Philippians 4:4-8 The Bible verses God has made real to me this summer. I will never forget the moments those verses came alive.

Overcrowded

Overcrowded

If you regularly wish you had time.

If your hobbies are all sitting gathering dust.

If you don't have enough time for a full nights sleep.

If the books are going unread.

If your soccer star doesn't juggle the ball in the yard.

If meals don't happen at the dinner table.

If you don't have time for free tickets.

If your to do list is never empty.

If you don't have time to fold laundry.

Your life is overcrowded.

What is overcrowded?

You have so many options to pick from and you are afraid that you will miss out on some success or happiness that instead you grab them all.  However you can be happy and successful with only a portion of the opportunities. Infact you will be more happy with a simple and purposeful life, finding your acceptance in God and not in accomplishments or others opinion of you.

It is like when you are at the candy store and you grab everything you can fit into your hands. The price of the candy adds up and you have to pay for it with all the money you have in your pocket.  Then you can't give to the friend or your family because you spent it all on what you thought would make you happy, handfuls of candy.  After you chewed up every last bit, it was quickly the next day and you went back to the candy shop and gorged on the candy again. Day after day you consumed all you could in the name of "making the most of life."  However it was never has fullfilling has you wished and often was a chore to keep up with.

Then one day you decided to pick only your favorite 3 candies and only the amount you could enjoy slowly within one day.  It was a struggle at first to take the risk of not tasting your 4th and 5th favorite.  Or the fear that you would miss out on the eating freenzy with your friends.  Oh, and you would not be as accomplished since you only ate a handful instead of your usual gorging amount of two handfuls.  However you took the risk and made your modest selection and paid only half the money you had in your pocket.  Then sat out on the curb and savored each candy separately and deliciously.  It was as if the sun had come out for the first time, you could see shapes in the clouds, and you were free.  Free to relax and enjoy each candy piece. Free to give the extra money in your pocket away to those around you that were in need.

So your activity choices are like the daily trip to the candy store.  Do you cram every bit of activity or wish into your day, wanting oodles of happiness to transpire or do you carefully select a less than reasonable amount so that you can savor the day and give to others?  Are you sercure enough in how God planned your day and who you are to have a simple and delicious life? Do you have time to give to others?

I learned this month that my attitude and actions of "making the most of life" were really me wanting to impress myself and others, grab all the possiblities of happiness, and selfishly cram my day with me centered or me gratifying activities.  A change in me has occurred.

Thoughts after reading the book The Will of God as a Way of Life, How to Make Every Decision with Peace and Confidence by Jerry Sittser

"The bible says so little about God's will for tomorrow and so much about what we should do to fulfill his will today."

"We keep hoping that light will shine to illumine the entire journey ahead so that we will know about the future, and thus be spared the difficulty of having to trust God. Ironically, we want to know so much about the future that we won't even have to trust God anymore."

"Success can make us complacent and proud; failure can inspire us to work harder to accomplish our goals."

"The way our past decisions shape our present circumstances resembles a game of chess." Each move is final and each move from the players changes the options.

"Making the most of time" in the biblical sence means fulfilling the moments not squeezing accomplishments into minutes.

"Chronos has to do with clocks, calendars, schedules, agendas, and pressure... Kairos, by contrast, has to do with important events, the signifcance of daily experience, and the wonder of the present moment... We exist in chronos; we long for kairos. Chronos requires speed so life is not wasted; kairos requires patience so that life can be enjoyed. Chronos drives us forward to get things done; kairos allows us to relish the opportunity to do them. We perform in chronos, but we truly live in kairos."

"My addiction to activity."

"Their life is their art." About the Amish

"Suffering makes us humble and hopeful, teaches us obedience, leads to discipline, and brings repentance."

It hit me when I had nothing to accomplish.

Living in the now

Silence

Simplicity

Is this how my children think each day. They think only about the here and now. That may be why they are so upset when I disturb their simple exsistance. 

Can I rest? Can I relax? 

Can I become engrossed in what is in my hands, in front of my eyes, and at my feet? 

Experiencing my world at a deeper level.

Learning to be a hard worker keeps you from a life of stealing. 

(Stealing in its broadest term)

Want more time?

Posess less stuff.

Want to be less busy?

Value the experience over the accomplishment.

Want to make good choices?

Dwell on what is true, right, noble, kind. 

Want peace?

Talk to God.

He wants to hold my hand. 

