Am I really a LAZY person?

I wouldn't call myself lazy.  How can you be lazy as a wife, mom of a three year old and almost eleven month old, home business owner and the million other titles we acquire through this journey called life????

But its true.  I am lazy.  Let me explain....

I sat down for my quiet time this morning and opened a devotional book I keep next to my bible by author John Piper.  The title being "O Taste and See That The Lord Is Good", I must admit that I was not prepared for the harsh truth of the words I was about to read.

Today's text was a reflection on the verse from Proverbs 22:13, "The sluggard says, "There is a lion outside!  I shall be slain in the streets!"  No worries there, I thought as I began,  I am for sure not a sluggard!

Wait for it though...little did I know what he was about to explain!

Mr. Piper goes on to describe how there really was no lion outside.  "...the sluggard creates imaginary circumstances to justify not doing his work and thus shifts the focus from the vice of his laziness to the danger of lions.  No one will approve his staying in the house all day just because he is lazy.  But they might sympathize with him and approve of his staying home if there were real danger outside.  So, to hide his laziness and justify himself, he deflects attention away from the truth (laziness) to an illusion (lions)."

Oh durn.  My Father knew I woke up in a bad mood.  I was mad because my babies simply must sleep on TOP of my head.  No matter how many times I put Katie in her bed...she always finds her way back on top of me.  And Elisha will die (so he thinks anyway) if he wakes up to find himself in HIS bead instead of laying with mommy...Add to this a husband with severe sleep issues and I have always just allowed them to sleep on me for the sake of quiet in the house and daddy to sleep...or have I?

Today...I woke up mad about it all.  But whose fault really is it? My precious babies who are creatures of habit...habits I have allowed them to create?  I think not. I can't tell you how many stories I have told about why my children don't sleep in their own beds..."They were both born early, at 36 weeks, so they had to sleep close so we could listen for breathing issues"  Ha.  Reality is, I was just to tired...aka "lazy" to get them on a better sleep routine!  

And how many times, in so many other areas of my life have I deflected the truth of my own responsibility and made some real or imaginary circumstance much more important....don't even ask my husband about that!

Thankfully, Mr Piper did not leave me hanging there faced with this unpleasant reality, this TRUTH about myself.  Here is how he closed the thought on this subject:

"...Romans 6:17, "But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed."  Obedience came from the heart.  Thanks be to God.  And if thanks be to God, then let prayers be to God.  He is our only hope-to escape our own delusions..."

Father, please help me to put away my laziness!  May I be a lover of truth, no matter how hard it is to accept about myself and what I must do to change.  May my life be one that honors you in every thought, deed and action so I don't lead anyone away from You!

Just Something I Am Supposed To Do.

Today's scripture was just a Psalm...not that there is JUST any scripture...but sometimes I fall into that pattern of "I know I am supposed to read so let me get it done..."  I know, I know...I am a youth pastor's wife and have been a Christian for over twenty years!  Still, I fall so easily into those patterns of just doing what I am supposed to be doing!

Little did I know how I was about to be encouraged through words penned so long ago by someone going through much tougher things than I could ever even imagine!

Today is the 17th so I read Psalm 17.  In a moment of dutiful obedience, I was given a picture of my Father whose attitude is far from "dutiful obedience" to me.  He hears me when I call, He listens to my call, He hears my prayers, He takes the time to search my heart (wow...am I that important to Him with all the people in the world who have much bigger problems than I?) He loves me...

It goes on and on...this reminder that I am precious in the sight of my Father.  I am blessed to hold that position with both my earthly father and my heavenly Father!

My challenge today...don't just live a life of dutiful obedience because "it is what I am supposed to do".  Remember I am precious to My Father.  No matter what is going on around me...that is all that matters.  When I think about it that way it gives a whole new meaning to obedience...I am compelled to live not demanded to obey!
Such freedom!
Father may I live in this freedom and reflect it to those you send my way today!

What is Lesson's From A Daughter's Heart All About?

I need to write....like some people need to kayak...or sew....or paint....or ride motorcycles....or skydive...or any number of other things that satisfy that little corner of our hearts.  Mine comes from sitting down and letting the words just flow from my brain...crazy though it may be...through my fingers and onto the paper, or in this case they screen.

As I sat here praying about taking up my writing again I thought...goodness I don't need ONE MORE THING to take a piece of my time.  A husband, two babies, being a good homemaker, owning my own business...it would just take time that I, in all honesty, I don't have!

All that being said...I miss my time I used to spend journaling and recording what my Father was doing in my life.  And it is time to get back to that.  I am learning so much during this season of my life.  I don't want to forget and I want to share it with others.

The Good, Bad and the not so Christ-like moments..

My prayer is that through my writing you might be encouraged to stay the course and finish your race well!

I can't wait to see where this takes us all...thanks for joining this journey with me!