I'm extremely, globally dissatisfied. I don't mean with the globe. I think our habitable little hunk of Universe is quite beautiful and wonderfully adequate for our needs. Go Earth! No, I'm globally dissatisfied in that there is not one single area of my life that seems in order, correct or otherwise, you know, okay. A few examples:
• The garage looks like Sanford and Son are our boarders, and they've let things go a bit.
• Master closet? Think thrift store. On the wrong side of town. Run by racoons.
• My exercise program du jour consists of walking by the treadmill in my bedroom twice a day: once when I get up, and again when I go to bed. Sometimes, when I'm feeling frisky, I walk by it on my way to sit on the couch that's next to it, and again when I get up to see if that hollow-sounding thud on the back porch was one of the children's heads. Again.
• My faith walk has become a crawl, and not a perky, prancing-around-on-all-fours affair, either. More along the lines of desperate, dirty, pathetic blind person missing three limbs and with a wicked itch that can't be reached. The more I pray and search the Scriptures the worse things seem: deeper into the valley of the shadow of death, further than ever from streams and green pastures.
Don't get me wrong. I'm aware that these are not real problems. I've HAD real problems, and this is nothing like that. For one thing, during the really difficult and scary times, I haven't had the luxury of devoting time and energy to whining about my garage, closet, thighs or anything else. Survival Mode is my friend. I know what to do in a crisis, and how to make it from Point A to Point C by skipping Point B altogether because there just isn't time and it's not covered by insurance. There are many in our extended Blogging Family of Faith who are truly in distress, and I don't wish to diminish their situations by complaining vainly.
I do wish to take this moment and lift my eyes up to the hills from whence cometh my help. I read recently (in a blog - just cant' remember which one. If it was yours, say so in the comments and I'll give you credit. Bev? Was it you?) that looking around instead of up is a bad idea. I agree, metaphorically speaking. In practical terms, I'd better be looking around, because in the Clem Domicile if you're only looking up, you'll be getting a free ride in Barbie's convertible straight to the pit of Legos, taking the corners on two tires courtesy of the pink lemonade varnish on the kitchen floor.
At any rate, there are things I need to just get up and do. There are things I need to just get over. Lord, give me the wisdom to know the difference.
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I don't know if this is the case with you, but these symptoms sound very similar to my own when I'm not in the Word. I can feel it coming. I know what I look like, act like, talk like and feel like when I'm not in the Word.
So, I'll ask...how much time are you spending in the Word? And, I ain't talkin' 'bout reading.
Actual time, as in minutes/hours a day? On average, about 1 to 1.5 hours a day, 7 days a week. At the moment, I'm reading through First Timothy every day, as it is the book our pastor is teaching from right now. I'm inductively studying Titus using the methods I learned in _Living by the Book_ by Howard Hendricks. I'm teaching _Starting Points, Worldviews of the Western World_ by David Quine to my oldest daughter, which includes Scripture study as it pertains to developing a Biblical worldview.
Thanks for asking, Jules. I think this is the area that needs my attention, and the others are just distractions of the moment.
I don't think a dulling of the Spiritual sense is a vain concern at all!
1000 years from now, it will still matter whereas the rest of these pressing, practical but very temporal trials that we are asked to walk will dim into nothingness.
Time in the Word is important for sure, but even it is nothing more than a work if the Lord doesn't first work in us a desire of the heart to be conformed and have our minds renewed.
Not only does He do the saving, but also the drawing (desiring), the equipping, the conforming, the sanctifying and the very faith by which we believe unto salvation.
Now praise the Lord for Who He is, and get in that closet and start "stretching your hand out to the needy" as the Proverb says, by visiting your nearest Goodwill drop-off site with stuffed-full black plastic bags! ;)
Ok, I'm not gonna talk about anything spiritual, sorry. How far away are you from 2nd and Bryant, because I sure could use a walking buddy when school is out.
Honey--I've been there. Sanford and Son and all. And...each day, I struggle to listen to God and see what area of my life we're pruning that day. It's hard. And sometimes so very daily. But it's our life. I wouldn't trade it. I might add a maid, but I wouldn't trade it. The drought makes us appreciate the rain all the more. Blessings to you. Love, love, love your blog.
Been there, am there, live there...things I need to get up and do, as well as things I need to get over...to remember that what's important now is raising my kids, not necessarily a perfectly organized garage. Finding the proper balance between what's priority and what's gravy is different for each of us. I am encouraged when I remember to ask what is it I am to do for TODAY. Can I be God's woman, doing His will, TODAY? That may mean cleaning out the garage (most often it doesn't--ha!), it may not. Keep asking for wisdom--He is faithful to give generously and without reproach!
Oh yeah...and sorry this is turning into the comment that needs to be a post so shut up already...but about spiritually dry times...been there too. I think these times come, sometimes as a result of sin or neglect, but also to grow our faith. Am I dependent on how I feel or my perception? Or am I willing to say with Peter: where else will I go...You have the words of life! There have been many many times when God seemed so far that all I could do was ask Him to find me because I had no idea how to find Him--and He did! Sometimes He asks us to trust Him even when He may seem far. Believe Him, sister. Believe His promise that those who seek Him with their whole heart will find...
I can relate on almost every point, Clemntine. Especially the clutter, and it's in the room I'm in right now. My word, I need to just open the window and start flinging with wild abandon!
I just love the strapless, backless, frontless dress on your little one in the post below! ;D Now that's a Southern gurl after my heart, LOL! :-)
PS: How's your kitty doing lately???
Love and hugs,
Diane
Hi there,
I don't remember seeing anything like that in my sister's (Bev's) posts lately, but I may go recheck just because it feels like a challenge. Kind of a treasure hunt.
I ran over here to thank you for your kind comment when I let everyone know what's happening with our little Cameron. My first thought was, good grief, this gal's funny! Where have I been!
I'll be back.
How is it that you can turn even a darkish moment into laughter? I wish we could send the times of refreshing around to each other, but they come from Him, and while we wait on His good timing, we have to learn how to live in the desert. I do live in the desert, literally, and I mean it when I say that just because it is dry as a bone out here, we've not lost faith in the fact that it's gonna rain again someday. I'm praying with and for you, friend.
Sounds like we are in similar places in life. It's hard to know the answers sometimes isn't it?
I'll be praying for you as I pray also for myself.
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