Do it now, not later

Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. James 4:14

For the past few days my mind has been repeating, "Do it now, not later." Needless to say, I have been getting much done around here including laundry, writing, playing games, cleaning up outside, washing cars, reading chapter books with my boys, making rainbow cupcakes, giving myself a pedicure at midnight, organizing Children's Ministry and much more! But more importantly my heart has been engaged in doing things now and not later that cause me to grow. To grow as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

Many people who have not trusted in Jesus for their salvation would say they feel they have time and will get to it later. But Christians also have a tendency to "put off" refinement for various reasons. As I think about all the things that we would like to have in order before we fully commit to becoming refined, I think that time is not promised to us and no one knows the hour at which they may be called home. If our purpose is to become more Christ-like, shouldn't this be at the top of our list each day? Sadly, I know that some days all the "To-Do Lists" take up too much room. All the concerns I have of this present world and life take up too much space in my mind. Consequently then, taking up too much of my time that could be spent growing in Him.

Yesterday, my oldest son asked me if there was a real place called Bethlehem. After informing him that there was, he said, "Let's go there tomorrow and meet Mary and Joseph!" I love that my boys really have not completely mastered the sense of time and how long some things actually take! They have this excited urgency to get things done now...today! Realistically not all things are possible (especially since our private jet is in the shop!!!Ha Ha) but, keeping the mindset that doing it now and not later is a good thing. It spurs me on to growth in Christ. It pushes me to deal with those things that hinder me and keep me stagnate.

Much of the world around me pushes in directions that do not always what reflect my pure hearts desire. All the thing of this world that seem to make choices for us make it a challenge to live each day with the number one priority of growing to be more Christ-like. It is more and more difficult to live and make choices that set up apart, for the holiness of God. But each choice is absolutely worth it and all the "stuff" we might give up doesn't really matter.

Last night my very dear friend and mentor, who has a son battling cancer, said, "All that really matters is that they love Jesus. If he died tomorrow, that's what would matter." That is all that matters, that I love the Lord with a passion and my family sees me growing more and more like Him each day. That I lead those little men of mine to Jesus, every day! Eyes are always watching me and I want them to see something authentic.

Here are some of my "now" choices I am making:

Do It Now: In my walk with Christ

memorize those verse this week, stop and pray with the boys now about things that weigh on our hearts, get out my Bible and share where God says that is the right thing to do, let go of the fear and anxiousness now, trust completely and let Him be Sovereign

Do It Now: In my marriage

write him a love letter today, thank him for something when he walks in the door, take extra time to really kiss him~ not just give a peck in passing, let him know what I admire in him, encourage him in his hobby/craft/sport, fix his favorite dinner or dessert, really ask him & really listen about work and what he does each day~ ask him today how I can pray for him while he is gone

Do It Now: In motherhood

play their favorite game now (not when the dishes are done), let them wash dishes, teach him how to hit a baseball, read one extra book at bedtime tonight, make the hard choices to protect them now, give him a voice and really listen, get down on their level, build relationship now~ don't wait! Time is of the essence and I do not have one moment to waste.

Do It Now: In ministry

send the notes of encouragement today, call her and ask how to pray today, give extra, open up my home to get to know new people this month, take time to get to know the kids in Sunday School & purpose to encourage them, find ways to keep investing in her life with Truth

Do It Now: In my health

take my vitamins everyday, walk at least 4 days a week, get up and get going~ do not be lazy, pray more and worry less, say "no" when I need to and when I can, laugh more today

Choices

To me, life is a mix of different colored threads that are constantly being woven together. Even when I am sleeping the Master is at work. HE is Sovereign and in the moments of life when everything seems to shut down and you are left with this ache... remembering that HE is still on the throne gives you just enough air to take another breath and move forward.

HE is in control, yet HE allows me to have a voice in my own life. So my choices are vitally important. Each decision I make declares my allegiance. It says outwardly what I really believe in my heart. I can be fearful and uncertain. I can have too many questions without enough answers. I can be crying out for the waters to be parted. These places are real.

I cannot stay there to be swept away by the feeling that this isn't what I would choose for myself. I must trust in HIS sovereignty and rest in the knowledge that He is a good God and the ever-changing circumstances of life do not change HIM.

I can imagine in my head the beauty that life beholds when you have that perfect view from a distance. All the surrendered cries of the heart, the praise from broken lips and the faith shouted out loud by the actions of servants willing to say "It all belongs to YOU."

Choices.

