New Focus

Daily tasks.....

Seemingly mundane chores.....

Repetitive things.....

For what? Why?

For Him!

These are some revelations that God gave me a couple of weeks ago during my morning devotion time. 

Every day I do the same tasks, the same chores, the same things, and most days, I'm totally mentally and emotionally exhausted from the seemingly never ceasing, well, sameness of it all.  

A couple of weeks ago in my daily devotion book, it talked about the woman who came in during the Last Supper and anointed Jesus with the costly nard.  When the disciples saw this they asked in their hearts, "Why? Why?".......

And the answer......the answer was such an epiphany for me! Such a cathartic moment for me!

Jesus answered.....

"For Me."

My reading went on to say how Martha served many times.....but that was for Everyone.  And Simon hosted dinners, but that wasn't exclusively for Him either......

But the woman with the Box of Oil.....

Now that was just for Him!

She did it  Exclusively to minister to Him, regardless of who was there, or who was looking on, or what they were thinking in their minds!


Woah.

I'm going to be the first one to confess that I had never or have never in any morning devotion time, or nighttime devotion time for that matter, dedicated my day to Jesus, and I've never had the attitude of the woman with the Box.  I've never looked at the daily tasks as things I could do for Him.  I've never brought up my children for Him, or schooled them for Him, or vacuumed for Him.  Shocking! The daily tasks in my house were done because of duty, or to bless Daddy, or because there were guests coming.....


Today, my focus has shifted a bit.  Oh, I'm not "all the way there" yet.  But my gaze has unwittingly been sharpened.  My heart has been blessed, been diverted, from its previous course.....

For Him.

I had forgotten that I am to do everything "as unto Him" (Col 3:23-24)

My heart is grieved thinking about so many opportunities for praise missed! My heart is sad when I think of so many moments in the seemingly mundane that could have been worshipful! 

This day I'm asking God to forgive me for being unmindful of the Guest, no, The Dweller in my home, that the first thing I'll do each morning is offer my day, and all of my efforts, to Him....

For Him.

And I know, with a right heart, and the deep knowing Who I'm really teaching for, Who I'm really baking for, Who I'm really working for
  
These tasks turn to Joys!    

 

Hello

It's me!

If this looks a bit different than normal, it's because I'm on a different computer for a few moments.  I decided to do a post to let you all know I'm still here....only in a different "here" these days.  We've moved to The Country and don't have internet!

Hooray.

So, I've only been on the internet once in the past three weeks.

Yes, it is VERY hard.

I miss all of you and I miss reading my fave blogs.....

This computer is soooo sooooo slow, it's not even worth going online.

I will defintely be back, just not sure when.  We're researching internet providers for Country people.  My husband does need high speed internet for his composing.......

I do hope I'll be online again very soon.

Don't write me off completely, okay? I've lots and LOTS of posts careening around in my mind, so.....

Stay Tuned!

A First

Gracious sakes, people!

The Beautiful Blogger Award has been bestowed on this tiny, humble blog by Karen!

I want to thank all of you out there, my wonderful blog readers, for this award! I want to thank my dogs for their love and affection.  I'd like to thank my socks for keeping my feet warm..........

Oh! Sorry......I was writing my acceptance speech and went off on a rabbit trail there.....

All I have to do for this award is to post about 7 quirks I have.

Only 7???
 It's going to be hard to pick only seven of my idiosyncrasies...
But I'll try.
  

1.  I hate the sound of silverware scraping against teeth during a meal.  It's akin to how some people feel when fingernails are scraped down a chalkboard.

2.  I will never, NEVER like black licorice.  Sorry, Honey!

3.  I didn't get my driver's license till I was 20.  What's more pathetic is that it was THREE DAYS before my wedding! What can I say, I lead a sheltered life back then.....

4.  When Samantha (Baby #3) was born, I kissed her right on the forehead as soon as they put her on my tummy.  Yep.  I kissed her, cottage cheesy, gooey and bloody though she was.  I was just so relieved and happy that she was finally here. I've never done that with any of my other babies.

