Too Busy???

I have been so challenged lately - I am doing a wonderful Biblestudy called Holy Habits by Mimi Wilson. Our lesson this week was on God's name "Yahweh Shalom" meaning "Peace". I had never thought of claiming that peace for my family or myself. I assumed that in this world busyness was expected and to be worked around as best as possible! Wow - we run, run, run and where does our peace go? I loved this, (well actually I hate it because it's so convicting!!), "I was sending the message that anything was all right as long as Mom didn't have to slow down to deal with it." How often do I treat my family, kids especially, like they are an inconvenience in my day? God calls our children blessings - hmmmmmm.

Another good quote, "...the faster I moved, the less control I had over everything in my life. When you're running a race, you can sprint because the race only lasts a short time. But when you sprint day in and day out, you use up what God has supplied for emergencies. I was tapping into my reserves in order to get through each day; as a result I was close to burnout." Ok, I'm not saying I'm burned out over here BUT I am re-prioritizing - with SO many GOOD things out there to do - I am starting to ask - what is THE BEST thing for my family and myself?

The author goes on to say, "....Peace of God - an inner settling, a calmness of soul despite our circumstances or activities - is achieved only when our needs are filled with wholeness and a harmony of relationship with God." WOW - I could go on and on sharing other great quotes - and it's not as if I haven't heard it before in my 30+ years (ok, I'll never tell EXACTLY how many the "+" stands for!!) of church, Sunday School, biblestudies, etc. Maybe it's just timing in my life right now - God is really working on my heart about how I use my time and making sure what I am doing - how I am spending my time - is contributing to a peaceful spirit in my life and my home. I've read this verse a million times but it seems so fitting, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive [sinful] way in me..." Psalm 139: 23-24.

Good thing I'm a work in progress - others would have given up on me LONG AGO!!