You Are What You Choose
I don’t know about you, but often,
when I return home from a
retreat, vacation or work related trip,
my house looks as if the maid was on vacation –
because she was!
Dishes in the sink, pizza boxes piled on the counter,
trash overflowing, and stuff everywhere.
And the children?
Don’t even ask!
Reentry can be tough.
When I go away for a time of refreshment specifically to hear from God,
I am often convicted inspired to change everything that is wrong with me.
Do you do that?
I crazily believe it’s possible to have a daily hour-long quiet time
in my (as yet to be built) private prayer closet.
I’m convinced I can daily pray for everyone I know,
every elected official in the US,
and all the missionaries listed in the church directory.
When I am away,
I fall in love with God’s Word in such a way that
makes me want to memorize the entire New Testament.
At the very least, when I’m away,
being able to spend time in God’s Presence creates a
desire in me to a kinder, gentler wife, mom, friend, sister, coworker, and
every other label that we put on ourselves.
But then I get home and the house is a disaster area or
there’s a message from my boss telling me
the deadline for my project is due a week early or
someone is sick and needs my undivided attention and
I have a choice.
I can let ALL my good intentions and grand plans go swirling down the proverbial drain
or
I can remember that I live in the real world with real people.
I can revise my plans.
A more attainable goal might be to actually establish a quiet time every day,
but it will only last as long as a potty break or my drive home from work.
I probably won’t pray for everyone every day, but
I can make a list of all the people I want to pray for and
devise a plan to pray for them on a regular basis – maybe a few each day.
I definitely want to memorize Scripture,
but perhaps a more reasonable pace
would be a verse a week …
or a verse a month!
And being a kinder, gentler more pleasant person
is always a good choice that is
not contingent on my circumstances.
How about you?
How are your reentries?
Don’t let the enemy steal your joy or
kill your spiritual intentions or
try to destroy your relationships
with a bad case of reentry.
Scripture refresher: The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. (John 10:10, NLT)
Prayer: Jesus, be bigger than my circumstances, my emotions, and the messy people situations that test my ability to keep my focus on you and your promise of a rich and satisfying life. Overcome my enemy and help me to love you and love others as you love them. God, everywhere I look, let me see you at work. Lead me into the life I’ve been missing. I know that you love me. I want to follow you. Amen.
Thumbs up!
This is a constant battle for me….my want to or intentions are more than my energy level.
You’re not alone, Shirley. Starting small is still starting,and asking God for the discernment to prioritize or bump off projects is important too.
I really needed to hear this thank you. Yes my maid was on vacation to and it had had me a bit crabby feeling and very exhausted both physically and mentally. I feel of environmental factors I suppose. I was with some friends on Friday and entire day worth of work not done and then Saturday I rested then Sunday I was at a meet up it was a fun and hetic weekend then go a head and move forward to this weekend Memorial day weekend and we have plans yet again. My focus is so often re directed. Thank you for writing and sharing it is just what I needed.
John 10:10 is so loaded and such a wonderful scripture. In 2000 we joined a motorcycle rally with Jerry Savelle and his missionary team around Montana. Each day was a new destination and each night was a sermon by Jerry and a reception at a church. John 10:10 was his theme all week. He preached 5 sermons on John 10:10! So powerful! Thanks for the much needed reminder.
I often avoid leaving, even for a day of rest or what my husband refers to as a “day off”. I don’t like coming home and having that refreshed feeling, if I even managed to get it, stolen from me by the messy re-entry that oftentimes happens. I’ve only gone away overnight once and before I even managed to return home, my poor husband was calling me in a bit of a panic because my youngest had a high fever and she was in a cool bath and while she was in there, my oldest (whose a boy) was out playing with friends in the yard and ended up with a severely swollen eye from being hit in the eye by a baseball. He was incredibly glad to see me and it has been one of my more graceful re-entries back but I oftentimes just feel defeated. The one thing God has been speaking to me in the last few weeks is that I can’t do it on my own, I HAVE to rely on HIS strength, HIS wisdom, HIS plans, HIS timing, and plain old just TRUST HIM!
I know it’s tough to be “needed” so much. I love what you said about having to rely in HIS strength, HIS wisdom, HIS plans, HIS timing, and plain old just TRUST HIM! Bingo, Girl! Well said. 🙂