The Fullness of Life, Continued...

If you were inspired to think about the whole busy vs. full topic from a couple of posts back, you will enjoy this article I read today. Go to www.crosswalk.com and read "Living Life to the Full" by Berni Dymet. I think you will be blessed!

Hugs,
Molly

Girlfriend Time!

Hey y'all! Don't forget that tomorrow night is our monthly girlfriend time, better known as Chatty Cappuccino Cafe. We are going to have a great time and want you to be here with us. So...........just show up at the Fellowship Hall tomorrow (that's Friday, July 10th). Bring a friend if you don't want to come on your own....the more the merrier!! We will have some light refreshments but also welcome you to bring one of your favorite goodies to share. We craft, play board/card games, sometimes swap books or magazines, but most importantly share some sweet girlfriend time.

Busy, Full, or both?

I remember thinking, when my boys were children at home and I was trying to be a wife, mom, and balance a career, that things would slow down when I was older. Watching women who had transitioned into that 'empty nester' stage I reasoned that they must have lots of free time to pursue hobbies, take extended vacations, and otherwise spend their carefree days. Do what?!

Either I had blinders on when making those observations or times have really changed drastically. I seem to be busier than ever. I still struggle to find time to pursue hobbies. Extended vacation? A long weekend is about all I can muster these days. Carefree days? Depends on how you define carefree.

Before you get the notion that I am complaining, let me tell you about some of the people and activities that keep me busy. I am a wife to a wonderful man that I enjoy spending lots of time with, whether that is sitting together on our patio reading, riding our bikes, or sharing chores around the house. I am mother to two sons, both married, making me mother-in-law to two daughters-in-law that I love like they are my daughters. I am grandmother of four (soon to be five!) precious grandchildren. (Oh, don't get me started or I am apt to bore you for hours talking about my grandkids.)

In the past several weeks my schedule has been very full. My oldest granddaughter & I took a long weekend trip to eastern Kentucky and West Virginia, back to where my husband and I grew up. I wanted to show her where we lived as children, where we went to school, and describe to her our lives as they were as we were growing up. Show her where her great-grandparents are buried. At the community cemetary where my husband's family graves are, there are also two more generations back buried side by side. How wonderful to be able to share with her of how Larry's great-grandfather came to the United States from Poland, and though he never learned to speak English very well, worked hard and raised his family. It put a sense of reality to the family stories we have been telling her as she has grown up. My youngest granddaughter has been playing softball, two nights a week, for six weeks or more. We've spent quite a few hours at the ballfield! All of those things adding to an already busy schedule. 'Cause I also work full time, help coordinate our Women's Ministry activities, help facilitate & attend Girlfriends & God on Wednesday evenings, and try to keep up with my friends and make time to nurture those relationships. Whew!!

I admit that there are times when I sigh and moan about how busy life is. But when I stop to reflect about what makes it so busy, I realize that I should change how I describe it. Life is full! So much of what makes my life busy is wrapped up in family and friends, those people that God has given me to richly bless my life. Other things that cause business are sometimes necessary (like grocery shopping, laundry, and housework!). Some things that cause business are not necessary and those are the ones that I realize I should be careful in my choice to participate or not.

I want to live the abundant life that Jesus tells us is ours when we live for Him. I want to wring out every second of every day, wasting not a precious moment. So when I am tempted to think in a negative kind of way about how busy life is, I am asking God to remind me to choose the positive and celebrate how full my life is.

What about you? Busy or full or both - how would you describe your life?

Hugs,
Molly

Sound Thinking

Our topic at Girlfriends and God this week was 'sound thinking'. Suzanne gave us a handout that listed characteristics of a woman who does not have sound thinking and those of a woman who does have sound thinking. We went through the lists and talked about what each characteristic looked like lived out. Each woman there could identify with one or more behaviors on the 'does not have' list and all agreed we wish we could say we live 100% of the time having and demonstrating sound thinking. Kind of reminded me of how I have responded in the past when I read Proverbs 31. Made me tired just reading through the list. Made me feel like a failure because I immediately started comparing myself with what I perceived to be the unachievable godly woman I should be.

But over the years, God has helped me to see that He never expected me to suddenly be that 'perfect' woman. I am a work in progress. So when my mind started traveling down that comparison road on Wednesday, I was able to steer it back to reality. My reality is that I am not the woman I used to be. I could look at the 'does not have sound thinking' list and see behaviors that I have overcome, praise God! I could look at the 'does have' list and see that I really do exhibit a lot of those characteristics. At least most of the time! And I know and am encouraged that He is not finished working on me.

Neither is He finished with you. We are all works in progress and will be for the rest of our days in this life. "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, Who is the Spirit." 2 Corinthian 3:18 (NIV)

Hugs,
Molly

When God calls

How do we respond to God when He calls us to do something? Do we readily obey when we hear His slightest whisper? Or do we ignore Him, even when He shouts? I don't know how you are answering this question but in my life I have done both. Unfortunately, I fall into the latter category more often than I do the first.

We can find examples of both responses through out the Bible. The twelve disciples didn't hesitate when Jesus asked them to follow Him. On the other hand, 8 of the 10 spies saw the giants in the land and tuned out God's instruction to go into the land He was going to give them. I want to be like the disciples. I want to immediately obey without considering the cost. But I find myself analyzing too much. Questioning my hearing. Counting the cost and weighing it against what I perceive to be the rewards. Basically, ignoring His call so that I can remain in my cozy little comfort zone.

Such is a recent struggle in my life. I first felt God's call to a new adventure about 5 or 6 years ago. After only a small amount of procrastination, I tentatively stepped out and began preparation to fulfill that call. But then life got busy, I let distractions consume the time I should have been using to prepare and go forward. After awhile it became easy to simply think it was all in my head. Just another one of those self centered dreams that wasn't from God after all.

But you know what? When God is calling us to do something for Him, He will not allow us to continue to ignore Him. The past few months He has revived that dream and given me confirmation after confirmation that this is indeed from Him and I am to GET MOVING! So I am stepping out in faith and doing just that. Baby steps to be sure, but I am moving forward. Oh, those doubting thoughts still try to creep in and my life seems to have gotten even more crazy busy. But God gives me just the right word every day to encourage me and keep me on the path. Sometimes it comes from a devotion. Other days it is in a song I hear or a sermon. Many times it is simply straight from His Word.

So what is God asking you to do? Are you like the disciples, immediately saying yes and ready for the task? Or are you like I have been, waiting and wondering? Seek His confirmation and once you have it, don't hesitate. Say yes and watch what God will do. I would love to hear your stories of how God is working in your life. Just click on comments below and share with us.

Hugs,
Molly