Family Alive

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands. – Deuteronomy 7:9

(One thing that’s stopped me from blogging is that I feel like I haven’t had time to pull my thoughts together and make them all neat and tidy.  Well, I’m never going to get around to it, and I’m sure there are plenty of others who can relate.  And some of the thoughts I’ve been mulling over might nudge/encourage/inspire/make you think a little too, so I’ll just toss them out there)

Our Life Group is going through Power of a Praying Wife (for the women) and The Power of a Praying Husband (for the men).  It’s been a great experience.  There’s something so encouraging about finding it open in the morning, knowing my husband has been praying specific prayers for me.

This past Wednesday, we discussed the men’s chapter on “Her Priorities”.  Our discussion stemmed from the question for us women, “What are your top 3 priorities?”  Well, I know what I WANT them to be.

1. Loving God
2. Sharing His love with (#1) my kids
3. Sharing His love with other moms, other women, and other people.

But right now, I feel like I’m pulled in so many directions that I can’t give good efforts to any of them.  Instead, my priorities are, in no specific order:

• Run to the store
• Get the coupons clipped and sorted, and pulled out for shopping trip (hey, maybe this should go before the store trip! But to my frustration, it often doesn’t.)
• Mail this, pay that.
• Wash these 5 loads of laundry, don’t forget the bucket of stained items soaking. FOLD laundry, PUT AWAY laundry (in CAPS bc those are the most procrastinated!)
• What’s for dinner? Take something out of the freezer?
• Should’t I be making dinner/dessert for someone?
• Hey it’s Wednesday (hypothetically)! Yay I get to host Life Group again! I’d better to get to cleaning…
• Stop by this store, return something to that.
• Call these people, email this group, order that, post/submit/print those…
• Read some Word.
• Pray.
• Play with kids! Read with kids!
• Run. Go to Curves.
• Go to this meeting, don’t miss that meeting.
• Wait… no mention of my husband here!  Hang out with him! Show him some love! (Thankfully, the yummy meals, clean dishes and laundry, and mostly happy kids speak some love to him.  I do love you, Brian! More than all these things except Christ!)

I know that I’m not as busy as some moms! I can name some of you who are juggling way more balls in the air (and kids! though not in the air!) than I am, and doing an amazing job.  But I’m struggling to to keep the most important things first, so I know you must be as well!

One thing I have learned, though.  We’ve traveled a lot, and stayed with all great people, visited wonderful families, seen awesome moms. One family sticks out in my memory though.  The hospitality was so gracious. The house was lived in, comfortable, cluttered but happy, by no means perfect. But the priorities were perfect.  The kids argued, but forgiveness was granted. Parents disagreed with each other occasionally, but grace flowed freely.   Bedtimes/bathtime were a struggle, feelings got hurt, people got grumpy, and hours could have been spent organizing the house (just like mine!!!).  But more importantly, God’s word was shared, prayer was spoken, and love abounded.

This is what I want for my family. When all else fails, my house will not be here, our blog will be forgotten, photo albums will fade.  But God’s love in the life of my children will grow faith that will last for generations.

And so, I’m praying each and every morning that God would direct my moments, that I would know exactly where He wants me to direct my efforts and time. And maybe my day will look a bit more like this (realistic idea):

• Run
• Pray on the walk home.
• Get kids up, share our Bible memory verses over breakfast
• Take Analise to school, pray for her day.
• Shower.
• Make a cup of tea. Read some Word.
• Pray.
• Get the coupons clipped and sorted, and pulled out for shopping trip (if we’re being realistic, this might not get done…)
• Run to the store
• Play with Josiah. Trains?
• Mail this, pay that.
• What’s for dinner?
• Hey it’s Wednesday (hypothetically)! Yay I get to host Life Group again! I’d better to get to cleaning… Pray for other Life Groups as I’m cleaning up. Pray for our Life Group. Keep my heart reminded of what a joy this is, and how my Life Group notices the atmosphere of my home rather than whether I’ve dusted or not (I haven’t).

• Read with kids. Play the piano with Analise.
• Above all, love deeply. Let grace reign. Share forgiveness freely. Keep a heartful of thanks.

And I know each day will have it’s own battles and stumbling blocks.  But my heart is where the battle is won. And I’m determined to try to keep it focused on what matters. And He will not let me down.

For this reason, since the day we heard about you,we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. ¹⁰And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, ¹¹being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully ¹²giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you^[d] to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. – Colossians 1:9-14