Do Everything

So excited to hear Steven Curtis Chapman's new song on K-Love this morning. Silas and I were heading to the doctor's together. I had called for a same-day because he has a nagging, hacking cough that just won't quit at night and my mommy instincts were telling me to get him in today. All is well...doc. says he's at the end of a sinus infection that is causing the post-nasal drip and thus the cough. Thankful!

But, that's not what this post is about...what I did want to jot down were the words that poured into my brain this morning as I read and prayed..."Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as something done for the Lord and not for men. Knowing with all certainty that it is from the Lord and not from men that you will receive the inheritance which is your real reward. The One Whom you are actually serving is the Lord Christ, the Messiah!" -Col. 3:23-24.

I'm reading a book right now called, "My Time in Heaven." It is a really 'groovy' (only word I could think of) account of a man's after death experience in heaven. Mom had read it and was so inspired by it that she got one for me. Though it is primarily about what this man saw and experienced in heaven, which is awesome, it is awakening something in me...things I've never thought about...in relation to my time here on this earth and how this life rolls into the next. I'm pondering new thoughts and new ideas and I know the Lord is speaking to a place in me that is "new", uncharted territory. I'm loving it!

Anyhow...our lives and our days are not a mistake. Every single one of them was written before it came to be. God has an intention for every day, hour, moment of our life. Yesterday was a perfect example of this. The day started much the same as most of my days: up at 7:30 to get babe and feed her, change her, snuggle, play...then the boys get up and for them it's breakfast and check-in, conversation, time with Dad together. When Belle goes down for her nap I go into housekeeper mode. Then I get my workout in, shower and... she's up!

We met some friends at the park in Auburn yesterday for lunch. It was a sweet time of fellowship and catching up. She has three boys the same ages as ours and they have known each other for most of their young lives. The younger ones are famous friends. The older two definitely have established a "separateness" and though this disturbed me at first, I realize that I don't have to intervene and control everything relational in my sons lives. They are both amazing kids and beginning to figure things out on their own. I must remove the strong-arm.

Most importantly, my friend and I were able to chat the way girlfriends do and share the latest in our lives. When we parted, it was immediately more running and racing through the day and I did not want it to be so. We got home...quick rest, Belle down for a nap and dinner. Now...I know this is probably seeming to you to be a very mundane post, but God spoke to me in a way I needed to hear Him in the mundane of the day. As I was preparing dinner, I became sad that I was again, here at home making dinner for my crew without daddy. Brian works through the evening and late into the night and I am, for the most part, on my own every night of the week. I accept that. It is a blessing during the school year when I have to be gone in the mornings and Brian can be home with our kiddos. But the reality is, that I miss having a husband around in the evenings to help with children while I get dinner, to hang-out with, talk with...

I started thinking about everything I do (did you hear that) around this house to keep it running and I seriously felt discouragement creeping in. I don't get to share these beautiful, warm evenings with my husband, my kids don't get daddy at night...and I work soooo hard! Waaaah...poor me! Well, after dinner clean-up Caleb and Cole (his buddy) went to the "snake field" to look for king snakes and the younger 3 and I went up to the track to do some training (running). We had such a delightful time. As I ran, they played...running up and down the field and being best friends and brothers, which they truly are. Those two love each other, heart and soul. They would come get the jogger from me and play with Belle and then they would bring her back to me, and all the while I'm thinking..."This is soooo good!"

After about an hour at the track, Caleb calls and says, "Hey, we left the snake field and ended up at the creek behind [our friend's] old house and guess what, I found a king snake!" At first we didn't believe him because these snakes are so difficult to find, but sure enough, when we drove down to see for ourselves, there was Caleb with this gorgeous thing in his hands. He was rewarded for his diligence and efforts. If it's one thing I love about Caleb, that kid will not quit until he succeeds! I see this played out in so many areas of his life.

I really believe that this was God's confirmation to me in many areas. One, God sees what we do, whether it be changing a crappy diaper, doing dishes for the one-millionth time, cooking a meal for our kids even though we know they'll take a bit and ask for a hot-dog instead, running around a track for the 4th mile, or even looking for something we regard as treasure. He sees and He loves it when we take on these tasks with the "simplicity of purpose because of our reverence for the Lord and a sincere expression of our devotion to Him!" He loves it. It's like the sweetest thing to Him. Obviously I don't always take on my tasks with such a mindset. If I did I wouldn't be whining to Him the way I did last eve. ;)

The second confirmation God gave me was that my life is exactly what He designed it to be. My focus only need be "as working for my Jesus" and when I look at Him and think about serving Him, I am undone. Anything for my Jesus!

So, of course, what is this song that I referred to at the top of this post..."Do Everything." I am taken with these lyrics,

"Cause He made you

to do every little thing you do

to bring a smile to His face

and tell the story of GRACE

with every move that you make

and every little thing you do..."