November Begins

November begins.

As you stop to count your blessings, let me ask you this....

 

How often do you slow down to really see?

To see the beauty of creation all around you.

 

Once a day?

 

Once a week?

 

With every breath?

 

 

Look Mama, it's moss.

Touch it, it's so soft....



I look up to catch so many perfect moments.

Simple words, time taken to give...

Morning school break gives way to family football time!

Those kind of things.  Simple gifts in the every day.  Now let me ask you more...

How often do you check your Facebook?

 

How many times a day to you read or hear the news?

Point taken?  It's okay.  I can only ask the questions because I go through and do the same things I ask of.

Distraction~worldly distraction.  I fall into this trap more than I'd like to admit-sometimes knowingly...other times on accident.  Only to be left with an overwhelmed, overstimulated, tired, broken, and discouraged heart.  Even when what I've allowed into my heart, my mind seems to be positive.  Still, it's too much. 

 

God's patiently showed me how tender, how fragile my heart really is.  The older I get, the more life I make it through, the more challenges that are conquered.....the more I learn to listen for HIM.  And this time, my God has really surprised me with the simple.  An equation that doesn't seem to add up.

 

I thought the older I got-the stronger I'd be.  No, I do believe I may be able to admit the opposite today.  No matter how positive things may seem...my heart is too tender to absorb it all.

 

Each picture of a sick child on Facebook that needs my prayer, the next story of a persecuted Christian in a school classroom, the 5:00 news story of a mother's missing child....

 

Today-I can't do it.

 

And it's OK to close my eyes and turn my ears away.

 

So I've began to turn off the news....I know what's going on in our world.  I know the times we face.  I can pray for our nation and the people of the world without knowing and seeing every detail of pain come through my television.

 

My heart aches for every family facing the illness of a child.  I can love and pray from afar without following a news feed to daily tug my heart away from the focus of my own family.

 

I know our children are being raised in a broken, backwards world that will try to tear at their mind and heart the first chance it gets.  I don't need to read every article of persecution and unjust story to make me more aware.  Instead, I can tend to my own children, raise them right, and prepare them for the world around them.

 

The missing child....God knows where he or she is.  My prayers will help from afar, but His presence is already there and He is with that child.  Same for the sick in the world, same for the things gone wrong in the news.

 

My heart was not made to take it all in.  Maybe some hearts are, I don't really know.   I do know what His word tells me....

 

And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.  Romans 12:2

 

I've discovered the easiest way for me to do that is to turn the worldly information off and tune in to the moments around me.  The simple.  The small.  The together.  In that, I see God, I feel His touch, and I'm reminded of all He gives...

 

Inspired moments turn into projects...

 

 

 

 

 

So that when a time for warrior prayer comes....I'm stronger, I'm ready, and I have the strength to give my all to intercession!  In the meantime, my children are learning this as they grow.  I'm focused on Christ, my relationships, and able to give more fully to my daily prayer life.  Yes, we still use technology and I am obviously a fan of social media...on my terms.  More importantly, only secondary to my relationship with Christ and to life's real moments. 

 

Slow down.

 

Turn the information off.

 

Open your eyes, take a deep breath, and enjoy!

 

 

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.  Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do.  And the God of peace shall be with you.  Philippians 4:8-9

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