Slow Down

 

  We are all so busy with various things every day. Paying bills, keeping up with basic household chores, family obligations, grocery shopping, let alone adding young children to take care of in the mix.  We are also presented with so many options for activities, so many things to do. So many classes we "have" to sign the kids up for. So many things we "have" to be involved in. One thing I have realized in my personal journey with "busyness" is that I don't have to do a lot of these things, I have a choice.

We are made for a lot of activity and to enjoy the things God has put on earth. We want to help our children develop their talents and for them to learn. A lot of these things are great. But how much is too much?

As mothers, when we have young children, our daily life in the home can be busy enough. Add in getting the kids diapers changed before we leave, getting them dressed, packing their snacks and getting ourselves ready to get out of the house and you are ready for a nap.

I have fallen into the busyness trap so often. Thinking I have to be "doing" something always, or I'm not useful as a person. So many things were idle and time wasters. It leads to burn out.

God really pressed this on my heart. Slow down. Don't ignore those I've placed right in front of you. I began to realize that first and foremost my time should be given to my family.  They are placed right in front of my nose! Why would I overlook them for outside busyness? They come first, other activities second.  Even activities that are for the kids can take away from the peace of the family. I am not bound by the outside busyness trap of the world anymore. 

I reevaluated our schedule and eliminated the unnecessary. We still have activities, we still have things we are involved in and I will still sign the kids up for a class or two. But I am careful now to judge carefully what will raise our stress levels as a family or run us ragged. I will think carefully about each social event presented and whether it is worth the time, effort, possible money spent and possible stress to me or my children and family. If it isn't necessary, it is given a no.  No? What? Yes, I said, NO! That is the hardest part, saying no. You can't please everyone. Yes, it is sometimes necessary to make extra effort for a wonderful friend or for family and sometimes it will even cause stress. But we can judge if that extra is worth it. Some things are just time fillers, busy activities. We need to look closely at those. Those activities are the ones stressing us out and probably stressing our kids out. They are also distracting. What are they distracting from? God and those He has placed in front of us. Do we have quiet time with God? Do we stop and teach our children about Jesus? How can we have that time and instill those things in their hearts if we are busy all the time? We can't. Here's where that cheesy saying comes in:
B. U. S. Y. "Being Under Satan's Yolk". Busyness binds us. It distracts us from God. Too much can be a spiritual hindrance, a block in our walk with Christ.

I can't have time outside with my children, to play with their toys and enjoy the sunshine if I am always busy. I won't have time to sing hymns and songs with them and teach them scripture if we are always running here and there. I won't have time to play chalk outside with them or read to them, or play our own made up games. They won't have time to play with their trains. We can't enjoy the house we've worked to make into a home, a refuge. My husband and I can't take a break during their naps on the weekends if we are so busy!

The Lord has been speaking to my heart lately. Maybe I put things on my plate that were never meant to be there! Maybe He did NOT call me to all this busyness?! Revolutionary! So I've begun to focus on what He has called me too. And everything is falling into place  There will be busy days still, simply with the things that ARE worth doing. But I have no problem having a day without "activity" outside the home. (all of us mothers know that even those days are still busy tending to young children) I've begun to pray about what activities should be on my plate and where God wants our time as a family and where we need to find rest.

You will also notice that the removal of constant busyness then produces a more peaceful home. It's restful, peaceful, and a place of growth. A place where Jesus dwells. Because there is time to dwell in Him.

The Bible is not full of people who ran here and there filling their days with endless and sometimes useless activities. They were busy for God, they were living life, and they were growing in Christ. Nowhere does it suggest that if we are not busy always that we are letting God down. Nowhere does it suggest if we don't sign our children up for every sport or church activity that we are failures. In fact the Bible states the opposite:

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Ephesians 5:15-17

We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. Psalm 39:6


Mothers, we all know we need to train our children, and be their nurturers. This takes time, it takes quality time. Our kids don't need every class, every social event, every activity. They need us and they need Jesus, and they need us to show them Jesus. So slow down, for your children and for yourself. Need to take a bath during the kids nap? Do it! And add some bath salts in and bubble bath! Take time to put lotion on yourself afterwards and don't feel "bad" about it! Schedule in some time for self care too! Read the Bible during the kids nap, even a Psalm or two. You will feel refreshed. Schedule a few days per week (if you can) of just being at home with your children without the rush of getting out of the house. Teach them a scripture, take a walk and sing songs, look at the leaves and the sky. Hug them, kiss them and have the name of Jesus on your lips and slow down. 

  We need to not be so focused on accomplishments and be more focused on relationships.  With God, our husbands, and our children, our friends and our extended families. There is also a difference between feeling tired at the end of a long day and feeling burnt out with busyness. Too much busyness is toxic to the body, soul, and your relationships.

