in my own skin. What about you? Are you comfortable in your own skin?
Here are some snapshots from Psalm 139 of what God has to say about this:
• You are familiar with all my ways
• For You created my inmost being
• You knit me together in my mother’s womb
• I am fearfully and wonderfully made
• All the days ordained for me were written in Your book
Love the skin you’re in!
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Be an Empty Vessel
We are halfway through the first month of the New Year. Have you made any New Year’s Resolutions? Set some goals? This would be a good time to analyze how you are doing.
Sometimes we go into the New Year with the focus being on things like our health, money and relationships. While all of these are important areas in our life we can’t forget the importance of our spiritual walk. In fact, that should be the most important area that we work on.
It helps to first consider if you have grown in your relationship with the Lord. Are you any different than you were at this time last year? Are you any different than you were five years ago? Ten years ago?
We should really be seeing a difference in our spiritual walk as time goes on. That’s not to say that we somehow arrive at this place of having it all together…because we never will while on this earth. But there should be some definite differences between the person we were five years ago and the person we are today. We should even see growth from a year ago.
A relationship with Jesus is about learning and growing. It never stops. I know sometimes we get discouraged and we feel frustrated that we constantly have to be tested and challenged. Just when it seems like we get one thing in our life dealt with, along comes something else.
We will always be shown those things that need work. But that isn’t something to be frustrated about. James 1 talks about testing our faith. When our faith is tested our character is molded and shaped. It will always need work. But it’s the only way to develop endurance, wisdom, humility, perseverance and the list goes on.
Embrace those things that Jesus wants to change within. Allow Him to continue to refine you. When you make yourself into an empty vessel, you leave room for Him. The more you open yourself to His work in your life, the greater the outpouring. I don’t know about you but I would much rather be overflowing with His character than my own.
Sometimes we go into the New Year with the focus being on things like our health, money and relationships. While all of these are important areas in our life we can’t forget the importance of our spiritual walk. In fact, that should be the most important area that we work on.
It helps to first consider if you have grown in your relationship with the Lord. Are you any different than you were at this time last year? Are you any different than you were five years ago? Ten years ago?
We should really be seeing a difference in our spiritual walk as time goes on. That’s not to say that we somehow arrive at this place of having it all together…because we never will while on this earth. But there should be some definite differences between the person we were five years ago and the person we are today. We should even see growth from a year ago.
A relationship with Jesus is about learning and growing. It never stops. I know sometimes we get discouraged and we feel frustrated that we constantly have to be tested and challenged. Just when it seems like we get one thing in our life dealt with, along comes something else.
We will always be shown those things that need work. But that isn’t something to be frustrated about. James 1 talks about testing our faith. When our faith is tested our character is molded and shaped. It will always need work. But it’s the only way to develop endurance, wisdom, humility, perseverance and the list goes on.
Embrace those things that Jesus wants to change within. Allow Him to continue to refine you. When you make yourself into an empty vessel, you leave room for Him. The more you open yourself to His work in your life, the greater the outpouring. I don’t know about you but I would much rather be overflowing with His character than my own.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
The Longer You Are In, the Harder It Is To Escape
Many years ago I watched a prison movie. I’m not entirely sure if it was a true story or not. It was based on an innocent man who was given two life sentences in 1947. There was one part of the movie where an elderly man who had served for 50 years was finally released.
The day he found out that he had made parole, he almost snapped. Instead of being happy that he was finally going to walk out of those prison gates, he was scared. He had been in that prison for so long he didn’t know if he could face what was on the outside.
At one point he even took a fellow prisoner hostage with a knife to his throat. He figured that if he just cut the guy’s throat then he would have to stay in prison. It’s kind of crazy to think that someone would not want to leave their prison cell. Yet isn’t that the truth for some of us?
Our prison cell might not be a dark, musty cell like the one he lived in. Instead our prison cell might be dependency, fear, anger, jealousy, addictions, lust and the list could go on. The truth is, any time we are locked in a prison cell of sin it is really just like the one that elderly gentleman lived in—it is dark and musty and there is nothing really good about it. Yet we still want to stay there.
Some of the other prisoners finally convinced the man to put the knife down. The next day he was walked to the gate of the prison by the guards. He was all dressed up in a suit, carrying his little suitcase.
He quickly discovered how drastically life on the outside had changed. He described it as being too fast. He felt like everyone around him was just moving too fast through the days. Yet the reality was that they were just living, just doing what you do when you live.