Each one matters. How am I making sure that I am making ones that matter for His sake?

Often, there is more laundry than I would like to see on the kitchen table.
There is more dust on tables and dishes in the sink.There are more papers that I'd like to be filed and paint left over from small hands that spilled it on the floor.

There is also the sound of laughter that is extremely contagious.
There is freshly painted hand-prints I will want when they are grown and on their own.
There is the sound of an eager first grader reading to his brothers the next Frog & Toad adventure.
There are discussions about what it would be like to walk on water and see Jesus raise from the dead.
There are two big brothers showing him how to build legos.
There are doors opened that I would not walk through just on my own.
There is a letting go of all those complications.
There is a sleeping baby in just his diaper.


And my heart cries out in praise for the gifts I have been given. My mind is full of too many thoughts to make sense of, so.... I surrender them to Him and walk in faith THIS day. For He is still on the throne and His watchful eye is upon me.

And there is life being woven together.....

Sweet dreams

When it comes to bed time I am a no nonsense kind of gal. We have a good routine and I stick to it! We get our jammies on, have family worship, brush teeth, go potty and I have built in for all the other things that usually come up at bedtime..... having one drink of water, asking one question, giving each other hugs, giving Evan hugs......then we climb into bed and say prayers. Then, (when it all goes well) we hit the sweet spot in the routine when they want me to tuck them in. This is when I make sure they have their BB's in the right spot so they can rub that perfect, yet worn out spot. I give "fast & slow" kisses, tell whisper stories in their ears, "pet" Luke so he settles down and tell them how very much I love them.

The world slows down just a little at this moment. I breath deep as I send them off to sweet dreams and the heart molding process that I pray God will do each night as they sleep under His watchful eye. I lay them into His hands again at the end of the day, for I am not promised tomorrow and I cannot keep watch over them through the night, but He does~


I sneak back in every night before my own head hits the pillow and I stare at them. I take in each little breath and snore, their sweet faces so peaceful and still. I pray over them and ask God to use them in great ways for His glory. I smile and whisper something that I love about them into their ear, then I linger just to listen to them breathe.

Tonight I am quiet in thought.... God says in His word, "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5) The darkness around me as I sit in the middle of their room and listen. The warmth I feel when I think of God's presence here in this room, filling the space. I also think of His words.... "the whole earth is full of His glory..."

This space is full of His glory, His tender creations, His precious gifts to us. Each breath is His and He knows the number of their days, so I am reminded to simply enjoy them and lead them to Him. Let them see why living for Him alone has no comparison, for it matters the most and will satisfy all longings of the heart.

Thank you Lord for this sweet spot each night that I am so privileged to experience. Thank you for giving me another day with them~

Out of the mouth of babes...

I have always called Wesley "my Mr. wonderful"~ yes it may be cheesy, but it just came out one day in a sincere way and it has stuck. So when Wesley comes home, we are making something for him or Eli is writing him a card he refers to him as "our wonderful daddy." I am sure this has been influenced from my calling him "my Mr. wonderful" for as long as Eli has been around!

Which of course, then led me to think about all that comes out of my mouth and how my boys use what they hear~ for example:

"Now Mommy, please don't get fussy with me; Evan was crying and needed to be walk-holded." (Luke)

"Well, actually....." (used for many things by Eli)

"Sanctification only happens through Jesus" (Eli)

"Now Eli, we don't say never because we have to try!" (Luke)

"Well, we will all be in heaven, except for Luke~ we need to pray for him to give his heart to Jesus." "And our baby, because Evan was born with a black heart." (Eli)

"Mommy, is God bigger than the sky?" (Yes, baby He is) "Oh right, he's omnis....oh you know...I can't remember... what is that word?" (Luke)

"Mommy, you have to have the verse in your heart, so you can whip it out and shoot the enemy!" (Eli)

"Eli, what were you asked to do?" (Luke)

"Who do I smell so beautiful back here?" (Luke)

"You need to be on God's team, not Satan's team." (Eli)

So this kind of thinking naturally led me to focus more on what I was saying and how I was imparting life with my words. Being a mama has moments where I have to take many deep breaths before I speak. A very dear friend of mine was talking about how she was really working on keeping her tone and inflection the same with her children. She made such an important point that her children needed to obey right away to the same voice all the time. So very true!

They also need to hear the kind of speech that you want them to use, because what they hear is what they will say! We all know how very true this is! :) So my challenge to all of us is to be intentional is using words that impart life, encourage and build up those around us.

Luke 6:45 says, "The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."