5.  When I was pregnant with Lucie, I craved egg rolls.  But they couldn't be just any ol' egg rolls.  They had to be from a local Chinese joint that my husband delivers mail to.  And I craved BBQ SAUCE with them.  Ugh.  And no, I never ate the two together!

6.  I love the taste of apple cider vinegar.  I sometimes crave it.  

7.  I've never been on a roller coaster in my life.  Ever.  And I'm PROUD to say that!

So there you have it.  I could go on and on about all my bizarre ways.

But you don't have the time and I'd hate to bore you to tears!!! 

Sis

This cutie, who looks so sweet here......

Turned 9 last week!!!

I can't believe those years passed so quickly.

Sara is so many, many things to us.

I will always see Sara in my mind's eye like this, the most elfin of all my girls.

She sort of has an ethereal quality about her.

She's gentle and quiet.....

But she is quirky and odd too...

Whether it be twirling in the middle of the living room with her arms raised in pure joy,

or

shouting funny words and songs....

She's the laughter and the humor in this house.

When she's not here, the house is a bit dark and boring!

9 years!

I do hope God gives us 90 more with this fairy spirit whom God chose to bless my heart with!

 Sara has the most unique and hysterical sense of humor!

She is shy and extremely restrained around others, but

With us

She blooms.  

Sara is definitely a beautiful princess.

She has a talent for the piano and she has music in her soul.

I'm in awe of the gift God gave us when He brought her to us those years ago.

  

 Sara is the laughter in this family's life.

Happy Birthday, Sara Isabelle!!

My Light

"For with Thee is the fountain of life:

In Thy light shall we see light."

 

Christmas Eve Ponderings

Today, Christmas Eve Day, I find myself pondering things.

I wonder, what would have happened, so long ago in that Garden of Gethsemane, as Christ Jesus grappled with His Father......

What would have happened if He had said that day....

"No thanks, Dad, I don't think I'll do it.  Those people aren't worth it and I just don't have time to die for them.  It's too hard".

What would have happened?

The ramifications of this thought are too dire and too depressing for me to entertain.

And so....on this day before Christmas, as a silent and peaceful waiting fills my heart, I want to thank You, Jesus, for that willingness to take hold of the Father's plan for You.  Thank You for embracing the Father's very difficult and very scary will for You.  I pray that I would have that strength to follow Your example and not shirk Your will for me in my fear and mistrust of Your perfect plan.

Today I am so grateful that Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God, the very Word become Flesh, died that cruel, intense, painfully humiliating death, the death of common criminals, just for me.

I'm filled with such joy and such sadness when I wonder if, when He was born to Mary in that stable, did He know? Did He know when He was young that He would be called on to suffer such a grisly and unbearable fate?

I think He did.  After all, He was God, in flesh...."veiled in flesh, the Godhead see! Hail the incarnate diety!"

I think He knew.  With crystal clear clarity.

And He came anyway.

Do you know this Christ of Whom I speak? If you do not...

Seek Him!
Find Him!
He waits for you.....He was born for you and He died for you!

Will you take Him into your heart today?     

My Life

This is a slice of what my life feels like right now.  For all of you readers out there who've been wondering what my brain looks like, here's a visual for you.
Daughter #6, who happens to be three right now, was having a great time that day.  She loves to do crazy things like this and talk to them and rearrange them....

It made me smile.  The sight of this odd jumble of Polly Pockets, animals, and the angel from our Play Mobile Nativity set, seen here without the hair and halo, gave me a great big belly laugh.

I see the joy in this jar.  I see the chaos.  I bet that cat is NOT liking the mix.  I think Barbecue Man, down on the bottom, is having a hard time breathing.

And that, my friends, is how I feel, by turns, these days.  Joyful.  Chaotic.  BEWILDERED.  STUCK.  Learning in the midst of it all.

How was your day??