But he didn’t know what living was about. He had been stuck in that dark place for so long he couldn’t recognize the bright light of living.
He tried to fit in with society. The prison system set him up with a little apartment and he got a job bagging groceries. But he didn’t want to be free. He would have rather been back in his prison. Sadly, he ended up taking his own life. He had finally had enough. He had been in his prison so long that he didn’t know how to escape…even though he was free.
Do you ever just get tired of the same old struggle? The same old sin? Do you ever feel like victory will never come? Perhaps it is because we haven’t taken that step toward freedom. Some of that bright light (Jesus) shines in our face and we shrink back…back into the dark but comfortable prison cell we have been so used to.
Yet Jesus is calling us out of that dark prison cell. Because the truth is, like the elderly man from this movie, if we stay too long it will be that much harder to escape. So are you ready? Are you ready to finally move out of the prison cell? Are you ready to take that first step toward freedom?
The day he found out that he had made parole, he almost snapped. Instead of being happy that he was finally going to walk out of those prison gates, he was scared. He had been in that prison for so long he didn’t know if he could face what was on the outside.
At one point he even took a fellow prisoner hostage with a knife to his throat. He figured that if he just cut the guy’s throat then he would have to stay in prison. It’s kind of crazy to think that someone would not want to leave their prison cell. Yet isn’t that the truth for some of us?
Our prison cell might not be a dark, musty cell like the one he lived in. Instead our prison cell might be dependency, fear, anger, jealousy, addictions, lust and the list could go on. The truth is, any time we are locked in a prison cell of sin it is really just like the one that elderly gentleman lived in—it is dark and musty and there is nothing really good about it. Yet we still want to stay there.
Some of the other prisoners finally convinced the man to put the knife down. The next day he was walked to the gate of the prison by the guards. He was all dressed up in a suit, carrying his little suitcase.
He quickly discovered how drastically life on the outside had changed. He described it as being too fast. He felt like everyone around him was just moving too fast through the days. Yet the reality was that they were just living, just doing what you do when you live.
But he didn’t know what living was about. He had been stuck in that dark place for so long he couldn’t recognize the bright light of living.
He tried to fit in with society. The prison system set him up with a little apartment and he got a job bagging groceries. But he didn’t want to be free. He would have rather been back in his prison. Sadly, he ended up taking his own life. He had finally had enough. He had been in his prison so long that he didn’t know how to escape…even though he was free.
Do you ever just get tired of the same old struggle? The same old sin? Do you ever feel like victory will never come? Perhaps it is because we haven’t taken that step toward freedom. Some of that bright light (Jesus) shines in our face and we shrink back…back into the dark but comfortable prison cell we have been so used to.
Yet Jesus is calling us out of that dark prison cell. Because the truth is, like the elderly man from this movie, if we stay too long it will be that much harder to escape. So are you ready? Are you ready to finally move out of the prison cell? Are you ready to take that first step toward freedom?
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Your "Plans" for 2011
It is January 1, 2011. I am sitting here thinking about things. Doesn’t the first of the year tend to be a time of reflection for many of us? We think about the past year and everything that happened. We consider the future and what may be ahead. Some of us make New Year’s Resolutions, others of us set goals.
But you know what I am thinking about? My children. As I consider 2011, I really don’t know what to expect. I don’t know much of what God has in store but there is something I do know about this year. It will be the year that my oldest son enters his last year of high school. It will also be the year that my daughter enters her first year of high school.
It is a bittersweet thing to consider. The idea that my son’s high school years are almost over is saddening to me. But at the same time I am excited about his future. So far his plans are to attend Gateway Technical College to earn his aeronautics-pilot training degree. He is seriously considering a career as a commercial airlines pilot. But really, all he knows at this point is that he just wants to fly.
It is also a bit sad for me to think that my daughter is leaving behind her K-8 school and heading off to a much larger high school. I feel like I can breathe a sigh of relief that we have almost made it through the middle school years with just a few bumps in the road. But to know she is about to enter her last four years of school is also exciting and I trust that God has much in store for her.
So while I should be thinking about losing some weight, setting some personal goals and working on relationships…this first day of 2011 my mind is on my children. It is just one example of not really knowing what God is going to do in their lives. But isn’t that the way it is for all of us? In every area of our lives? We just really don’t know what He is up to and what He has in store for us.
