Oh My... Life, Living Life

I've been trying to be much more intentional about living.  It's easy to get caught up on Facebook, or the internet or games or whatever and to forget to actually get out there and live!  So I've been really working on this.

I've been out walking more with my family and sometimes with friends.  

I've been cooking meals more and better, not just something thrown together, but really delicious meals. 

I've been crocheting more  and trying to make time for games with the family.  

I've been working around the house doing things I've been putting off for no good reason.

And well, I've just been out trying to live more.

It's funny, I hate housework.  I really do.  Come to my home and you'll notice it.  LOL  Really!  But this weekend, we moved some furniture around and cleaned some rooms and added things and took things out and I have to tell you.  It was a lot of hard work and I loved every minute of it!  I even found myself wanting, really wanting to clean the bathrooms!  

Who said that??  I know it's crazy but it true.  As I was on my hands and knees scrubbing the bathroom floor Saturday, my husband came in and said, "Wow, this isn't exactly how I thought we'd be spending our anniversary!" 

I laughed and said, "I know, but as crazy as it sounds, I'm having fun!"

It made me think of the verse from Colossians that says, "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, not for men".  I laughed as the verse ran through my mind.  I laughed first of all because I thought it was weird that as I was cleaning the bathroom, that a bible verse ran through my mind, and then second, I laughed because I thought it must be for God, because I have never been happy cleaning the bathroom before!  

I can't put in the words the feeling I was experiencing, but yes, I did feel joyous and I was heartily working for the Lord, even in the bathroom.

Whatever we do in life, we should be doing heartily, let say that word again, heartily for the Lord.  It brings joy, real JOY and who doesn't want to feel joy every day?

Joy!

"But I do not count my life of any value to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the good news of God’s grace." ~

Acts 20:24New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

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What a beautiful day!  I woke up happy and have managed to stay happy!  

It started with a lovely walk with my favorite girl.  I love walks with her.  I get to learn so much about her and from her!  She is wise beyond her years and is just so much fun to be with!  The wind was blowing and oh how I love the wind.  I love to spread out my arms wide, shut my eyes, and just let the wind blow over me.  I tried to get a photo of the wind blowing through the trees today but well, as you can imagine, it didn't work.  But I love the wind so much.  As I was enjoying it today, and proclaiming the joy it was bringing to me, to my daughter, I couldn't help but think of the Holy Spirit and how it can blow over us, around us and us through us.  Maybe that's why I love the wind so much.  Who knows.

Then we got ready and went to preschool!  Yes, we went back to preschool, this time as music leaders!  It was so fun.  It's Christian Pre-

Not one of the kids today but isn't he cute!
My nephew.

school and they asked us to teach the kids some Bible songs and then at Christmas we will do some singing at their Christmas program.  We had so much fun!  It was new and one of the classes forgot to come but they will be there next week!  The kids were just precious and oh, how I've missed sharing my love of music with little ones.  We sang, we danced, we moved, we laughed, we learned.  It was fun and I'm looking forward to next week.

This is how I feel my day was, all ages in ministry together

After lunch, I went to visit an octogenarian couple from church.  What a lovely visit we had!  We laughed, we shared stories, we shared pictures, we listened to each other, we just shared these moments in time with one another.  We shared ourselves.  I left feeling alive and loved.

I started out my day thinking I was going to get to be in ministry today and yet, I feel more like I've been ministered to!  What a full and wonderful day and it's not even over yet!  It's definitely been a day full of love and giggles and music.  It's what every day should be filled with.  A day filled with joy, pure, unbridled joy.  My face hurts from smiling so much! 

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 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” ~John 13:34-35 

Unplugged... again

I know I've said this before but this time I mean it!  I'm sticking to it!  I promise!

A friend, last week, said something about the busyness of cell phones and tablets and it made realize and really notice that I have slowly started spending too much time with mine again!

I had really been enjoying being unplugged more so I, right that very moment, put down my iPad and enjoyed life right where I was, which happened to be sitting at the breakfast table with DD as she ate before heading off to class.  I was surprised that I had it!  That instead of being fully present in our time together, I was only half listening while scrolling through Facebook.  What was wrong with me!  I'm so glad that post by a friend caught my attention.

I've been doing that, enjoying life where I am, ever since.  I've picked up my crocheting again and love having more time for it!.  I'm even caught up on laundry!  

And the most important thing?  My devotion is happening first thing!  I's not rushed and I feel so much better, more centered and ready for the day.  I feel much more connected ~ to God, to myself and to my family.  It's amazing to me how being a little less connected to the cyber world can make me feel so much more connected to the actual world around me.