Bigger Than This

I CAN do it all...but I can't do it all well!

Part 1:

In this day and age when we've decided that mutli-tasking is a necessary part of our culture and something that successful people have mastered; have we really thought about what that idea has done...to our families, to our minds, to us? 

Trust me, having 3 kids, I know that it's an unavoidable part of life at times.  But, lately, I've noticed that when I'm doing one thing, I'm there in body, but my mind is everywhere else...thinking of the next thing, thinking of what I have to do tomorrow, making the grocery list in my head, thinking about how I really don't have time for this and so on!  How can I be doing that one thing I'm supposed to be doing right now well, when I'm thinking about a million other things!  Really? 

 I believe this world has duped us into thinking we can do it all!  Sadly the part they left out is that you can't do it all well...be honest with yourself...the quality of one or many of those things will inevitably suffer!

I was thinking about this verse the other day:

^{Ecclesiastes 5:1}  Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil.

Then I looked at the amplified version to gain some insight: 

¹KEEP YOUR foot [give your mind to what you are doing] when you go [as Jacob to sacred Bethel] to the house of God. For to draw near to hear and obey is better than to give the sacrifice of fools [carelessly, irreverently] too ignorant to know that they are doing evil.

So, when we enter into the "House of God", when we go to church or enter into prayer we should  "give our minds" to what we are doing.   I love that...be "mindful"!  It sounds so obvious, like duh, yes that's what we should do, but really, do we?  How many times have you begun to pray and found your mind wandering?  Or in a church service and you realize you just missed the last 5 minutes of the sermon because you were daydreaming or playing out the next task on your to do list in your head?  Sadly, I find myself there all too often!

I don't intentionally mean to offer a sacrifice of fools, I don't intentionally come into God's house carelessly or irreverently, but I have trained my mind, and the world has told me it is an asset, to not focus on one thing at a time, to not be mindful on one thing at a time, and the "ALL" I'm trying to accomplish inadvertently suffers! 

I couldn't help but take this lesson to the rest of my life...deciding I really need to now re-train myself to keep my focus, keep my mind on WHATEVER the task is at hand.  Whether I am sending a letter or email to a friend, or talking on the phone, or helping my kids with their homework, or having "family time", or working, or serving in my church, or spending time with my husband.  If I am focusing on the task at hand, I will do a better job, I will probably enjoy myself more, and I will reach them in the way I intended to reach them! 

Don't be fooled, those around you can feel or sense your focus is elsewhere when it should be on them!  Have you ever been on the computer and the phone at the same time, and the person on the phone with you is saying "are you busy right now, are you doing something right now?",  because they can tell you're not paying attention to what they're saying?  Have you ever been watching TV when your child or someone is trying to talk to you?  Have you ever helped your child with homework, while trying to cook dinner and fold clothes?  It seems either I or my child end up frustrated in this situation.  But, if I would've just focused on the one thing at hand, though it may take a little more time getting everything accomplished...everyone wins, and everything gets done "well"! 

I can either be successful in knowing I gave my family, God, my kids, or work the best I had by giving my full self and my mind to what I am doing with them or for them at the moment.  Or I can be halfway effective by being divided in mind, spirit and body!  A foolish, irreverent, & careless sacrifice is never my intention...but it's what I inadvertently do when I choose not to focus on the person or the task or the experience at hand!

I know some of this is unavoidable in our day and age.  But make it a point for yourself to think about where you CAN be more mindful, more focused and commit to maybe just a week or a month of reminding yourself of that and praying about it and see what happens!

Part 2 tomorrow...

6 Answered Prayers and One More to Come!

A new place a new chapter...I guess we'd get bored if nothing ever changed, but sometimes I think I wouldn't mind boredom!!!!  My husband recently received a very drastic and unfair paycut, this after we just "moved up" to a slightly bigger house so that all the children have their own room now (we have 3).  So what's one to do...worry, fear, be angry.  Strangely, I've felt a feeling of uncertainty at times but really complete TRUST!  Wow, how refreshing, I haven't always handled trials in this way, but for some reason in this one, I see God's handprint all over it, and so I know He must have a plan bigger and better than what we were willing to dream for ourselves. 