The truth is that we can make all the plans we want, like my son’s plans to attend Gateway Technical College, but really…it all comes down to fulfilling the destiny that God has for us. Our ways are not necessarily His ways.
I can help my son fill out his college applications and figure out the path he needs to take in order to become an airline pilot but unless these plans are submitted to God, they won’t mean as much.
So go ahead and make out your New Year’s Resolutions and set your goals for 2011. But as you do, ask the Lord to guide you in this. Ask Him to show you what He would have you do. Remember to Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans (Proverbs 16:3).
But you know what I am thinking about? My children. As I consider 2011, I really don’t know what to expect. I don’t know much of what God has in store but there is something I do know about this year. It will be the year that my oldest son enters his last year of high school. It will also be the year that my daughter enters her first year of high school.
It is a bittersweet thing to consider. The idea that my son’s high school years are almost over is saddening to me. But at the same time I am excited about his future. So far his plans are to attend Gateway Technical College to earn his aeronautics-pilot training degree. He is seriously considering a career as a commercial airlines pilot. But really, all he knows at this point is that he just wants to fly.
It is also a bit sad for me to think that my daughter is leaving behind her K-8 school and heading off to a much larger high school. I feel like I can breathe a sigh of relief that we have almost made it through the middle school years with just a few bumps in the road. But to know she is about to enter her last four years of school is also exciting and I trust that God has much in store for her.
So while I should be thinking about losing some weight, setting some personal goals and working on relationships…this first day of 2011 my mind is on my children. It is just one example of not really knowing what God is going to do in their lives. But isn’t that the way it is for all of us? In every area of our lives? We just really don’t know what He is up to and what He has in store for us.
The truth is that we can make all the plans we want, like my son’s plans to attend Gateway Technical College, but really…it all comes down to fulfilling the destiny that God has for us. Our ways are not necessarily His ways.
I can help my son fill out his college applications and figure out the path he needs to take in order to become an airline pilot but unless these plans are submitted to God, they won’t mean as much.
So go ahead and make out your New Year’s Resolutions and set your goals for 2011. But as you do, ask the Lord to guide you in this. Ask Him to show you what He would have you do. Remember to Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans (Proverbs 16:3).
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Hunting Is About Opportunity
One of my new favorite shows to watch is Sarah Palin’s “Alaska” series on TLC. I have always admired her and especially enjoy seeing the personal side of her.
On a recent show she was caribou hunting with her father. Their first day of hiking over rough terrain produced nothing. However Sarah referred to something her father always says, “Hunting is about opportunity.”
What immediately came to my mind was the devil. I believe he uses that mindset when he goes after us. He hunts us but he looks for opportunities. He doesn’t just pounce on us at will. He is pretty slick about what he does.
I believe there are two important factors to how the devil hunts us. First, he looks for opportunities that make us the most vulnerable. Some of our most vulnerable times are when we are facing difficulties or tragedies in life. It could be sickness, the loss of a loved one, the end of a marriage, the backsliding of a child and the list could go on.
There are certain moments in our life when we are just more vulnerable to his attacks. That is an opportune time for the devil.
Another hunting opportunity that I believe the devil looks for pertains to our personality. He knows enough about some of our weaknesses that he will use any opportunity to take advantage of that. He doesn’t go after us when we are at our strongest. He takes advantage of those moments when something in our personality causes us to be at our weakest.
Now all of this might sound like we are at his mercy. We are never at the mercy of the devil, no matter how he pursues us. The good news is that we have someone alongside of us that will fight back. We have the power of the Holy Spirit, the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ.
The devil may have his tactics for hunting us. But remember that God’s Word says that greater is He who is in us than him who is in the world (I John 4:4).
On a recent show she was caribou hunting with her father. Their first day of hiking over rough terrain produced nothing. However Sarah referred to something her father always says, “Hunting is about opportunity.”
What immediately came to my mind was the devil. I believe he uses that mindset when he goes after us. He hunts us but he looks for opportunities. He doesn’t just pounce on us at will. He is pretty slick about what he does.
I believe there are two important factors to how the devil hunts us. First, he looks for opportunities that make us the most vulnerable. Some of our most vulnerable times are when we are facing difficulties or tragedies in life. It could be sickness, the loss of a loved one, the end of a marriage, the backsliding of a child and the list could go on.
There are certain moments in our life when we are just more vulnerable to his attacks. That is an opportune time for the devil.