Ask yourself, if this concept of busyness and slowing down scares you, "what am I so afraid of?" Is it that you will have to spend time with God and truly listen to what He is telling you? That you'll truly have to spend time with your children and husband? What are you blocking? Issues within yourself? WHY is your time so filled in an unhealthy manner?! Are you afraid of societal pressure and that you'll actually have a "free" day and what others will think? Why do you keep yourself so busy? Do you have any time amongst all of your busyness to reflect, to work on yourself, to pray? Do you have time to rest in Christ?

I have learned to take this lesson on busyness with me throughout my life. I no longer have to live as a slave to the worlds busyness. I want to enjoy the gifts God has set before me, not be too busy for them, no matter how old I am!

Pray and ask God what He intends to fill your days with and what His purposes are for your time. Be willing to listen and obey and drop the unnecessary. Then embrace the peace that comes from getting rid of busyness.

"Even the sparrow finds a home there, and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young-a place near your altar. O Lord Almighty, my King and my God! How happy are those who can live in your house, always singing your praises." Psalm 84:3-4

"This is what the Lord says: Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel it's path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, No! That's not the road we want." Jeremiah 6:16

"If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet." Proverbs 3:24

Mothers

 "Only God Himself fully appreciates the influence of a Christian mother in the molding of character in her children."
-Billy Graham

What We Dwell On

 



Our minds dwell on many things each day. The next paycheck, bills, our next vacation, our next home, our next goals. These things bear a lot of  importance to us in our earthly life, but none in our eternal life. These "temporary" concerns take up a lot of our time. They are important to us, but while we are doing them we can always have a focus and peace in our hearts and minds. A permanent "background" of God's peace amongst our other time consuming tasks.

How much time are those thoughts taking and how much of our thoughts are we giving to God?

Our minds and hearts should be dwelling on God and on the heavenly kingdom, even while we are going about our menial tasks.

Are we making an idol of things on earth? Are we making an idol of our dreams on earth? Anything we dwell on too much can become like an idol that distracts us from God.

Dreams are important, God gave them to us and allows humans to dream and to dream for Him.

Are our dreams His dreams? Maybe we are seeking on this earth things He has never set before us to seek.

We have so little time on earth and it shouldn't be wasted. The only way we can know where to direct our time is if we pray and seek God's guidance.

Seek what He wants for you and it will be greater than you imagined.

Dwell on God in your thoughts and in your heart and on the eternal.

The things of this Earth will pass away, but our treasures lie in heaven.

We will not take our money, house, or the vacations we went on to heaven. What we will all take is the work we did on Earth for God and to see those in eternal life that we love.

Ask God each day what our mind and heart should be dwelling on and what He is putting before us to set our heart and mind to.

Stand firm in thought and dream the big dreams God has for you in this life.

"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need."
 -Matthew 6:33

God Heals

 


God heals.
  Those two words are powerful words that as Christians we often forget. When we have a health ailment, do we actively pray and ask God to heal us? Whether it is mental, physical or a spiritual wound that needs healing we often forget to pray and ask God to restore us.
  Is our there a wall of limitation in our hearts and minds about God's power?

Did He box up His healing power long ago after the time of the Bible? Did He give it up as an old hobby?

No, the same God of the Bible is the same God today. The years that have passed did not age his healing power. It is still the same. He still heals today in 2013. He does miracles. Ask for it, and believe.

You may not be healed in the exact way you are asking for, but God will provide you His peace, that may be His healing for you. He may allow you to struggle a little more to learn more about Him. He may not heal you at all, but the healing may come in a different form than you thought. Your healing could be His reassurances that He is walking with you.

God's ways are higher than ours. Ask Him to heal you in the way He has planned for you. He will.

 "O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me." Psalm 30:2

"Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted.  But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:4-5

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."  Psalm 147:3

"He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering." Mark 5:34

For Mothers: Our homes and the spirit of God

God has taught me many lessons since becoming a mother. I have heard God's voice in a new way. If I had not slowed down to "stay at home" I would have never learned them. One lesson God has been speaking to me lately is about what is in my home and the spirit it reflects.

  God has given each of us a home. It might be a small room, a studio, an apartment, a condo, our dream home, whatever size it is is our home. You might own or rent or live with family. You might even dislike the looks of the walls that surround you. Whether we live in our home for a week and then move, or years, it still is our temporary earthly home. But what does God call us as mothers to fill it with for our families? Do we fill it with things? With multiple tv's? What DO we fill our home with to make it feel like a home?

The most important thing isn't a thing at all. Our home starts being filled with the spirit of God and everything else is extra. Does our home reflect that spirit? How do we infuse our home with the spirit of God?  No decoration, no flower arrangement, no picture or candle will put God in our home if He does not first live in us each and every day.

