I usually love a day off. But I'm not excited about this day off for two reasons.
1. I didn't "ask" for this day off.
2. It doesn't feel very good to be viewed as "non-essential".
I am having a hard time writing about this. I feel like a big whiner. I've written several statements and deleted them. I keep asking myself if I really want someone to know how this makes me feel.
Well, as I was reheating my tea a few seconds ago, I decided since no one reads this blog but me, that I would use this as the beginning of my quiet time with God.
Father, I can never come to you without first just recognizing who You are. I thank You for Your majesty, Your love, Your holiness, Your love, Your consistency, Your omnipresence, Your glory. I thank You for loving this world so much that You sent Your Son, Jesus. And Jesus I truly thank You for being obedient. Your obedience leads me each day to surrender. Thank You for teaching Your disciples so we could be taught. Thank You for showing me how to pray in all situations and at all times. Thank You for returning to Your Father so that the Holy Spirit could come. Oh, and thank You Holy Spirit for being my teacher, my constant companion, my comforter, my director, my friend, my correcter (is that a word), the words in my soul. Thank you for already blessing me with peace for this day, for a smile on my face when a few minutes ago I was frowning and oh so negative. Thank you, just thank you for always allowing me to enter your presence.
As we begin this day, help me to be a good steward of all that you have given/blessed me. You have always provided for me and my family. The money will be cut, seems like that always happens right around my birthday. What is that all about? But I know me and when money is tight, that is when it seems like I get an itch to do more for others. So help me to be discerning and know when it's time to scratch that itch and when it's time to leave it alone.
I always over plan a day off, Lord, and today is no exception. I have so many things crowding my mind. Exercise, mow the grass, complete my presentation for Saturday, balance the checkbook, buy new flowers for the pots in the front yard, vacuum the house, wash clothes/linens, quiet time (how did that get in the middle since we always do that first), call ~50 people for Betty's fundraiser, call all the teachers for the fall Bible study, send handwritten notes to all the teachers for the fall Bible study, plan menus for the rest of this month and September, call my mom, check on my siblings, call Carrie, etc, etc, etc. . . . . take a nap!!!
So Father, please slow me down. I truly pray to have eyes that see today, see Your glory. I pray to have ears that hear Your voice while I study and then as I work at home, I pray for a mind that not only takes in what I see and hear but understands what I am seeing and hearing. And then Oh Father, help me to hide it all in my heart that I might not sin against You and that I might take it with me wherever we go today and proclaim it.
This blog began one way for me and now it is ending another way.
So what if I didn't "ask" for this day off? I will remember that:
THIS IS THE DAY THAT THE LORD HATH MADE, I WILL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT!
PSALM 118:24
So what if I am considered "non-essential" by the world? I will remember that:
FOR WE ARE GOD'S WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS TO DO GOOD
WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED IN ADVANCE FOR US TO DO.
EPHESIANS 2:10
I am going to rejoice in this day and be glad doing the works which God prepared for me in advance!!
Note to myself - I did do a bunch of stuff just not everything.
ReplyDeleteBreakfast and quiet time were first. Then exercise, mow the grass, called 37 people for Betty's fundraiser, called all the teachers for the fall Bible study, checked on my mom, took a nap, read some of my book, went out to dinner with Tripp, bought Tripp some new clothes, and then came home and watched a movie with Tripp. Jeb was out of town. So did a bunch just not alot. It was a good day.