Another hunting opportunity that I believe the devil looks for pertains to our personality. He knows enough about some of our weaknesses that he will use any opportunity to take advantage of that. He doesn’t go after us when we are at our strongest. He takes advantage of those moments when something in our personality causes us to be at our weakest.
Now all of this might sound like we are at his mercy. We are never at the mercy of the devil, no matter how he pursues us. The good news is that we have someone alongside of us that will fight back. We have the power of the Holy Spirit, the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ.
The devil may have his tactics for hunting us. But remember that God’s Word says that greater is He who is in us than him who is in the world (I John 4:4).
Saturday, November 13, 2010
One Leaf At a Time
Several times during the week I pass this certain house, located about a mile from my own. During the fall season I always get a kick out of this older couple that lives there. They are outside not just raking their leaves but they are down on their hands and knees with a plastic bag and picking up every single leaf.
And when I say every single leaf, I mean every single leaf. They apparently are very particular about their lawn. Now our family…I don’t think we have ever raked our leaves. We prefer to mow right through them. It’s not that I don’t care about my lawn. It’s just that I don’t care that much.
For some reason, this reminded me of our lives…the care we give to the lawns of our lives. Think about those areas in your life that you struggle with. Perhaps you have struggled for years. Are you like my family? Why bother getting rid of it? Just mow over it instead?
The problem is that although you do make the leaves less noticeable, they don’t completely disappear. In fact, now you have cut them into so many pieces that they spread further. Sin mowed over won’t disappear. It will only spread. There will always be a reminder of it, too.
For instance, I would bet that some of the leaves stuck in our bushes are not from this year; they are probably from last year. There is no way to completely get rid of them if we don’t rake and only mow over some of them.
But that couple at that other house…down on their hands and knees. They have taken the time and care to make their lawn look the way it does. Can you imagine how differently our lives would look if we paid that much attention to our sin and meticulously got rid of it?
I can tell you that what they do is hard work. It takes time and dedication. What we do takes no effort. It is just easier and shows our lack of enthusiasm for yard work. Yes, no matter what time of year you visit our home, you are bound to see a few leaves. But that is not the way the Lord wants us to live our lives. He wants us to get down on our knees and begin to clean things up, one leaf at a time.
And when I say every single leaf, I mean every single leaf. They apparently are very particular about their lawn. Now our family…I don’t think we have ever raked our leaves. We prefer to mow right through them. It’s not that I don’t care about my lawn. It’s just that I don’t care that much.
For some reason, this reminded me of our lives…the care we give to the lawns of our lives. Think about those areas in your life that you struggle with. Perhaps you have struggled for years. Are you like my family? Why bother getting rid of it? Just mow over it instead?
The problem is that although you do make the leaves less noticeable, they don’t completely disappear. In fact, now you have cut them into so many pieces that they spread further. Sin mowed over won’t disappear. It will only spread. There will always be a reminder of it, too.
For instance, I would bet that some of the leaves stuck in our bushes are not from this year; they are probably from last year. There is no way to completely get rid of them if we don’t rake and only mow over some of them.
But that couple at that other house…down on their hands and knees. They have taken the time and care to make their lawn look the way it does. Can you imagine how differently our lives would look if we paid that much attention to our sin and meticulously got rid of it?
I can tell you that what they do is hard work. It takes time and dedication. What we do takes no effort. It is just easier and shows our lack of enthusiasm for yard work. Yes, no matter what time of year you visit our home, you are bound to see a few leaves. But that is not the way the Lord wants us to live our lives. He wants us to get down on our knees and begin to clean things up, one leaf at a time.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Your Life's List
Get up at 5:30 am…ugh, is it that time already?????
Grab my coffee, Bible and journal…now my daughter wants to talk.
Wake up my boys…wake them up again…and then again…oh come on already!
Turn on the WII Fit Plus…of course now somebody needs something from me!
Pick up a few things…why can’t people clean up after themselves?
Drive my children to school…people in front of me are driving too slow, don’t they know I am in a rush?
Finally able to get started on my work…the telephone rings, the dogs won’t stop barking.
Worked all day but didn’t get nearly enough done…great, now I have to finish it in the evening.
Go to pick up my kids and carpool some other kids…why am I always the one who has to drive everyone’s kids?
Thinking about the work I have to finish later…but now everyone wants to tell me about their day.
