But I bought the perfect planner!!!

Day Runners, Day Timers, All in One organizers, Palm Pilots, iCalendar, a printed grid for every day, beautiful colors on new calendars for home schooling mamas like me, and portfolio-professional cases for the working mom.

The ways of managing time are everywhere.  No matter what your fancy may be, you can find a calendar at just about any store you frequent.

They scream at us, don't they?  If we just used this system, filled out these boxes, our lives would be organized and we'd have what we all crave:  More time.

With a growing busy family, moving constantly I lived my life by calendars, day timers, clocks and curriculum check lists.  My personality is just fit for lists and measured goals that come with a well tackled day.

Yet, how many circumstances have cropped into our lives over the years that we couldn't manage by 'penciling it in' to a box or time slot.

Sickness, broken vehicles, heartbreaks, unexpected play dates and lunches with friends and even unexpected moves have all fit themselves into my well-penned days.  The times that the Lord has ordained for us, our family.

Even now, I'm using a Bible study system that is designed for completion with in just a few weeks.  But you know what? Because I'm not following the appointed schedule, I'm learning more.

The truth is for the thousands of dollars I've spent on managing time, the greatest benefit I've received from managing time is to not manage it.  I'm a head-strong gal, quite tenacious when I have a mind to it actually and I fought my own scheduling for years in my binders and calendars.  Then, I started using pencil.  Pencils ERASE!  Ha!  There you go!  I could still manage my time by erasing what I'd planned and add in what actually happened.

About a year ago, maybe more, I just gave my time, my calendars, my desires up the Lord.  I realize more and more as I get older that time is such a precious gift and the best way to honor Him with the time that's given us is to hand it back to Him to guide us in His perfect ways.

I was just reading in Isaiah Ch 1 this morning that the appointed times YHWH gave the Israelites became disgusting in His eyes because they used it for vain purposes, as a checklist to pseudo-obedience.  There are a great many things on my To Do list today.  The best way to keep my family moving forward is to give up my expectations for this day, this group of hours that are His gift to us is to hand it right back to Him.

So, in the early spring sun, I'll be taking a long walk, run.  Drinking in His provision of the earth coming out of winter's slumber.  Lots of hugs, tea and talks with my remaining-at-home sweet ones is certainly on the menu for today.  Our school year here needs winding up with integrity and that's on my To Do list today, but not at the expense of forsaking opportunities for fellowship and enjoyment in the Beauty of His creation around me.

Silence that screaming calendar and the buzzing clock today.  Give your time right back to Him and just see how He'd use it!

Learning to Walk Humbly

“Arise, plead your case before the mountains,
And let the hills hear your voice.
² Hear, O you mountains, the Lord’s complaint,
And you strong foundations of the earth;
For the Lord has a complaint against His people,
And He will contend with Israel.

³ “O My people, what have I done to you?
And how have I wearied you?
Testify against Me.
⁴ For I brought you up from the land of Egypt,
I redeemed you from the house of bondage;
And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
⁵ O My people, remember now
What Balak king of Moab counseled,
And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him,
From Acacia Grove^[a] to Gilgal,
That you may know the righteousness of the Lord.”

⁶ With what shall I come before the Lord,
And bow myself before the High God?
Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings,
With calves a year old?
⁷ Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
Ten thousand rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

⁸ He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?

These verses are from the book of Micah 6:1-8.  While sitting in my seat listening to Dr. Bowling preach to the 2012 Graduating Class at Olivet, I was riveted.  

I was so tickled to be back in my simple home town, watching my eldest home schooled girl graduate from college.  At that time, I didn't really know anything about the Old Testament book of Micah.  Yet, I found myself intrigued at these verses as Dr. Bowling charged the students to take all they'd learned and Do Justly, Love Mercy and Walk Humbly with their God as they walked away from Campus that day and into the Big Wide World awaiting them!!  

Justice, Mercy and Humility are character traits the Lord has had to teach me over and over and over.  Even when I didn't really know their names, as I heard Dr. Bowling's sermon my soul immediately identified with the Spirit and I realized "THAT'S what this has all been about!"  

15 years before I was a tired, hormonal mom of 2 young children.  I'd just had another miscarriage (my 2nd) and yet, by Grace we were expecting another baby.  There were other things happening as well in our lives.  My sweet little guy was totally out of the box, on a rare foods diet and taking me to the limits of myself.  Our van had been totaled in a horrific car accident a few months before that should have claimed our lives, but didn't.  I'd already moved several times across the nation and Europe, we were having trouble finding a rental in the area we were moving to and would need to buy a house.  And on and on and on.  There I was on any given day of the week, packing up a house, 21 weeks pregnant and sobbing.  Certainly, I was pleading my case before the mountains.  Didn't God know how hard this was?  I didn't have it in me.  God said:  You are going.  So, sleep deprived and overwhelmed and scared, I drove off following behind my hubby driving the U-Haul.  We were Texas bound!  

The Lone Star state was lovely, and HOT.  I was so grateful for the pool we had in the back yard.  While it was a constant drain on our not-very-abundant finances, it became a wonderful respite from the hot Texas sun.  Giggling children, games with Daddy, races after lunch time all had their place.  

God had been so good.  While I was learning obedience to His word and way and growing with my husband, I was learning Justice, His Justice.  In His right and perfect timing God had provided the finances through a moon lighting job for John to  go house hunting.  God needed us in Texas and He provided the way.  

The love of Mercy was oh.so.evident in our lives in Texas.  Some of our sweetest memories and friends were made during that time.  Lunches with friends at McDonald's play lands, Library story times, learning jam and jelly and bread making with life-long-to-be friends happened because of that move to Texas.  

I am sorry to say that it has taken several more years, several more moves and countless other circumstances for me to walk humbly.  I thought at the time that my organizational skills, seeking wise mentors and being in church allowed all those things to happen.  I also admit, I felt rather entitled to have such wonderful Texas memories.  

Yet now, as a wiser, and I pray much.less.prideful mother I'm forced to consider the thought :  What if I'd been more humble?  Did the Lord want to bless us more?  Did we miss out?

So today, right where you are, ask the Lord about Justice, Mercy and Humility.  The words of Micah can now guide me in my daily walk with Him.  Where once, they would have been needed to instruct and train, years of walking and growing with the Lord have disciplined me to run to them for their comfort.  

Grace and Peace to you on this beautiful day!