As mother's, we are raising little ones to be the next generation. How can we pass on the right things to the next generation if we are not right within ourselves? God has to weed the things out of our hearts and minds as mothers as we are mothering. He makes us better each day as we pray and ask for help.  As we actively listen to His voice telling our hearts and minds what He is working on, what He wants to weed our of ourselves to mold and shape us better. We are changed as our children are molded and shaped too.  That is a gift God gives us. Slowing down to be with our children, to listen to God and to teach our children to listen. We have to be on the journey with God to finding wisdom and rest in Him.
 None of us start our mothering years being a perfect person nor will we end them perfect either. Isn't it wise to allow ourselves to be worked on as we mother rather than the alternative? The alternative is ignoring all of our personal baggage, all of our "issues" and continuing on in this life blind to them and never growing. What happens then? It get's passed on to our children. The change and growth for the next generation begins with us. We are growing and changing for the better in Christ. Only then can we have the knowledge to train and teach our children correctly.

As mothers, the spirit of God living in us daily is what brings Him alive in our homes and in our children.

Stand firm on working on yourself and building up your home on the wall of God's peaceful spirit.  Ask yourself, if you don't reflect God to your child, who will?

" A wise woman builds her home, but the foolish woman tears it down with her own hands." Proverbs 14:1

"The career of motherhood and homemaking is beyond value and needs no justification. It's importance is incalculable." - Katherine Short

"Home is the grandest of all institutions."
~Charles Haddon Spurgeon

One expression in Titus 2 deserves special notice. It is the word homemakers. The Greek word is oikourgous, which literally means “workers at home.” Oikos is the Greek word for “home,” and ergon means “work, employment.” It suggests that a married woman’s first duty is to her own family, in her own household. Managing her own home should be her primary employment, her first task, her most important job, and her true career.
-John MacArthur


 

God Is Mighty

 


God is not a pincushion. He is powerful. He is not all hearts, flowers and candy. We lose sight of His power and might. We know He loves us. He is merciful, kind and gives redemption and restoration. This is not the only aspect of God's message to us though. Sometimes He comes to divide. He divides truth and untruth, evil and good. (Do you think I came to bring peace on Earth? No I tell you, but division." Luke 12:51) This means that even our relationships at times will divide over followers of Christ- siblings, friends and other relationships.  It means we will stand out for our decisions and choices in this life. This means we are to look divided from the world. We have to say "no" to many worldly things.  We are called to carefully choose as believers what we take in. We have to monitor closely the books, tv, movies, music and other things that are thrown our way and be discerning.

In today's world, the message is too often the opposite. "Acceptance" "well it's ok, it's not that harmful." It IS ok for us to question whether things we bring into our life line up with scripture. There is absolute truth in the world. That is God's truth. God's eternal truth's never go out of date. He knew that human kind would try to "update" ourselves and reassign our values elsewhere. His words still ring true, and they forever will. We are not called to live in idleness and blindness. We are not called to say "it's fine." We are called to say "is that God's truth?" Sometimes we are participating in things as Christians that are wrong. Whether it is a movie we are viewing, music we listen too, popular culture we idolize, something we read etc.

God requires us to ask Him guidance as His followers...in every aspect of our lives. One part of our lives is not supposed to be God's while the other part isn't. We are designed so that every little part of our life God cares about. Nothing is too small or too large to ask God about, to ask guidance for. It isn't silly to ask God for guidance about what we should read in our lives, or what we should watch, what we should listen too. What healthcare decisions to make, what schools to send our children too, what groups we should join, who He will bring as friends in our life, how we should spend our time, even a thought process that is flawed-the list can go on. If He cared enough to knit us together in the womb, to number the hairs on our heads, how much does He care for the details of His children's lives?

There are certain things in popular culture we just are not supposed to participate in and nothing will justify it. We stay silent as believers and often participate. He requires that lovingly we stand for truth. We can lovingly say that something is wrong. We are not called to be idle. Is God idle? Is love idle? Too many of us sit in our cushy beds of idleness, acceptance, because we think we will be "being judgemental." Don't fall into that trap. Do not be rude. Do not be unkind. Stand for truth while you love at the same time. We can stand for truth boldly or quietly at times simply by not partaking in it.

 Jesus never told others to continue on in their sin because "poo poo" he loved them and it was ok anyway. He called them out of their sin with His love and truth. Do not stand idle. Speak up and stand for the truth. Truth is living. Truth is eternal. It never dies or changes.

We are not called to look like the world. Let's be in the constant process of rooting things out of ourselves that don't have a place in our lives with God's help.

When others see us too much like the world we aren't reflecting God and His power.

Stand firm on the wall of God's mighty power and the truth He tells us so clearly.


"The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful." Mark 4:19

"...to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4:23-24

"The Lord is slow to get angry, but His power is great, and He never lets the guilty go unpunished. He displays His power in the whirlwind and the storm. The billowing clouds are the dust beneath His feet." Nahum 1:3

What areas do we need to ask God's guidance in that we have left Him out of? Are we blindly following or participating in something (large or small) that we are not seeing is sin?