Get home and attempt to finish my work…interrupted by requests, questions or a need to be driven somewhere…grrr…
Cook dinner early because I have to get my son to football practice…why does football practice have to be at this time?
Time to eat…except two of my three children don’t like what I made and are complaining.
Drive my son to football practice…why am I always hitting traffic, no matter what time of the day I drive?
Back home to finish work…but then I remember we need milk…and bread…and eggs…and toilet paper…not again!
Off to the store…I wish the lines were shorter, don’t people realize I am in a rush?
Get home and try to finish work…husband is home so I guess I should greet him.
Get back to work…husband wants me to go with him to pick up son…doesn’t he know I have work to get done?
Back home and finally finish my work at 8:30 pm…this is just really not fair.
Know I need to get to sleep by 10 pm in order to get a good night’s sleep but then remember that I never threw the laundry in…how come no one else can throw it in?
Finally asleep by 11 pm and tomorrow I get to get wake up and do it all again tomorrow…oh joy.
This is more than just a list of what a day in my life looks like. It has actually become my list of complaints. But this is my life. So what I am really doing is complaining about my life. It kind of puts things into a different perspective when I think about it that way.
We all have our list that comprises our life. You may be thinking that my list is nothing, that I should see everything you have to accomplish in a day. You might get up earlier, you might stay up later, you might have more than three children or you might work two jobs.
The point is not to compare lists but to examine our hearts to see if we are complaining about our lists. If you were to write a list of what you do in a typical day what would it look like? Remember, what you are actually writing out is what comprises your life.
Life is filled with some of the things I have mentioned. Life comes at us with inconveniences, interruptions, changes in the schedule, needs that must be met and unending duties that must be fulfilled. I don’t think any of us are exempt from these things.
So to get out of this recently developed habit of complaining, I decided to tweak my list. I can’t necessarily remove things from my list because this is the life I have been given. However if I were to think from a heavenly perspective rather than an earthly one my list would look something more like this:
Get up at 5:30 am…thank You Lord for another day of life!
Grab my coffee, Bible and journal…my daughter knows that no matter what I am doing, I am available—and as an added bonus, she gets to see that I am spending the start of my day with God.
Wake up my boys…wake them up again…and then again…someday they won’t be here and I will have no one to wake, so I am going to appreciate this opportunity.
Turn on the WII Fit Plus…while getting in some exercise is definitely a good thing if my children need me, I will gladly make myself available to them.
Pick up a few things…thankful that I have arms and legs that can do this.
Drive my children to school…take advantage of the opportunity and pray for my children, feeling thankful that I am able to drive them to school.
Finally able to get started on my work…thankful that the Lord has given me the work that I have.
Worked all day but didn’t get nearly enough done…feel thankful for what I was able to accomplish and trust that if I give my time to Him, it will all come together.
Go to pick up my kids and carpool some other kids…blessed to be available to not only my children but to other people’s children as well.
Thinking about the work I have to finish later…but happy to be interrupted by my children telling me about their day, thankful that I can be the first one to hear about it.
Get home and attempt to finish my work…blessed to be a mom who is needed, which is more important than my work.
Cook dinner early because I have to get my son to football practice…thankful that I am home at this time to get an early start on dinner.
Time to eat…enjoy my meal and if the kids don’t like what I made, encourage them to make themselves something else to eat.
Drive my son to football practice…so glad my son is able to participate in a sport he enjoys.
Back home to finish work…but remember that there are things our family needs first.
Off to the store…thankful that we have the means to buy the things that we need.
Get home and try to finish work…eager to greet my wonderful, hard-working husband when he comes through the door.
Get back to work…husband wants me to go with him to pick up son…blessed to have a husband who wants to spend time with me and gladly accompanies him to pick our son up.
Back home and finally finish my work at 8:30 pm…it has been a very productive day.
Know I need to get to sleep by 10 pm in order to get a decent night’s sleep but then remember that I never threw the laundry in…recognize that part of my ministry as a wife and mom is taking care of my family.
Finally asleep by 11 pm and tomorrow I get to get wake up and do it all again...I am one blessed person!
Grab my coffee, Bible and journal…now my daughter wants to talk.
Wake up my boys…wake them up again…and then again…oh come on already!
Turn on the WII Fit Plus…of course now somebody needs something from me!
Pick up a few things…why can’t people clean up after themselves?
Drive my children to school…people in front of me are driving too slow, don’t they know I am in a rush?
