Hello Monday

So here’s the scoop-we’ve been really busy and I have two sick-ish kids in the house.

Hack, hack, cough, cough, sniffle, sniffle, sneeze…repeat. And then watch your five year old curl up for a nap on the couch while wearing four layers of clothes, a bathrobe, uggs, and a fluffy warm hat. She was chilled and needed the rest.

I think we all need some rest.

My friend talked about it today.

Another friend of mine is saying “no” to every non-essential activity.

Right now “no” looks like a beautiful word. 

This week is looking to be busy as well so my prayer is to carve out rest where ever I can. Yesterday I left dishes out and dirty. Today I didn’t put all the laundry away. I sat with the kids and a stack of books on the couch. And tomorrow? Who knows. All I can say is that if it isn’t completely necessary it just might not get done.

God has commanded that we rest. It’s so important he lists it on his top ten. Remember the Sabbath. Keep it holy. I think he knew that we’d have a tough time with this one, especially in this modern era. Demands for our time and attention are all around us, all pervasive and all consuming. And yet God says “rest.”

He tells me his yoke is easy and his burden is light, which basically means his work for me is fitting and appropriate. I don’t try to “balance” everything in life. It’s not like working the scales to ensure that there is an equal amount of work and an equal amount of rest. That’s just not possible, not realistic. I put everything I do in the pot and trust that if I’m closely following God’s leading for my life then he’ll work out the details. The need for rest falls into this.

So we are planning a day for family renewal and rest, together. Come Saturday we’ll carve out time, just us-classic family. And I know it will be good, sweeter even because it’s been so difficult to find time together lately.

But until then I am planning on saying “hello” to moments of rest in the middle of it. Looking for those God ordained times in my day when I can mentally and physically turn things off, even just for a little bit.

It might be with a book.

It might be with my little newly bobbed gal.

It might be over an art project.

It certainly won’t be with a snake around my neck.

Yuck, right? I figured you needed to see this brave child of mine.

However it comes, I’ll take my rest. I know it’s a gift from God.

What about you…How do you find rest in the middle of a busy life?

Choosing Delight-a journey to delighting in God

At the beginning of this year I felt God speaking to me. It was a gentle whisper, that eventually came relentlessly and persuasively. It was a simple question, wrapped up with a command.

“Will you choose to delight in me? I want you to delight yourself in me, and in me alone.”

And so I have been on a quest to find delight in God. Along the way I’ve realized that it is often my choice to make, despite circumstances and regardless of emotions I can choose to delight in the Lord. Or I can walk the other way. I am unpacking what this means to me in the middle of a busy and hectic life where distractions abound. I imagine that it’s a life just like yours, where children are needy, husbands want our time, bills need our money, and floors need our mops. It seems like an insurmountable task to delight in God even though life is spinning around us. But that is precisely what God has command his children to do. To delight in him in the midst of the even thoughs. I am excited to unpack this here weekly for you, for me…for all of us on the journey.

The flashing lights behind me said it all. I had been caught. And I was guilty. I knew my crime and I cringed at the thought of an expensive ticket. The phone was now safely stashed away but my ear was still ringing hot at the realization of being found out. My five year old passenger stared with wide terrified eyes as the officer approached my window. Her visions of me being hauled to jail in handcuffs were slightly comical at the time, but I knew she was worried. Honestly, so was I. I admitted my guilt and apologized. I searched for my registration, license, insurance. My face grew hotter as I scrambled to find a missing insurance card, all I could do was await my fate. The officer returned with stern warnings and a great gift of grace. I should have been nailed on two counts, but drove away warned. What grace he gave that day. And at the end of day I found myself chuckling over it all.

Later I sat in bed and listened to the sound of the rain. The day had been long and the pitter patter of the drops soothed my soul. The music of the rainfall mixed with the pungent scent of juniper, and it was like balm to me. It was just the thing I needed. As sat I wondered at the journey to finding delight in God. How can I even do such a thing when I can barely catch my breath some days? Chasing after delight as thought it’s something to be caught and captured, owned. Can I own this? To make it my own seems like an insurmountable task. How do I delight in what the Lord gives on days when I can hardly remember tying my shoes?

