Followers

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Define the Need

I'm fresh in from my morning's 3 miles.  The sky is a clear, crystal blue with the hint of wispy thin clouds.  The sun slowing warming the cool morning air.   Fresh cut grass laid drying in morning dew. Geese honking and alight from nearby ponds and fields.  Oh, the morning was calling me.

As I press start on my iPhone's application to log my mileage, I am weary from pouring out.  Yesterday found me once again hanging out with the coolest teens in the world at our co-op.  We spend six hours studying together from the Trivium and center all we learn on God's Word.  It is a beautiful time together.  The strongest students supporting the weakest and discussion ensues.  After a full day, I am poured out and tired.  I've given my best.

This morning in Bible time I studied Deuteronomy 31, Hosea and Joel with the children.  Various passages with the minor prophets which tell us that the Lord will restore Israel and His People in spite of the sin foretold in Dt. 31.  (Side note:  What a tough thing for Moses to hear before the people were sent over the Jordan with Joshua.)  My mind turned to Romans 6 and the discussion there of being slaves to sin or slaves to righteousness.  Certainly, I choose righteousness and to battle sin.  Yet, it's a constant battle to not give in to temptation and to choose His ways.

All of the above were in my thoughts as I walked this morning.  It was hard getting started and moving my body.  The morning was gorgeous, yet I was depleted.  How could I feel so depleted in such beauty.  Then it hit me, I was defining my need.

Sin was fully defined in Dt 31: turning away from the Lord's way and commands, making idols, not reading the Law every 7 years, giving up and giving in to a people who were to be dispersed!

How we are to live in the New Testament was defined for me in Romans 6;  A slave to righteousness. Which means work, hard work, for the Lord.  Seeking Him, Speaking and Teaching Him while loving on students and stretching my ability to learn in certain subjects is tiring.  Slave work at it's most rewarding.

My need was defined for me during my walk and prayer time.  I am wear from they pouring out and in need of filling to pour out the remainder of the day.  I am reminded that I must not give into the temptation to sin and choose an alternate path from Romans 6.  By His Divine intervention on my walk, I am filled.  The weary is warranted, after all, i was pouring out all day the day before.  I'm going to need filled.  There is no sin in needing to be refilled.

By now my GPS on my phone says 3 miles and I look up to the horizon.  My drive way in view.  Restored and muscle built, I am ready to face the day ahead of more schooling, training and even cooking.
What needs to be defined and sorted out in your heart today?  How is the Lord and righteousness seeking filling you up?

Sunday, September 13, 2015

Stay filled up, Mama! Let's Walk!

I have thousands if not millions of steps under my feet.  What started out as my need to get away from my home making, home schooling duties and simply have a few minutes of peace in my head and heart has turned into a lifestyle.

As soon as the big girl was old enough to handle her younger siblings for half an hour, I raced to the door.  Oh, don't get me wrong, I loved my littles, but sanity was calling.  I was in desperate need of some prayer time with the Lord where I could work out my circumstances, lay them at the Father's Cross and move on with my day.

I've written countless blogs in my head while walking.  Getting out in fresh air, witnessing the crisp breeze of October or the melting of March snow has filled up my heart to overflowing.  Lacing up tennis shoes, taking my set of circumstances, my portion that the Father gave me to steward for His Glory, I'd set out.  As I'd take one step then the next and the next, my heart would pour out to the Lord and it seems that over the years, every verse or hymn I ever knew would be sung over each situation my walk found me in.

Sometimes I walk with my head turned down, watching the pavement as I pray hard and fast with intensity.  Then I hear His Spirit call, Look Up!  I'm here, I see you!  Lay it at My Cross.  Relieved, tears would flow, the tension in my shoulders ease and my burden was lifted.  Precious times with me and Jesus.  Just taking one step infront of the other has yielded a harvest of more prayers answered than I could possibly blog about.

No matter what season of life, I've found myself in, I've always walked.  Each return home has always found me refreshed and renewed to continue my day with my babes.  I've chosen in the good times and hard times of mothering to walk.  This morning was just like other mornings I've experienced as a mom.  Burdened, simply burdened with events beyond my mother's heart to control or fix.  I considered sitting in my chair and simply moping through my day.  Yet, a lifetime of walking through motherhood, literally, beckoned me to come outside and come to Him.

Laced up, water bottle in hand and a very heavy heart, I began.  "Ok, Lord, a broken record here, but could you tell me:  How on Earth are you going to get Glory for this set of circumstances?"

I pound pavement and this time keep my head up to see beyond my circumstances.

"If there was just a mom blogging out there who didn't curse in her writing and have a Biblical world view, then I'd have a mom partner to walk with me."

His Spirit replies:   "Who are you walking with?  Speak!  Speak about years of walking and pounding pavement and Provision from Heaven.  Start with taking a picture."

I take out my iPhone and swipe to iPhoto and begin snapping.  I notice that the roads and paths ahead of me are long, almost never ending.  Some are gravel-filled while others have a forest of trees to investigate at the end.  I find it is just like motherhood.  Each of my children different from the other. Each requiring their own kind of support from their dad and me.

As I wind through the last bit of cul-de-sac and head for my driveway, I find once again, my burden lifted.  I am filled with His Love and trust that in the hard that is our portion today, He will provide.  Here's the view from my walk today.  How are you choosing His Filling?