If you don't like reading or don't have the time...just read the highlights. ;)
I attend a Calvary Chapel here in Wiesbaden. Love it. The people are loving & real and the service is both in German and in English. The church reads through the Bible. This past Sunday, our Pastor talked on Luke 12: 22-34.
Luke12:
22. Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25. Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 26. Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? 27. "Consider how the lilies grow. they do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29. And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 20. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. 32. "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. "
Woah. That's a lot to take in.
There is so many places these verses and words can go. But I want to share with you some things that I've been dealing with. It was great to hear on Sunday and was an awesome reminder of the
attitude of my heart. Where is my focus and my 'worry'? Something that I've been dealing with lately is just trying to focus on being in God's presence and
not worry.
My relationship with God and just being in His presence, and falling on His Grace are number one. Everything else is secondary. (I have to thank our friend Randy for the encouragement that he was to us, during his visit about a month ago). Since then, I've really been trying to lean on God, and take the focus off of my 'sin' and what I
could be doing wrong.
Focus simply on His Presence, not on me. With that, I really feel that God has been quietly speaking to me about certain things in my life. This is what I've been dealing with this month,
so to read these words of Jesus was just another boost to get a move on....start prioritizing, Maggie!
I don't usually
worry about what I'm going to wear. At least I don't think I do. I generally have fun with it. I don't
worry about what we'll eat. But I do spend time thinking on those things, and
often. I reeeeally love food too.
I never want those things to be top priority. Reading this scripture, having our friend Randy visit, and my weekend getaway (a couple weekends ago...maybe I'll post on that later) was such a great reminder to remember what the important things are in my life and to prioritize these things
and to allow the other things to fall into second. Even if those other things
seem to be important at the time.
It's easy to forget, going through the day~ to~ day crap that you have to deal with ...the dishes, the laundry, the homework, the cleaning, of what is
really meaningful in life. Even good things can such as friendships, groups, church meetings, emails, and just being busy, can cloud our minds & get in the way of what is really important. I'm not saying those things are bad, but they can sometimes get in the way of what God has put us in charge of....if that makes sense. I mean, with four kids, a husband who chases me around the house (yay), keeping an active lifestyle it's hard to find balance. What is really important to me? My relationship with my husband is my most important relationship on this earth. Our kids will see our love for each other and emulate that. The relationship with my kids is also the most important thing to me &
I want them to know and feel that they are love and accepted. The
relationships that we have with others that will have a lasting impact. In my opinion, that is "provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys".
I've been asking God lately, seriously about the past two months or so, to help me get rid of the clutter in my life. Literally speaking, I recently went through the clothes in my closet. I got rid of a lot of things...selling at another FleaMarket the first weekend in June and then the rest of the kids clothes I'll donate. I want it gone.
I'm not sure if I realized it, but getting 20 emails every couple of hours is stressful. So over the past few days I've unsubscribed to about 15 different stores, Money market emails, family savings emails, & political emails... It's just too much for me. And the stress of it has been building up and I haven't been likin' it. Hopefully this will make a difference; even if small.
One thing that's hard to admit about myself is that I have an addictive personality. One of my big things that
s l o w s me down is the computer and I'm addicted....to the computer. That sure sucks to admit that but I'm at a place that I can finally say,
"God, I just want to please you". If it's going to get in my way of my 'seeking first the kingdom' then I don't want it. I'm considering the idea of having Richie take my laptop to work a couple days a week so I can focus only on household things, reading, having a few moments with God instead of being chained to this thing. I'm working on this idea. I'm going to have Richie help me organize this...he's the planner, the over achiever, the type A personality. We are complete opposites. ;) haha. I love him for it! What do the fish say in the movie, Nemo, to the fish that's constantly going crazy over the bubbles? "Intervention"!! Now if Richie or someone else had this idea for me, forget it. But since I came up with the idea, then maybe I'll give it a go. ;)
It won't be easy and it hasn't been easy trying to prioritize. However, I never want to be too busy to talk with my kids or too busy to have a water~gun fight with them in the yard like we had the other night.
Those are the things that really matter. It's the only legacy that I'm sure to leave behind. And I want that to be done right. My kids depend on me for everything at the moment. I never want to take that for granted.
