Overload

Autocross.
Sick child.
Homeschool three-day practicum.
Early mornings made even earlier.
Critique group meeting.
Write? When?
Winston-Salem Writers elections and board meeting.
Breakfast,
Lunch,
Dinner.
Laundry? Eek.
Husband.
All-day errands for my mother-in-law.
Home group/weekly Bible study--oops, at our house! Hurry and clean up.
Frantic search for a new pediatrician after our old one sends out a "closing permanently in one week" letter.
Grocery shopping.
Email.
Mad search for missing stuffed animal.
Tired little boy,
Grumpy little girl.
Headache.
Exhaustion. Five minutes to sit on the couch turns into a fifteen minute nap.
"I'm awake now, Mommy!"
We want your manuscript. (Praise the Lord! - Need to apply some edits first!)
Devotions.
Nonfiction.
Write? When?

My life is blessedly full.
This week, I think it's overload.

Choose Life

Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, "Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, "Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.

But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.

This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Deuteronomy 30:11-20 (NIV)

Spirit and Heart: A Devotional Journey

My devotion "New Year's Day Tuning," based on an entry from this blog, was recently published in a 30-day devotional book, Spirit & Heart: A Devotional Journey. I'm excited about this publication, not just because it's my first publishing credit, but also because my work is featured with that of 28 other Christian writers. Folks like Ann Tatlock, Yvonne Lehman and Candy Arrington.

If you're interested in purchasing a copy of the book, or in reading other great devotions, visit the publisher at http://www.christiandevotions.us/.

The Best Birthday Ever

Today is my birthday. My four-year-old daughter made it her mission to give Mommy the best birthday ever. She started a few days beforehand, when my best friend helped her make me a necklace and bracelet. Then she made hand-drawn wrapping paper for it. She picked out a card especially for me with Daddy's help. She told me all day how much she loved me and that she wanted me to have the best birthday ever. At one point while we were cuddling, she said, "Are you happy, Mommy?" "Yes, honey, I'm very happy." "Good, because you should always be happy, especially on your birthday."

So yes, my 35th birthday was the best birthday ever, thanks to a precious little girl who loves me way more than I deserve.

Word of Knowledge

Have you ever had someone "read your mail"? I mean, have you ever been talking about someone and they said something so profound that it struck a chord in you, and you knew they were talking to you on a totally different level, addressing something more spiritual than you expected. It's like God uses their words to minister to you.
That's a spiritual gift. Some call it a word of knowledge. I experienced it again tonight. I was sharing with my home group about the writers conference I attended a few weeks ago. I told them that it was a great experience, that it was discouraging in some ways, because the publishing world is so difficult to break into, especially when you're talking about fiction. But I couldn't really share any of the discouraging experiences from the conference. The divine appointments were so much more exciting and beautiful...His goodness is always more deserving of our attention than anything else. And when you can see His goodness in even the discouraging moments, that's when you realize He is there.
One of the men in my small group turned to me and said, "Wait a minute. You started off saying it was discouraging in some ways, but everything you've told us is great." I smiled. He said, "Trust. Trust Him." Trust Him to do it, to work it out, to bring about everything that He gave me. To use the things He has placed in my heart.
Wow. I needed to hear that. And the man who said it had no idea just how much. But then again, it wasn't really him saying it anyway...he was just the messenger.

God Speaks

How do children come up with the questions they ask? Do they have brainstorming sessions each morning before they come into my room? Does the cat put them up to it?


They ask all these crazy questions that I have no idea how to answer. And it's not necessarily because I don't know the answer. Most of the time I do know the answer, but I have no idea how simplify it for a four-year-old.


My daughter Ahava is the queen of questions. Everything from "what's a noodle made of?" to "What's a rib?" to "Why?" "Why?" I hate that question. She asks it every day, multiple times a day, usually after I say "No."


But the best question she's ever asked came just after I tucked her into bed a few weeks ago. "Mommy, can people hear God?"


I thought about her answer, about how so many people would respond. Then I thought about the simple truth. And I smiled.


"Yes."


"Have you heard God?"


Again, the truth was so easy this time. "Yes, I have. Many times."


She frowned. "I've never ever heard God. I'll never hear God, Mommy!"


"Sure you will. But first you have to learn what He sounds like."


"How do I do that?"


"Read the Bible a whole lot. God wrote the Bible. It's what He said. And pray all the time. Every time you think about it. And when you pray, spend time being really quiet and not talking too, and eventually you'll be able to hear Him."


Now some will think that statement is shocking, maybe a little controversial, but I don't. It's the truth. I've heard God many times. He's my Father. He still speaks to His children, if we'll listen. I recognize His voice because I know Him well enough to know what He would say as opposed to what He wouldn't. Most of the time. How? Because I've spent time in prayer with Him, not just with a laundry list of prayer requests. I've spent time talking to Him, listening to Him. I know His heart because He spilled it out on a thousand pages. When I submerse myself in His written word, it's easy to recognize His voice.


God speaks. Yes, I can hear Him. When I listen. When I get still before Him, when I know that He is God.


How about you? Are you listening?

Trust

Trust. That's the biggest, most intimidating word in my vocabulary, especially when it comes to my children. My knee-jerk reaction is to tuck my little chicks under my wings and growl like a grizzly at anyone and everything that threatens to harm them. But I'm not God, and I can only shelter them so much. My reach is limited.

Not so for my Father. His grasp is limitless. His arms span the heavens. He spoke the entire universe into existence, set the earth in motion, breathed life into man. He holds my little family in the palm of His hand. And He is in control of every moment, every breath. I just have to let go, rest in his grasp, and trust. Why is that so difficult?