Puppies and Time with God......

We currently have three darling, playful, trouble-making, Boxer puppies in our back yard.  I'd about pay someone to take them as they love to get into the patio and chew everything they see.   But as I was watching them play with a piece of dried coconut the other day some thoughts came to my mind about my time with God.......

(This is very personal for me, but it's where I'm at right now.....)

Lately, most of my days I feel like this.  I want to just burry my head in the grass and ignore everything.....

When things come up that demand my attentions (homeschooling, cooking, being a mom, LIFE), my expression probably resembles this little lady.....

 Most days I look back on my day and I wish I would have done things differently.  Reacted differently, said something differently, hugged a little longer, smiled a little bigger, spoken a little softer.....

That's when God stepped in and reminded me that my heart is hungry.  My days are SO full from morning until dark and my heart is not being filled .... yet it's still giving out.

My heart is empty. I'm giving out of a tank that's bone dry and it's down to scraping up the rust off the bottom........

I'm not making time for the most important thing in my life - my quiet time with God.  Sure, I do get up before I get the kids up and read a verse or two, write in my thankful journal and say a quick prayer, but I'm not really taking the time to get something out of what I'm reading to be able to chew on and feed my soul.  I'm just going through a motion...half awake.

Do I get enough from my time with God that it's giving me spiritual energy to keep me running until the next morning?

 Or is what I'm getting in my quiet time with God, just enough to drag me through the day until I hit my pillow at night, but really not giving me any "extra" to spill out on the ones that really need me to spill over on them (my children)?

Is Jesus looking over my shoulder with a worried look on His face, seeing me stumble through my days, trying to fight my own battles, making a mess of myself, all the while longing.... pleading for me to turn around and see Him standing there beside me?

I want my quiet time with God to be filling . every . single . day!  I don't have hours to spend each day, but what time I DO have, I want make the most of it and open the curtains of my heart to let God's presence flood in each morning. I want to bask in His light, soaking up His goodness and faithfulness to me.  I want to snatch up the smallest nugget of truth that He has for me and run like the wind with it all day long.  

I want my quiet time with God to give me enough to be able to share with those around me.  

I'm always giving out, but what exactly am I giving out?  

Is it sighs, pointed eye brows, harsh words, frowns?  

Could I get enough in my quiet time each day that will make others *want* what I have? 

Could I have a close enough relationship with God that my children will want what I have?  

Could it be that all day long, I could give out smiles instead of frowns, chuckles instead of sighs, hugs instead of cold shoulders, snuggles instead of harsh words?  

Could it be that I have been missing out in the last little bit?  

In my giving out all day with this beautiful life God has given me - am I giving out enough to fulfill my calling as a wife, mother, missionary, daughter, sister, friend....

I tell my children all the time, "We're always being an influence (or giving out) to those around us.......we get to choose if we're being a good influence or a bad influence - choose to be a good influence" 

I want to give out, so that it makes others want Jesus

Some days I like to just go sit in a quiet place and soak in God's goodness....  I think it's important to take a time of rest regularly.  Even Jesus took time to get away and rest.  In my season of life right now, I can't "get away" to a beautiful, little nook by a bubbling creek, but I can get away and just rest my mind.

Forget all the worries that flood my mind
Leave my phone in the house and forget what's on Facebook (or just not get on FB all day)
Let go of the things that I don't have any control over

Sit and watch some puppies for a while
Watch bees around flowers
Watch the clouds move
Go for a drive
Listen to music
Read a good book that helps me be a better person
Spend time soaking in nature and this beautiful world God gave us
Lay in the grass and just be....

Sometimes God speaks to me through the most unusual things. (as you can tell by this post)  Sometimes my alone time with God isn't in my chair by the lamp with my pen and journal in hand.  Sometimes its outside with the trees and clouds...sometimes its on drives up the mountain where I can see for miles on end.  Sometimes it's in my back patio with the humming bird buzzing around the flowers.  Sometimes its with puppies.....

God isn't playing hide-and-seek with me.  He's right here....waiting.....

Waiting for me to get my head out of all the distractions that swirl in my head.

Waiting for me to slow down and see Him

Waiting for me to actually take time to be with Him

Waiting for me to stop going through the motions and actual be present

My quiet time with God isn't just going to happen.  I have to choose to make time for Him.  I have to choose the night before to get enough sleep to get up early (because that's when I'm at my best).  

I have to choose to spend time with Him every day so that when I'm giving out, I'm giving HIM out.

When I'm giving out, I'm giving the love of Jesus out

When I'm giving out, it's not about draining myself, it's about being so close to Jesus that He is spilling out.

I do know that some days or even seasons in my life, I will feel distant and some days I may not be able to "see" God, but I'm so thankful that I can *know* that He's right there walking the path with me.

He will never leave me nor forsake me, even when I can't see Him. 

One tiny part of a verse jumped right out at me the other day.

James 4:6 "But he giveth more grace......"  Go look it up!  It's right there.   God gives grace.  I can't have the perfect devotional life and spend hours a day having my quiet time with God, but I can choose to spend what time I do have to be the best for that day.  He gives me so much grace - so many reminders that He wants to carry my load.  He wants to pour out grace, if I'll only slow down and receive it.  

