This Knowing...It Changes Me

I stand at my sink and scrub potatoes dug from beneath the earth in dad's garden.

I slice squash and zucchini and take chicken from the oven and I know.

I know this mothering really is ministry. This loving of family with dinner cooked and laundry folded is more. This serving my husband is not just physical.

It's all things I know but as the words form my heart grows.

It is in this making of a home that God is seen.

It's in this loving that God becomes known.

My husband arises while it is still dark and kisses me goodbye and this daily sacrifice for our family is worship to our God.

I listen to the sound of our children sleeping, tucked in beds warm and safe and theirs. I count my blessings and thank God for this ministry.

This knowing ...it changes me.

Suddenly daily frustrations take on new meaning and I ask forgiveness for my unseeing eyes.

Like yesterday in the grocery store where my flesh ruled and my heart followed and this unsettling affected my spirit and took my joy...but I had provision to buy everything I needed.

Or at the doctor's office when things didn't go as I imagined they would and though my smile was present my heart was polluted and my thoughts impure...but my son is healing and my family is whole.

Or the pile of dirt by the front door from shoes thrown inside without dusting...but the game of front yard football was fun and we laughed.

Or this house that is too small and these dishes that fill the sink daily...but this family fills the table and my arms are full.

These things aren't meant to take our joy, although they can if we choose. They are for growing and reminding and changing and thanking.

I begin today with my eyes open and my heart bowed.

I stretch these hands wide and worship my God who causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him (Romans 8:28).

And, oh, how I do.
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Linking with beautiful Emily today.

My Top 5 from the "Yes to God" Webcast

First and foremost, friends, please remember to pray for my home state, Texas, and all those affected by the wildfires as well as those risking their lives to fight the fires. We need rain and we need a miracle.  I know that even in the midst of this, God is bigger and He is still good. 

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Last night the webcast offered by Lysa Terkeurst and Ann Voskamp was about saying "Yes to God." God has been speaking this for some time to me. In fact, I just wrote a guest post about it yesterday before the webcast that will be published soon.  More specifically to me, it has been about saying yes to Him while saying no to those things that might distract me from His purposes or keep me from His presence.

I loved getting together with my girlfriends all across the world. It was like having one big chat session, especially with the twitter feed - although my (undiagnosed) ADD contributed to missing several statements spoken on the left while trying to keep up with the written conversation on the right. I should probably take advantage of the opportunity to review the webcast. If you missed it (or need to see it again), it is available on demand on Lysa's blog.

I decided to list my top 5 favorite nuggets from last night:

1. Before we say yes to God's work in the world, we need to say yes to who He says we are in His word. ~Ann
2. Keeping company with God is what's most important, not how much we accomplish. ~Ann
3. Christ is always our first yes to God...there is no yield in our lives until there is a yes to the Lord. ~Ann
4. The name of God - YHWH - is the sound of breathing itself...Make every breath a yes to God. ~Ann
5. Peace isn't the absence of dark, it's the assurance of God's presence in the dark. ~Ann

And since I usually have a hard time limiting words (except when I'm trying to meet my word count goal for the day, of course)...it is no surprise that I have one more to my list...technically making this my Top 6 (but we'll leave the number out so I don't have to change my title LOL):

Lysa talked about intentionally pausing in the moment and acknowledging God throughout our day. This has been my quest in pursuing God. This was a great reminder for me as it has been key in learning to "Hear His voice above all the noise," as my tagline states. I pray that I will not forget this. That I will remember when life is busy and frustrations are high and stress is squeezing and things are harder...that I will pause and acknowledge God...that I will remember He is good and He never changes.

"He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?" Romans 8:32

Were you able to join in on the webcast last night? If yes, what were you favorite take-aways? And if not, please feel free to comment on my faves :)

Also, remember there is still time to watch the webcast on demand today and tomorrow at LysaTerkeurst.com.


Although not my usual Imperfect Prose Post, I am still joining today with Emily at Canvas Child and Ann for Walk With Him Wednesdays.


 

imperfect prose: i am His

finding joy in the still

learning rest in the not-to-do

listening in the quiet

encountering Him.

i feel His pursuit

i hear the sound of His breath

this breath of life

blowing like a great wind over me.

i will not be found hiding

afraid in sin and shame

but turned and running

to meet my Pursuer.

loved and forgiven i receive this gift

empowered and filled i break free

called and commissioned i advance

consumed and overtaken it is no longer i who live.

giving thanks in all, i am embraced by the One whose heart holds complete

undone and unable to speak, my words fail me

overwhelmed by this God who loves me full

i spill out and He cradles messy, imperfect brokenness.

i sit on this potter's wheel surrendered

i enter this furnace open

molding, refining, repairing, re-making

becoming.

i am His.

what is this life if not to be lived for the One who first breathed life

if not to be given back to the one Who first gave

lived for the One who breathes life still, today

given to the One who gives life still, today

i am His.

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linking with beautiful emily for imperfect prose.

 and beautiful ann for walk with Him wednesdays