Archives for April 2007

So I have been missing from the blogging world recently (what, you didn’t notice?!!). Well, I have been, but for good reason. Springtime is here, which means crazy ministry time at church. Everything is close to wrapping up for the year, so there’s much to be done before summer hits. Specifically, our youth group and church ribbon dancing troop have been taking up a lot of my time.

The problem is that between those things, a few others, work, Emma and pregnancy hormones/exhaustion, I started to get overwhelmed. Really overwhelmed. And I started feeling sorry for myself. I was even getting to the point of getting mad at others who didn’t seem as concerned I was about certain things — or who didn’t seem to care that I was running around with 15 hats on my head!!!

And then I had my moment of clarity: During a drive home about a week ago, I was able to spend a little alone time with God. I vented my feelings and my frustrations, and in His awesome quiet voice I heard the word I REALLY needed to hear: Glorify.

You see, THAT is why I do everything I do. Not for me, not for MY glory, and not for the glory of others, but for His. I serve because I love Him. I serve because I want more people to love Him. And I serve because I believe it will make a difference in the New World (Heaven) that I will live in someday.

Somehow, in the midst of our business, it’s easy to lose sight of why we do things for others. It’s easy to stop and make it about ourselves and feel like we are being used up — or taken advantage of. But it’s in those times that our focus is off God and on ourselves — which is why serving is no longer enjoyable.

Yes, there are times to re-evaluate your schedule to see if you are burning out. And yes, there are some times you need to take a break to re-energize. But I also think that more often than not, we simply need to remind ourselves that glorifying God is the LEAST we could do for all He has done for us. Plus, when I am doing it for Him, I truly enjoy serving.

I often have people ask me if Jeff and I will “cut down” on our ministries as Emma gets older and especially now with a second child coming, but I really don’t know that we will. I want my children to know it isn’t about them and that we are called to serve others. It’s the only thing that makes a difference in this world.

I will never put my service before my family, but I do intend to make it a part of my family. What better way is there to glorify God?!

I admit that there are many days when my Type-A personality doubts if I was really meant to stay at home with Emma. Days when I get frustrated that nothing “productive” got done. Days when the toddler melt-downs are too much for my patience. And days when I look at my dirty house, the growing list of things to do, and the pile of work on my desk and wonder what in the world I do during the day.

And then there are days like today. Days when the sun is shining, and I am outside with my daughter collecting sticks. Collecting sticks like I have nothing else to do — and loving every minute of it. These are the moments that work is forgotten, and the dirty toilet is the last thing on my mind.

I truly feel this is what Heaven will be like someday. Stress-free days of collecting sticks with the ones we love. What a wonderful thought… and promise.