Tonight I ate a slice of humble pie.
And let me tell you - it was a heck of a lot more satisfying than the other things I gorged myself on today.
Yesterday I wrote a post on fb (posted here) about wrestling with something and God showing me that it all comes down to coming to Him with my questions.
I stressed the importance of spending time with God every day and I spoke passionately and fervently about the impact and the changes that I could see Jesus bringing about in my life because of making that a priority.
Those words never rang truer than they did today and I'll tell you why.
Let me paint you a picture of how today went. It's a picture of prioritizing everything but God and it didn't work out so well. (If you just came here for the humble pie part, skip to after the ......)
Woke up at 6am with Isaiah. Slept for an hour and woke up at 7am.
The perfect chance to sit down and spend some time with God, right?
Wrong.
Usually at 7am I've been doing my bible study time while Isaiah watches Paw Patrol before the craziness of the day hits, but this morning I decided, "Nah, I'd rather sleep. It'll all work out."
Woke up at 8am. Crap. Micah has to be at school for 8:45. So me rushing around stressed, yelling orders pretty much set the tone for today.
Dropped Micah off and came home.
The perfect chance to sit down and spend some time with God, right?
Wrong.
I NEEDED to do some phone calls for work.
Guess what. They didn't go how I wanted. Which only made me more stressed and frustrated.
When I get stressed I usually do one of two things:
-eat anything unhealthy (in today's case it was bits of the gingerbread house we made yesterday)
-watch youtube videos to distract myself from how I'm feeling
The problem with these "quick fixes" is that the sugar makes me even moodier and the youtube vids suck my attention and motivation to get anything done. I wander around in a zombie state, doing half jobs here and there, distracted and half present. My two year old must have sensed this because he took it upon himself to rip up his brother's handmade ornament, break one of my fav ornaments, throw piles of toys around the house, help himself to candy, and throw random tantrums throughout the day. Lunch was rushed and stressful. Put Isaiah down for a nap and thankfully he went right to sleep.
Then came two hours of alone time.
The perfect chance to spend time with God right? Wrong.
I had shop orders due for after Christmas that I NEEDED to get done. I mean, technically my customers weren't asking for them to be done today or even this week, but I wanted them out of my mind so they were a priority. Got one done, woke Isaiah up and rushed to pick up Micah.
Straight after that was a dentist appt. Kids were good during but after all hell broke loose when they both wanted to push the automatic door opener. Everyone was whining in the car ride home.
Came home and had an hour before our chiropractor appt.
The perfect chance to spend time with God right? Wrong.
I honestly can't remember what I did during this hour. Maybe youtube vids/an order. More sweets. My brain forgets.
We rushed to the chiropractor appt where the kids got to see Santa and gobble up more sweets.
Isaiah helped himself to a third doughnut after I had said no, got it taken away and threw a tantrum as we left. We all arrived home grumpy.
Ate dinner, and decided to put the kids downstairs for a movie so that I could clean up the kitchen, living room, and toy areas for the 50th time today.
The perfect chance to spend time with God right? Wrong.
Ended up staying downstairs and watching the movie. "I deserve this. The kids need this cuddle time."
Bedtime was late, everyone was grumpy, and I was spent.
.......................
Here comes the humble pie part.
I was just in the middle of writing an intense email to my husband about how I felt I was losing it when my phone informed me that my email time was over. From 9pm-9am I can't access certain apps on my phone unless I know a password. A password that only my husband knows. I had requested this be put in place because I found I was staying up too late, struggling with an addiction to social media and on my phone too much. So now I couldn't access fb, safari or my email.
The perfect chance to spend time with God right? YES!
(I imagine God took a deep breath at this point, and said, "FINALLY!!")
I opened it thinking - "Ok God what do you have for me that I probably should have read this morning?"The title was "THE INVITATION."
Priscilla started by sharing a story about her grandmother. A sweet soul. She had a husband who travelled a lot. She was raising 8 children. EIGHT CHILDREN?!! Oh....my....goodness....
She had suffered losing two children and a sickness that had left her with some physical limitations.
But all the while she was fervent in prayer and faithful in her priorities as a wife and mother.
She ALSO had this desire - to be a missionary - to travel and share about Jesus across the world.