No matter how many times I stumble -  He giveth more grace

No matter how many times I fail as a wife, mother, missionary, daughter, friend, sister  - He giveth more grace

No matter how many distractions I've let fill my mind and drain my heart - He giveth more grace.

He wants to take my dry, rusty heart and fill it with His grace....

I know this is very personal for me to share, but I hope it can speak to you like it did to me.  If you struggle with your quiet time with God, you're not alone!  If you struggle with getting it in every day, make time - even if it's a tiny bit of time - you will be blessed by it, I promise.  

disclaimer - please don't think that I'm saying I've lost my salvation - I'm meaning to say I'm in a dry spot in my life.  :)

Looking forward to receiving His grace more and more.....

How I've missed you........

Same story, different chapter.....

How many times have I put on here, 

"I really miss our blog"

"I like blogging more than I like face-book-ing" 

and yet, I still don't make time for our blog. 

Writing has always been an outlet for me and I've missed it these last 4 years.  I also love taking pictures and I've missed that, too (my camera has been out of commission for a few months), so I'd like to turn the page in my book and start out (again) with blogging and posting pictures.  

Not so you can see them and see what we've done, or are doing, or any of that - I simply like to post lots of pictures because they speak to me and they can tell a story so much better than words sometimes. 

I love pictures

I love taking them

I love the emotion that goes along with pictures (most of the time)  

I enjoy going back and looking at them and if you're like me, maybe you'll enjoy the pictures with me. 

So if you're still hanging with me - Thanks! 

These pictures are very random - no reason for them at all, just normal life here for us and things that I thought were beautiful....

and "ordinary" in my front patio, but I don't want to forget.....

We all like new beginnings, right?

Doing things that make us smile and belly-giggle inside?

Looking for beauty everywhere so we can write it down and remember it?

Recording those glorious feelings when everything in your world is right......

 
And also scribbling down the times that we feel a little ruffled and maybe torn along the edges.....

To remember all the rocky places God has brought us through and we still have a smile on our face.

So here's to a new season of blogging, I hope. :)

******************************************************

Because this picture holds so much emotion for Keith and I...

One day I may write about the journey this picture below holds.....it's one of prayer, patience, perseverance and a lot of hurt to overcome, but with God's help and grace, He allowed us to overcome.

This is a picture of several pastors looking over the property of the national church - and Keith was invited to be "one of them".  Again, it was a journey and one that we are still on, but we are so thankful for God's grace and miracles!

God's mercies are new EVERY MORNING and we wouldn't be here without them!

And because she loves helping people, I tossed this picture in......

I'd love to hear from you.  I know it's probably just us "home girls" but I'd still like to know who will be with me here enjoying our blog. :)

Love and hugs! 

Repost from 2011 *Encouragement*

It has just been 'one of those days' today...

-homeschooling my five lovelies, even when they're not so lovely

-dealing with hurtful things that I can't understand

-beggars, vegetable vendors knocking at the street door every time I turn around, it seems

-finding it hard to hold the tears back while wiping the tiny tears that roll down my little, lovelies cheeks 

-trying to process things that are too complicated for my mind and I know I just need to give it to God - but that's really hard sometimes

 You know what I mean because you've had days like that, too, I know.  I remembered this posts that I posted in 2011 and went back and found it.  It was an encouragement to me today and might help you if you're having "one of those days".  (((hugs)))

In the Garden.... (sept 17,2011)

I visited the most amazing place yesterday! 

I know to most people, it won't seem like a very interesting place,
just flowers and green stuff, but to me
the garden is where God meets me.

 

 This week has been a long one.  

Sickies, short nights, long fussy days, 

drained, and completely spent.

 You really have to strain to see
past the jagged edges of nerves
to see the beauty that is right in front of you.

 

 The mind seems to play tricks on you

and focusing on any one thing seems impossible.

 Instead of being able to get something accomplished, 
the feeling of being in many different pieces
and going in all directions is most often the case.

 So yesterday, I was tired and my brain was less than crisp.  
We took a long trip (more later) and we stopped by this park
to let the kids burn some energy.  
When I saw the gardens, I asked Keith if I could go.  

He played with the kids on the playground - right beside the gardens
and I spent the next 30 min soaking HIM in.

This is what He showed me!

When I am all bent out of shape
and can't see which way is up, 

 He is right there waiting
to shower me with His love and peace.

When I am feeling uncertain, 
He is there to be my rock that cannot be shaken.

 When my spirit is drained, 
He is there to refreshen.

 When I am feeling overwhelmed, 
He is there to see through the ordinary, 
down into the heart where His beauty shines.

 When I feel like  I'm standing alone, 

 He is waiting to surround me with his presence.

 He is the giver of Life, 

 always reaching out to me, 

 to make my ordinary days brighter, 

 my fuzzy brain clearer.

 

 He's there when the times are good and calm,  

 and when I want to run and hide. 

 He wants to make my path straight.

 

I am unique! 

 Because of HIM, there is beauty! 

 I am Blessed!

 I am most CERTAINLY Blessed!!

 

And that THIS life that He gave me is a miracle!

 That is what He spoke to me in the garden!

I come to the garden alone
While the dew is still on the roses.
And the melody that He gave to me
With in my heart is ringing.

And he walks with me
And he talks with me
And he tells me I am HIS own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known.

~
I know I'm not usually this "transparent" on here, but I hope some of you Momma's out there can relate and find some encouragement through this. :)