Monday, December 30, 2013
Area of Focus: Monday and Tuesday—Family Bathroom(s)
Each Monday—Clean Your Toilets and check your personal, paper, and cleaning products in your bathroom
Unpacking Your Suitcase—I Try to Stuff in Things I Think I Need and He’s Already Got It Covered
In unpacking my suitcase I find that I have stuffed in stuff that He has already taken care of. He’s packed forgiveness, I pack unforgiveness. He’s packed joy, I have packed bitterness. He’s packed peace and I have packed anger. .He has packed value where I only see insignificance and insecurity.
A child does not have to do anything to gain a loving parent’s acceptance. I remember watching each of my sleeping little ones, from Eve to Roger and on to the next generation, and feeling such awe and love. My loving Father in heaven feels the same about each of us. He loves us apart from anything we do or don’t do. He desires the best for us, however. He knows His path leads to goodness and blessing and the path we too often pick for ourselves does not. His Word points the way to a path that may seem difficult but the trip and the destination are good. The path that seems satisfying, and fun that down the road beyond our view leads to destruction and death. We want to follow our heart. The Bible tells us our heart is deceptive.
We stand continually at a crossroad with a choice of paths to take. One leading closer to the One who love us beyond what we can imagine and one leading away from Him. I want to continually choose that path that draws me closer.
So, I find my suitcase needs not just packing but cleaning out. I need to root out the trash of unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment, insecurity, anger, and other junk stowed in pockets and corners and deliberately unpack what He has provided for me.
Tomorrow, I want to unpack unforgiveness. It’s funny how I think I know where I am going only to find he’s adjusted my itinerary.
I began to write this blog years ago because I saw that so many of us had never been taught or weren’t paying attention) all the elements of being a wife and mom caring for a family. It also gave me a purpose and a feeling of significance. It slowly began to rule my life, along with the device, only a tool, I was using to produce it. I gradually came to see that, while I believe there is a God given call on my life to serve other women in this way, I was allowing myself to be distracted from the best by the good. My sufficiency, your sufficiency, is from Him. You have value to God apart from what you do.
I moved my Bible and devotional book beside my bed so that before I get up for the day I take time to pray and read the Bible. I will not sit down at my computer until my heart is happy in my Lord and my home is in good basic order. I will not give time to my computer that I should expend on my Lord, my sweet husband, or my family and friends. This computer, this internet, are only tools but they can become tyrants if we allow them.
Today is on the cusp of a new year. Consider what you do and why you do it. Is each part of your life leading you to God or away from Him? Is it developing the relationships that God has given you as wife, mom, grandma, sister, daughter, friend, or His servant to the people around you? Where will it lead—to life or death, to joy or discontentment, to nice, good, things or to God’s best?
Hugs,
Mary
Tuesday, December 31, 2013
New Year’s Eve
Are of Focus: Your Family Bathroom
Tuesday’s Task—Duster Dance Day
My Heart is at Home 