When the day is crazy, do I dare to delight in what God has done? It is amazing to me that he brought a police officer, the rain, the busy, and the hectic and it’s all a part of his plan for me. God faithfully brought the close of another day, and in faith I know he’ll bring the dawn a new one. When I worry over the seemingly insignificant details of my life I need to remind myself that God has all the details taken care of, and he simply wants me to delight in him every day. Delighting in God does not always bring the answers to my questions. Delighting in God does not solve all my problems. But what delighting in God does do is put my heart in the right place to receive his good gifts, even when disguised.

The Greek and Hebrew dictionary tells me that the original definition for the word delight is anag. It means to be happy about, to be pampered, to take exquisite delight in, to make merry over. What catches me here is the thought that delighting in God is tied up in delicate pampering. If I allow him to pamper me, to treat me with extreme and excessive care and attention, I cannot help but find delight in him. Sometimes it’s hard to see how God gives me care and attention, until I stop to look for it. On that day I found it. Hidden in the grace of the city police officer, the calming effect of the rain, and the laughter of my kids over my “incident” were glimpses of God, the one who gave it all. On that day delight was a choice, on every day delight is always a choice.

The question always has been if I will choose it or not.

fighting fair-or preserving marriage in busy times

I have learned a thing or three in my thirteen years of marriage. But there is one thing that has always gotten the best of me. Just one tiny thing that rears it’s ugly head from time to time. Now would be one of those times.

We have never been the married that couple that always fights. It’s just not our style to yell or scream and get too flustered. He’s very even keeled and I’m very practical (most of the time) which really helps to maintain peace and harmony around here.

But there are seasons where peace and harmony are tough to come by. I’ve noticed through the years that those seasons are usually the busiest ones; the ones where we don’t see each other very much, the ones where we are running in opposite directions slapping each others butts as we pass by. It seems odd that the times we see each other the least are the times we fight the most. 

Springtime is always busy around here. The seasonal job comes on strong, adding to family responsibilities and ministry needs and church functions. All those together make one busy husband. And one frustrated me. So we’ve been reminding ourselves to fight fair.  We know that frustrations will come and irritations can abound in this season.  So we whip out our strategy book on getting by with grace. Here’s a few of our weapons:

• Pray together. Nearly every morning you’ll find us conferencing, chatting about the day and praying for what’s pressing in our lives.  Some days we can only take five minutes, some days have more time. However much time we spend is worth it’s weight in gold.
• Abide by the ten o’clock rule.  We have a time at night where we just know that any discussion we have won’t end well, mostly because we’re tired.  We don’t want to go to bed angry so we agree to table any discussions to a better time.  Most of the time a good night’s sleep and some romantic time take care of the problem.
• Make time for each other. And yes right now I’m talking about sex. He needs it, you need it, everyone’s happier when you’re both getting it. Too tired at night?  Get up early.  Too busy? Get less busy. It’s worth it to cut back on some non essential things so you have energy for the most important thing. My man will quickly say he cares very little about the state of the house if I’ve conserved my energy for marital passion. Not in the mood? Change your mind, and spend some time looking forward to it. Go ahead and send him that naughty text, put on something pretty and see what happens.
• Pre-forgive each other. We know this season in our life is hectic, so we pre-forgive knowing that stresses and issues will come up that make us frustrated with each other. Make a choice to extend forgiveness and grace first, because you know there’ll be a time when you need that too.
• Finally, we abide by the advice of Dr. Laura. In her book The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands she wonderfully describes men as pretty simple guys. They really only want two things from their wives: sex and sandwiches. If I can meet those needs for my husband I’ll have one happy guy and consequently one happy me.

Marriage is tough, but it doesn’t have to be hard. It’s easy to offer love and grace towards my husband because I know he’s ready to offer that to me. I’m grateful for that, because I need those two in large doses. 

