Busyness

wow! I just love how God speaks to me in my devotion time with such relevant messages!

I have been feeling so convicted about always being so busy and needing to have more down time etc. Well today my devotion was on Busyness!

Being busy is not a sin. Boy did I need to hear that! Jesus was busy. Paul was busy. Peter was busy. Nothing of signifigance is achieved without effort and hard work and weariness. That, in and of itself, is not a sin. But being busy in an endless pursuit of things that leave us empty and hollow and broken inside - that cannot be pleasing to God. That pursuit of things WAS the motivation for my busyness at one point....but having some of the things that kept me busy stript away has caused me to realize that the THINGS are not what is important. The past few months I have learned to live on a fraction of the income that I once brought in....and I am perfectly content with what I have. Before Leaving Prints went out of business I just always wanted more, more, more. Leaving Prints going under has hugely affected my income but I realize that God stripped that away from me so that I could learn a very important life lesson! Also to put me in a position for the things he had in store for me!:) Things that are finally coming into fruition!

In the midst of a busy life on the freeway of humanity, it seems that the fast we go, the emptier we become. When we're always in a hurry trying to get ahead, never taking time to pause and reflect, we sacrifice a lot to stay on top. Wow! Is that ever so true! Sometimes it takes hard decisions to bring our life under control and realign our priorities, focusing on the Father and letting everything else take a backseat. Sunny and Karma are you reading this!!! For at least two years now we have known that God wanted us to start a faithbooking ministry in a big way. He has been preparing us, prompting us, filling our brains with ideas and inspiration. All the while we have been to busy to REALLY get started. Always saying that once we get this or that accomplished we will be in a position to work on something big for faithbooking. We just keep getting busier and busier and the right time never really comes along. Leaving Prints going under has forced us all to realign our priorities and focus on the father. I am so thankful that he has opened our eyes to the busyness trap so that we can take control!

In the midst for the busyness, the Cross is still there. In the midst of your emptiness, the Cross is still there. The promises of Jesus still stand today. You can claim peace in the midst of a hectic life - not without sacrifice or concentration, but you can do it.

FATHER, help us to say no to the world and yes to you. Help us to hear the true voice of Jesus Christ amid the voices of pleasure and success and power. We don't really know how unless you come and help us. Help us to make our busyness productive for you!

From Homeschool mom to taxi driver

It is official. I am no longer a SAH homeschooling mom. Brooke started 7th grade at the public Jr High. For as long as I can remember I have always been a SAH homeschooling mom...what shall I do with myself while the kids are at school? I quickly learned I am not losing a title...just trading the homeschooling mom title for the taxi mom title!

My week has looked something like this....
Take Brooke to school at 7:40. Take the boys to school at 8:20. Monday I came home to an empty house and thought oh my heck I am home alone. Worked around the house, caught up on some emails, worked around the house some more and it was time to get the kids from school. Time to get the taxi running again! Picking up the kids from school is now an hour long process! The boys get out at 2:55 or are supposed to at least. I have to walk to each classroom to get the boys. since I am picking up both of my nephews as well that makes 4 classrooms to stand there and wait till the teacher dismisses...and of course none of them dismiss at 2:55. Then off to the Jr High to pick up Brooke... Let me just say that school has the most horrible traffic situation..you just get STUCK. Luckily an older couple from our church lives right across the street from the Jr high so I can park in their driveway....still get stuck trying to leave but at least I don't have to keep driving around the block and getting stuck numerous times...just twice to get in the driveway and then getting out! UGH! While I sit there in the nice driveway I watch the same cars go around the block, and around the block and sit in stopped traffic trying to get back to the school, and around the block....on and on and on! YIKES! Once Brooke is finally in the car it is off to the park to drop her off at the tennis courts and back to pick her up at 5pm. I thought homeschooling was a lot a work and kept me busy. GEESH, I had no idea how time consuming this taxi driver position was going to be!