BUSY, Busy, busy

It's the end of our school year, and books have been piled high with paper work scattered here, there, and yonder. Add to that baseball and softball four nights a week, home improvements and repairs, and church responsibilities and activities which all make for a very busy two months. For this "everything in its proper place" kind of woman, when I've looked at my papers and books scattered about; sheet rock mud polka dotted walls, and sheet rock dust on EVERYTHING- some days I've thought I might just loose my mind.

I had things planned out. Over lent I was going to take time to read, focus on my relationship with God, and be quiet and reflect. BUT, life gets busy, things don't go as planned, children need extra time and help in school work, and unexpected things come up. Life happens and the book that was supposed to be finished in 40 days still sits only half way finished over two months later.

Lent did not go as I had hoped, Easter didn't go as planned, and the weeks after- well, it has just been crazy busy. But, in the midst of craziness, God has been at work teaching me and molding me. When your desire is to know God more, He will meet you where you are. In the busyness and hustle and bustle, there are opportunities to grow in Christ. It's not always in the quietness and study where our relationship with Christ deepens. Many times our relationship with Christ grows in the unexpected and in the the midst of life. Yes, quiet time is important, but communing with God can happen anywhere, anytime, and in the midst of anything.

Take opportunities that God puts in front of you to grow in Him and encourage others. I am amazed at the times where God has brought encouragement to me or used me to encourage others just in the midst of life.

Even though things have been busy and may not have gone as planned, God had bigger things planned that brought more encouragement than sitting alone reading a book. He used life and answers to prayer to bring encouragement and growth for me and glory unto Himself. He brought a special friend to an aisle in Walmart who needed encouragement and a hug. He allowed a phone call on Easter with a cousin I haven't seen in years to answer prayer and encourage me. He provided encouraging text and messages when I was beginning to doubt ways that I thought I had been led- confirming His leading. He provided opportunities to worship with my extended family and brother at different services and family gatherings.

So, at night on some of these crazy busy days when I may have had just a minute or two to read a verse or listen to the radio as I shuttled kids from place to place or prayed in my mind as I folded laundry the verse would come to mind, "Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10. And as I lay there in the stillness of night, reflecting on my day and how God had met me in the midst of it, I would count gifts and thank God for His blessings in my busy but very blessed life.

The second half of Psalm 46:10 says, "I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
Continuing to count gifts-
1686. Food, fellowship, and music with my family
1687. My risen Savior
1692. Encouraging phone call with my cousin
1693. Encouraging text and emails
1710. Worshiping God at Newspring with family
1728. Praising God together with my church family at the beach
1735. Quiet time
1742. Rest