Finally able to get started on my work…the telephone rings, the dogs won’t stop barking.
Worked all day but didn’t get nearly enough done…great, now I have to finish it in the evening.
Go to pick up my kids and carpool some other kids…why am I always the one who has to drive everyone’s kids?
Thinking about the work I have to finish later…but now everyone wants to tell me about their day.
Get home and attempt to finish my work…interrupted by requests, questions or a need to be driven somewhere…grrr…
Cook dinner early because I have to get my son to football practice…why does football practice have to be at this time?
Time to eat…except two of my three children don’t like what I made and are complaining.
Drive my son to football practice…why am I always hitting traffic, no matter what time of the day I drive?
Back home to finish work…but then I remember we need milk…and bread…and eggs…and toilet paper…not again!
Off to the store…I wish the lines were shorter, don’t people realize I am in a rush?
Get home and try to finish work…husband is home so I guess I should greet him.
Get back to work…husband wants me to go with him to pick up son…doesn’t he know I have work to get done?
Back home and finally finish my work at 8:30 pm…this is just really not fair.
Know I need to get to sleep by 10 pm in order to get a good night’s sleep but then remember that I never threw the laundry in…how come no one else can throw it in?
Finally asleep by 11 pm and tomorrow I get to get wake up and do it all again tomorrow…oh joy.
This is more than just a list of what a day in my life looks like. It has actually become my list of complaints. But this is my life. So what I am really doing is complaining about my life. It kind of puts things into a different perspective when I think about it that way.
We all have our list that comprises our life. You may be thinking that my list is nothing, that I should see everything you have to accomplish in a day. You might get up earlier, you might stay up later, you might have more than three children or you might work two jobs.
The point is not to compare lists but to examine our hearts to see if we are complaining about our lists. If you were to write a list of what you do in a typical day what would it look like? Remember, what you are actually writing out is what comprises your life.
Life is filled with some of the things I have mentioned. Life comes at us with inconveniences, interruptions, changes in the schedule, needs that must be met and unending duties that must be fulfilled. I don’t think any of us are exempt from these things.
So to get out of this recently developed habit of complaining, I decided to tweak my list. I can’t necessarily remove things from my list because this is the life I have been given. However if I were to think from a heavenly perspective rather than an earthly one my list would look something more like this:
Get up at 5:30 am…thank You Lord for another day of life!
Grab my coffee, Bible and journal…my daughter knows that no matter what I am doing, I am available—and as an added bonus, she gets to see that I am spending the start of my day with God.
Wake up my boys…wake them up again…and then again…someday they won’t be here and I will have no one to wake, so I am going to appreciate this opportunity.
Turn on the WII Fit Plus…while getting in some exercise is definitely a good thing if my children need me, I will gladly make myself available to them.
Pick up a few things…thankful that I have arms and legs that can do this.
Drive my children to school…take advantage of the opportunity and pray for my children, feeling thankful that I am able to drive them to school.
Finally able to get started on my work…thankful that the Lord has given me the work that I have.
Worked all day but didn’t get nearly enough done…feel thankful for what I was able to accomplish and trust that if I give my time to Him, it will all come together.
Go to pick up my kids and carpool some other kids…blessed to be available to not only my children but to other people’s children as well.
Thinking about the work I have to finish later…but happy to be interrupted by my children telling me about their day, thankful that I can be the first one to hear about it.
Get home and attempt to finish my work…blessed to be a mom who is needed, which is more important than my work.
Cook dinner early because I have to get my son to football practice…thankful that I am home at this time to get an early start on dinner.
Time to eat…enjoy my meal and if the kids don’t like what I made, encourage them to make themselves something else to eat.
Drive my son to football practice…so glad my son is able to participate in a sport he enjoys.
Back home to finish work…but remember that there are things our family needs first.
Off to the store…thankful that we have the means to buy the things that we need.
Get home and try to finish work…eager to greet my wonderful, hard-working husband when he comes through the door.
Get back to work…husband wants me to go with him to pick up son…blessed to have a husband who wants to spend time with me and gladly accompanies him to pick our son up.
Back home and finally finish my work at 8:30 pm…it has been a very productive day.
Know I need to get to sleep by 10 pm in order to get a decent night’s sleep but then remember that I never threw the laundry in…recognize that part of my ministry as a wife and mom is taking care of my family.
Finally asleep by 11 pm and tomorrow I get to get wake up and do it all again...I am one blessed person!
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