But her dream never came to be. Because - she was a mom of 8.
Instead of complaining and sulking in discontentment, she looked at her busy brood and saw that they were her mission field. She taught them God's word, they watched her pray and learned to pray themselves. I love this quote: "the trajectory of their lives was completely changed because one woman accepted what God had placed in front of her as an invitation to partner with Him in the purposes He'd planned for her life."
I thought about my boys and the kind of person I had modelled for them today. A mother who favours sleep, treats, social media, my phone over time with Jesus. Things that are empty, useless, unsatisfying and time-wasting. And as a result a mother that was easily frustrated, impatient, annoyed, and relieved when they went to bed.
Priscilla goes on to say, "In discerning God's leading, one of the most impactful requests you can make is to ask God to open up your eyes to see - to really see- where He is working around you and then to jump on board with it. Instead of trying to frantically (and unsuccessfully) create your own opportunities, be looking for the places where God is already moving."
Honestly, since I've started this study, I've seen God move dramatically in my heart. He has created a desire and hunger to spend time with Him - something that I never have had in my 31 years consistently. If I miss a day, I feel I've actually missed out on something special.
I was saying to my mum the other night - if there's anything I've gleaned from this study, it's that God longs to pour into us and provide what we need for each moment, each day. It may not be what we think we want or need. It may not be a miracle or a reprieve from our circumstances. It may just be a little bit of something to help you face that particular struggle of the day, a glimpse of His character , a promise to sustain you when doubts hit, a reminder of His deep love for you when you feel small, a peace that surpasses all understanding when you're overwhelmed.
Jesus says, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33
I'll finish with this last bit from my study.
"The Holy Spirit reveals God's plan to you as He orchestrated the circumstances of your life. When your spiritual eyes are open to see His divine activity on the earth and your heart is stirred to engage, this is an invitation. He has allowed you to see this "open door" as a way to personally invite you to participate with Him. You don't need to know all the details of how everything will work out before you say yes. You just say, yes, up front, knowing that if He's invited you to do it, He will empower you to carry it out.
Say yes to His invitation."
God bless. xox
And let me tell you - it was a heck of a lot more satisfying than the other things I gorged myself on today.
Yesterday I wrote a post on fb (posted here) about wrestling with something and God showing me that it all comes down to coming to Him with my questions.
I stressed the importance of spending time with God every day and I spoke passionately and fervently about the impact and the changes that I could see Jesus bringing about in my life because of making that a priority.
Those words never rang truer than they did today and I'll tell you why.
Let me paint you a picture of how today went. It's a picture of prioritizing everything but God and it didn't work out so well. (If you just came here for the humble pie part, skip to after the ......)
Woke up at 6am with Isaiah. Slept for an hour and woke up at 7am.
The perfect chance to sit down and spend some time with God, right?
Wrong.
Usually at 7am I've been doing my bible study time while Isaiah watches Paw Patrol before the craziness of the day hits, but this morning I decided, "Nah, I'd rather sleep. It'll all work out."
Woke up at 8am. Crap. Micah has to be at school for 8:45. So me rushing around stressed, yelling orders pretty much set the tone for today.
Dropped Micah off and came home.
The perfect chance to sit down and spend some time with God, right?
Wrong.
I NEEDED to do some phone calls for work.
Guess what. They didn't go how I wanted. Which only made me more stressed and frustrated.
When I get stressed I usually do one of two things:
-eat anything unhealthy (in today's case it was bits of the gingerbread house we made yesterday)
-watch youtube videos to distract myself from how I'm feeling
The problem with these "quick fixes" is that the sugar makes me even moodier and the youtube vids suck my attention and motivation to get anything done. I wander around in a zombie state, doing half jobs here and there, distracted and half present. My two year old must have sensed this because he took it upon himself to rip up his brother's handmade ornament, break one of my fav ornaments, throw piles of toys around the house, help himself to candy, and throw random tantrums throughout the day. Lunch was rushed and stressful. Put Isaiah down for a nap and thankfully he went right to sleep.
Then came two hours of alone time.
The perfect chance to spend time with God right? Wrong.