So perhaps this is an encouragement for you as much as it’s a reminder for me. Make time for that most important relationship, the greatest gift that God has given. It does matter, and it’s so worth it.

happy things

finished floors…at least nearly finished.  still have trim left to do and a few small spaces, but my amazing husband knocked this out in less than a week.  and it was a happy day when I dusted everything off and put it all back together, happy like in the day we moved in.  I can’t even begin to say how much I love these, they are so easy to care for and super strong.  like multiple children and crazy dog strong.  and it’s pretty to boot.

a beautiful rug, given to me by my friend who has had it stored away just waiting to bless someone with.  I am so grateful it was me. 

open windows and 75 degree days, it’s finally spring and flip flop weather.  finally.

a craigslist deal of a leather chair, I snagged this beauty for….ready?  

 

60 bucks.  really.  it’s super comfy too, too bad it’s too small for my husband’s tall frame. 

friends, watching the day go by.

the lunchtime standard around here, piggie face sandwiches.  it’s a new favorite of the youngest.  I’m soaking up the time I have with her while her brother and sister are off at school.  I know it’s fleeting and I’m going to miss her like crazy when they’re all in school next year.  summer’s going to be pretty sweet with all three close by to me, I’m already looking forward to those lazy summer days. 

and the last happy thing for today, it’s Friday and the weekend is set to be pretty nice. 

what’s got you happy today?

home library….completed

I guess I haven’t had many words to say lately, I’ve been too busy doing stuff like finishing the library.

It’s not wall to bookcases but I love it just the same.  And now I’ll let the pictures do the talking……

Now all we need is a chair for Zac, we’ve got mine all set…..we’re on the hunt for a big leather beauty.

And now I suppose I should go in there and write stuff…..  :)

Living from Easter Sunday to Monday Morning

Easter Sunday has come and gone.  And on Monday I find myself wondering how to live out the reality of the resurrection in my own life.  To carry that change, that joy, that eternal hope into my daily life seems daunting and difficult.  I wonder though if I’ve made it harder that it has to be.  Jesus died on that Good Friday.  And I imagine that on Sunday morning he came back with with story to tell, with a tale of death and torture and pain, life taken away, descending to the depths and then, oh the hope, rising again.  Triumphant.  Exultant.  If it were me I’d want to share that story.  Tell everyone I know, stop them in their tracks and share my experience, share my side of it all.  But Jesus did something much different.  He said not a word of his experiences.  He said: 

“Don’t be afraid.”

“Go and tell my brothers.”

“Go and make disciples.”

“Go into all the world.”

“Peace be with you.”

“I am sending you.”

“Receive the Holy Spirit.”

“Feed my sheep.”

“You must follow me.”

Nothing he did was about him.  Everything he did was about others.

If I’m to carry this resurrection life forward then I must do the same.  I must be about others.  Jesus invites me to a life less about me and my stuff and my issues, more about what others need.  And what they need is Jesus.  And they will see him in me if I’m living a life that is not all about me.  Dying to myself, living for God.

This week I find myself challenged to a life that is others focused.  That’s what Jesus did, and in doing so he pointed to the father.  I think the best way to carry his life and death in me is to keep my eyes off of myself and stuck on others, to be more concerned about their needs, their struggles, their pain and their joys.

Because the story doesn’t end on Easter Sunday, that’s just the beginning. 

happy things

I’ve been missing lately, missing out on blogging and writing.  There’s been a busy schedule, and now there a bug in the house that’s kept me in bed all day long.  I can very easily go to the dark side on days like this, pity parties and mourning over the undone in my life.  Or I can realize that God is in the details and perhaps this day of forced rest is just what he had in store for me.

So I’m purposefully turning my heart to happy things….

happy things like the completed library

new floors for our downstairs ordered and arriving today!

this dog, who has taken up a station just outside my bedroom door today….on guard and watching

happy fabrics that I’ll turn into pillows….someday

and the unpictured today:  a husband who cheerfully takes over kid duty when I’m stuck in bed.  A happily playing 5 year old, letting her mom rest.  An appointment for new color in my hair tomorrow (please feel better!)  snow this morning and gloomy skies all day, which makes for much easier resting.  a variety of mindless shows to watch streaming on netflix.

and the hope that things always get better.

what’s got you happy today?