We all want FREEDOM.

To be, to do, to raise up

We all want SECURITY. 

Tenderly wrapped up

We all want LOVE.

Causing joy to bubble up

In giving these to others, we will find God giving them to us. 

Losing your identity when becoming a full time mother is truly the great opportunity to witness and discovery the incredibleness of God. You will find your place and who you are in filling up the roles God has ordained for you. God's praises are gold and diamonds for the soul! 

"For polish is the result of difficulties"

A wise woman asked, "How did you get through a tough year in marriage?"

Six years past the tough year I responded,"Not giving up, not quitting." 

Sometimes the circumstances in life can cause a marriage to be broken, hurt, or lost. While the circumstances sometimes can't change and the husband and wife can try all the usual advice. For making changes in how they respect and love each other is wise. However the solution and hard work is simply in not giving up and instead hanging on. For there will be a new year or season just as there is a new day each morning. In which not giving up will let the opportunity for rebuilding love come.

Sharing in sorrow makes me more 

cautious. 

I wish could see cloud figures.  I lost my imagination! 

"What hurts more your leg or your pride?" You are not broken. 

Your excuses disappear when you realize you are sinning against not just a fellow human but your God. 

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11 NIV)

Friendship is complicated. I must take what is given and give all that I can. With no expectations and much patience. Friendship is from God. He provides when needed.

Prayer is depending on God.

There are those that compete for the experience and those that compete for the award. It is those that embrace the experience that win the award. 

I believe in you!

As a child puts on a cape and becomes brave.

Alligator

Life simple enough that I see my child's spotting of an alligator in the clouds.

Passion can not be contrived and even though you have it presently does not mean you will have it in the future. And that is OK. 

Quotes of the day- not of famous people, but from your children. That is when I know I am enjoying the day with my children. 

Perfection will never be achieved because we are not God. However joy can be held because God gives it freely. Accept your gift of joy today and let your worry turn to a smile. Rest in that place of Knowing that God is the perfect one.

Deep Love

When I was a child I did know of the depth of love that was possible.  My children cannot understand how deeply I love them. Therefore I must often show my love for them. They will understand when they are adults the depths of love.

It is a whole lot easier to believe in nothing than to believe in something/someone.

The two most impactive people in my life met death.

Mother died

Husband lived

I lived through both. I have purpose and hope.

To be. To be here. To be there.

I want to be a reading tutor, board member, school director, fastest runner I can be, photographer, journalist, CEO, best friend, interior designer, painter, swimmer, elected official, coach, professor, entrepreneur, teacher, motivational speaker, writer, and wedding coordinator.

When I consider accomplishing any of these vocations, I gladly choose to be here in my children's lives and hearts.  Their arms wrapped around me and sweet voices sharing their heart. That is what I have never regretted, being a whole-hearted sold-out MOM. 

Psalm 40:1-3 I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.

A hug.

I will take you just how you are. Jesus has covered up your sin. Just how your daughter's smile erases her disobedience. And you long to hug her tight. Wrapping her in your arms. Oh how I want to hug you. And hold you tight. I take you just how you are.

Pinned to the Floor

Oh Strong Willed Child, you thought you had me pinned to the floor, but no I win the wars. I fight for your freedom and future. I fight for you with all my might. 

You thought I loved your accomplishments more than your character. You thought the pain I would feel would break me. I must admit it was quite unbearable. You had me crying on the floor.

But my strength has been loaded back up again. My pride been crushed but the freshness of humility stands me back up again. 

See it was the remembrance that God picked me as your mother and you as my son. Together we will win this war. These trials are not just for you but for me too. Hand in hand we will win the fight for our souls. We are together in this war. 

We will win. We will win.

NO ONE, NO ONE, NO ONE, said to me how hard and painful parenting would be.

What do you lean your ladder of hope on?

Can anything satisfy you?

Perfection. How I want you but never can have you.

Days never happen as planned. Is that ok?

What does the word LIVE mean?

To be accepted.

He is always wrapping me.

Life hurts but God still heals.

What do you deep down at the core of your being desire?

The value of a prayer that has been prayed for 25 years.

Weather and forecasting is another way of God teaching us that we can't control or know the future.

Hold onto God.

What do you want in life?
What is the purpose of life?

Rest. Just rest.

When I woke up on Mother's Day all I wanted was to always get to be a mother.

Being a mom is a sacred partnership with God. --ODB