I love summer days where at least for me deadlines and responsibilities relax to move with the flow of warm weather.  Now that summer is in full swing, my projects and to do list has surpassed the mile high mark but my thoughts and time have been spent planning and pinning!  My list of projects to get done before fall dictates a more structured schedule has already spent all of June and my sons although they have enjoyed the lackadaisical behavior of their mother are missing out on what makes summer summer. 

It took a morning devotion on excellence in obedience to see that my struggles of procrastination, over-commitment, not living my priorities, and the full blown distractions such as technology are truly my battlefields for obedience. Time is more often than not a major battlefield for me. I want to be obedient to the Lord, I want to train my children to love God and love others to Him.  Time will disappear.  It may be a few hours, a whole day, or even as today's realization sinks in - most of June. It's time to move from summer bucket list-maker to fun checking off marker.  It's time to get er done and enjoy the process.  So I'm off to love my children, niece and nephew at the pool! 

Monica

2011 Priority of Relationships

With 2011 less than a week away, my mind moves from retrospect of the old year to those resolutions lists of the new.  I'm excited for 2011.  Our family will begin this year with a corporately led, 21 day Daniel fast.  I have been planning and reading Susan Gregory's book The Daniel Fast, which has brought more spiritual direction for this time around.  Last year we participated but honestly, I did more scale watching than prayer.  This time I am praying for the hand of God to direct 2011. 

During the fall of 2010 I realized my priorities needed to be assessed and unfortunately needed to be realigned.  Since then it has been baby steps as I concentrate on placing the important things first.  As I prepare for 2011, I am setting goals and preparing to not just focus on the important things but to live my life as one given to God.  If He is truly my #1 priority then living in relationship with God must be paramount.  This year I resolve to value prayer and meditation, scripture reading and memorization, worship and Holy communion.  This year is the year of relationship!  To give Him my full attention, time, and honesty.  To continue a deep commitment with Christ that is automatically shared with others out of the abundance of my heart.   Not religion folks but relationship!

Priorities Realigned

Recently, I was able to get away and attend a spiritual retreat of sorts. Well actually a retreat isn't quite the right word for it. It was more of an intimate encounter with Jesus and His body, the church. I went on Ladies Emmaus Walk #128!

I went on my walk truly needing an opportunity to step back and breathe. The busyness of commitments, agendas, and to do lists had overwhelmed me and I just knew that drowning was eminent. I knew things in my life were way out of whack, yet there wasn't time to come up for air. In fact life was so busy, if it hadn't been for the fact that someone had sponsored me and paid for this experience, I would have backed out. God's prevenient grace was sure at work here!

Can you guess what the first talk of the weekend was about? Priorities -Wow - pass the kleenex box, this one was hitting me right between the eyes. Where were my priorities? Sadly I admit they were focused on accomplishing my list of the day. Boys school work? Check! Housework? Check! Laundry? Check! Grading? Check! Lesson plans? Check! Nursery volunteers on Sunday? Check! Lesson prepared for Sunday's Preschoolers? Check! And this list goes on.....and..... on.

Anyone see any mention of time spent in the Word of God or on my knees? I became keenly aware that my time, attention and choices did not reflect what was most important to me. My first love, Jesus Christ needed to take precedence in my life! It was time to reevaluate and place the important things first. Questions such as "What do I think about?" and "How do I spend my time and money?" were posed, and sadly my answers did not line up with what I felt was and is important to me.

It's been exactly one week since my Walk to Emmaus. Have things been different? YES, Absolutely YES! Has it been easy? Not really, but everywhere I look I now see through a new lens. And I have had the best week I have had in a very long time, including taking time to renew my love and dependency on my savior, Jesus Christ.

Thankfully this weekend did not leave us pondering over priorities but moved us right into grace. Amazing Grace that is undescribable and undeniable. His measure of grace is absolutely beyond anything we can even begin to comprehend. Why the King of Glory would want to pursue us and bring us into right standing with the Father still overwhelms my thoughts.

So what is or should be my number 1 priority? Living in a full and intimate relationship with God is key. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God" His Word states. So that is where I chose to begin, back at the beginning. To once again "redeem my day" through morning devotions and prayer. With priorities realigned, I choose to focus first and foremost on this one thing!