As I search for jobs outside of the home, having not worked (except odd jobs) for 14 years, and my husband puts his resume together and begins to search in new industries as well, after 14 years where he's been, I've been praying for direction, and the perfect hours for us both.  He's always had crazy hours being in the restaurant business, and not been able to participate often in church, and Bible studies, the kids sports and more.   Also, with 3 kids and so many activities after school, my schedule has to be a little particular.  Any employer might look at these things and be turned off, but I'm confident, He has a place in mind who will overlook the "negative" and see what we both have to offer. 

It feels like a daunting task, and impossible for me, and there's only so much that's in our hands, we submit resumes and then it's just a waiting game.  But all I have to do is look at the prayers He's answered so far...and there are many...but a few in particular from this year come to mind. 

1. I prayed for a family member, as I felt he was getting into things that he shouldn't...I prayed God would bring anything that could possibly ruin his life, lead to addiction or destruction, that He'd bring it to light immediately before it became an addiction...and...He DID, quickly...why would he not!

2. I prayed for conviction and truth for someone in a certain area, one of those things where our own words would only fall on deaf ears, we can't be the Holy Spirit in someones life!  One day they confessed to something, a truthfulness from them I never thought I'd see in my lifetime, the feeling they described would be that of the Holy Spririt's conviction.  It reassured me that God is in them, and He's just waiting for them to fully surrender, and we were one step closer, so I was willing to be patient and wait and pray for that.  God wants to know those I love as much as I want them to know Him!

3. We put our house on the market, a busy street, a neighborhood where some yards are looking a little run down , and yet we did the best we could to make it look wonderful.  We prayed and waited, and admittedly fretted a little, okay a lot!  This is one of the more stressful things we've done.  It sold within 30 days!  Thank you God!

4.  We put a contract on a new one after much disagreement between my husband and I on houses, I prayed twice specifically for us to agree and God to show us the house for us...and both times we came into agreement on the one we put the contract on.  After the owners letting us move in before the close, since our house sold, we were to close in 1 week after moving in.  Week after week the bank from the sellers side wouldn't respond, wouldn't answer emails/calls, we were up in the air, paying rent week after week.  We were uncertain if we should move or find something else, the first move was so hard in itself, I couldn't imagine finding a house and doing this again!  We prayed, I was confused if I heard wrong from God on this house...but I think this was a huge lesson for us in patience...we closed 2 months later!  I did feel a little silly about all my doubt and fear, but it will be a lesson to learn from.  When you've heard from God on a particular situation, and you know what you heard...CLING to that, no matter what circumstances look like, claim His word to you and hold on! 

5.  So new house brings new shcools and new friends for the kids to meet.  I prayed for them to get the right teachers...they did...why wouldn't God want that for us?  My daughter has the best Kindergarten teacher, and my son gets to be taught by a long time friend of mine, alsoone of the worship leaders at our church (this is a public school)!  God is good! 

6.  Since I know boys tend to find a friend and stick with that same friend thru the years...I felt it important to pray for my son to find a really great kid as a friend, and God if you could, let him be a Christian, so my kids can finally have a friend (outside of church) who has a similar upbringing and a love for you.  One week later, at the skatepark he sees a kid from his class, he loves skateboarding and football just like my son, they go to a similar church as ours, and they've been inseparable ever since!  God hears our prayers! 

So here we are today, wondering how we will make ends meet exactly...but I'm not afraid...I prayed a month ago for my husbands job, for his spiritual life to begin to grow, for his walk, that if this job wasn't the place for him God would move us...it's hard to move when we're comfortable, isn't it?  Sometimes God has to bring discomfort and discontent, to move us where he wants us.  So I really believe this is all just part of God answering that last prayer I prayed...I need to watch out what I pray for...because He IS listening and I'd better be prepared for His answers.  Prayer is POWERFUL!  I'm just realizing how much!  And so my prayer for us now, is God uses this time, to put us into the the job where He can use us the most, where He can be glorified, where we can maybe even use our God given gifts and talents!  I believe He will answer that, how could I not believe!  Even those I love, friends and family can say things that make me doubt this, or make me worry about money and things, but I have to shut that out and know what He's told me thus far and cling to that hope...

Jeremiah 29:11  "For I know the plans I have for you",  declared the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future"

James 5:15-17 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

1 Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

Not that I consider myself righteous...but I think God considers us righteous if we are continually seeking Him and His ways and doing our best to serve Him and follow Him.  His ears are attentive to our prayers...I love that!