I had shop orders due for after Christmas that I NEEDED to get done. I mean, technically my customers weren't asking for them to be done today or even this week, but I wanted them out of my mind so they were a priority. Got one done, woke Isaiah up and rushed to pick up Micah.
Straight after that was a dentist appt. Kids were good during but after all hell broke loose when they both wanted to push the automatic door opener. Everyone was whining in the car ride home.
Came home and had an hour before our chiropractor appt.
The perfect chance to spend time with God right? Wrong.
I honestly can't remember what I did during this hour. Maybe youtube vids/an order. More sweets. My brain forgets.
We rushed to the chiropractor appt where the kids got to see Santa and gobble up more sweets.
Isaiah helped himself to a third doughnut after I had said no, got it taken away and threw a tantrum as we left. We all arrived home grumpy.
Ate dinner, and decided to put the kids downstairs for a movie so that I could clean up the kitchen, living room, and toy areas for the 50th time today.
The perfect chance to spend time with God right? Wrong.
Ended up staying downstairs and watching the movie. "I deserve this. The kids need this cuddle time."
Bedtime was late, everyone was grumpy, and I was spent.
.......................
Here comes the humble pie part.
I was just in the middle of writing an intense email to my husband about how I felt I was losing it when my phone informed me that my email time was over. From 9pm-9am I can't access certain apps on my phone unless I know a password. A password that only my husband knows. I had requested this be put in place because I found I was staying up too late, struggling with an addiction to social media and on my phone too much. So now I couldn't access fb, safari or my email.
The perfect chance to spend time with God right? YES!
(I imagine God took a deep breath at this point, and said, "FINALLY!!")
I opened it thinking - "Ok God what do you have for me that I probably should have read this morning?"The title was "THE INVITATION."
Priscilla started by sharing a story about her grandmother. A sweet soul. She had a husband who travelled a lot. She was raising 8 children. EIGHT CHILDREN?!! Oh....my....goodness....
She had suffered losing two children and a sickness that had left her with some physical limitations.
But all the while she was fervent in prayer and faithful in her priorities as a wife and mother.
She ALSO had this desire - to be a missionary - to travel and share about Jesus across the world.
But her dream never came to be. Because - she was a mom of 8.
Instead of complaining and sulking in discontentment, she looked at her busy brood and saw that they were her mission field. She taught them God's word, they watched her pray and learned to pray themselves. I love this quote: "the trajectory of their lives was completely changed because one woman accepted what God had placed in front of her as an invitation to partner with Him in the purposes He'd planned for her life."
I thought about my boys and the kind of person I had modelled for them today. A mother who favours sleep, treats, social media, my phone over time with Jesus. Things that are empty, useless, unsatisfying and time-wasting. And as a result a mother that was easily frustrated, impatient, annoyed, and relieved when they went to bed.
Priscilla goes on to say, "In discerning God's leading, one of the most impactful requests you can make is to ask God to open up your eyes to see - to really see- where He is working around you and then to jump on board with it. Instead of trying to frantically (and unsuccessfully) create your own opportunities, be looking for the places where God is already moving."
Honestly, since I've started this study, I've seen God move dramatically in my heart. He has created a desire and hunger to spend time with Him - something that I never have had in my 31 years consistently. If I miss a day, I feel I've actually missed out on something special.
I was saying to my mum the other night - if there's anything I've gleaned from this study, it's that God longs to pour into us and provide what we need for each moment, each day. It may not be what we think we want or need. It may not be a miracle or a reprieve from our circumstances. It may just be a little bit of something to help you face that particular struggle of the day, a glimpse of His character , a promise to sustain you when doubts hit, a reminder of His deep love for you when you feel small, a peace that surpasses all understanding when you're overwhelmed.
Jesus says, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33
I'll finish with this last bit from my study.
"The Holy Spirit reveals God's plan to you as He orchestrated the circumstances of your life. When your spiritual eyes are open to see His divine activity on the earth and your heart is stirred to engage, this is an invitation. He has allowed you to see this "open door" as a way to personally invite you to participate with Him. You don't need to know all the details of how everything will work out before you say yes. You just say, yes, up front, knowing that if He's invited you to do it, He will empower you to carry it out.
Say yes to His invitation."
God bless. xox
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