You only have this day, this moment to choose to live for what matters.
"Teach us to number our days that we might present to thee a heart of wisdom."
Psalm 91:12
I can never remember a time when there were not piles of responsibilities stacking up, vying for my attention. As long as I can remember, there is always more to do, not less. Today was no different.
And I can never remember a time when my plans weren’t interrupted. Because I have given my life to the Lord, and then to my family, I have had a grid that says, “God may interrupt me at any time if there is some way I can give or love for His purposes.”
Knowing that I will never ever get everything done in one day, but that I can trust Him for the load he has given me to carry, means that I can let go of expectations and live peacefully, not anxiously in the moments of my day. This has been a lesson learned little by little over a lifetime.
Sometimes this kind of living means that people in my professional world have to wait to hear from me. It means I may not get a partial chapter written in a book that is due. It means I may not have a perfectly cleaned and orderly home when guests come to have a meal with us—or they might have to wait while I finish dinner. It means I will have to wait until tomorrow to get the task that was on the top of my list done.
This month, as usual, has been very demanding. In my professional/ministry life,not only do I have 2 new books coming out in October with marketing calls to 2 different publishers, I have 10 women flying in to Colorado for planning and training for 3 days at my house a few days after I move back to America. I have 14 podcasts and blog posts to arrange, and 10 more to record as well as scheduling marketing calls, social media.
This and more was looming over my mind, as I wanted to write about what mattered most in life, to encourage you, my sweet friends.
All of these were piling and increasing my stress level.
When I searched the landscape of my mind, I pondered--God has painted the leaves in such an amazing way today, and I have hardly had time to notice. I have Joy living with me and may never have her again. I live in Oxford. I have my first granddaughter living around the corner from me and she adores me, I must say. I have access to Sarah and may never live near her again is she lives in Europe the rest of her life.
But, Joy and I had planned to do something special, away from the demands of both of our lives, before I moved home and she moved on. She, then, suggested that we make a trip to Vienna the next weekend, to really make time away for our friendship-to have some of our own Girl’s Club time and memories.
If I go, I will not get my work finished and will have more on my plate Monday.
But, I have made a goal this year, again, every day. to own my life more completely by choosing to invest personally with real live people right in front of me. And so, now, this moment, is when the test comes to challenge my commitment. Will I choose work, tasks, deadlines again, to keep faithfully at my piles,
or will I take this moment that I may not have again, to invest, to make a memory.
It is not an issue of a rule or formula, but a commitment I have made in my heart to not make my duties more important than my people. This moment challenges the personal commitment I have made.
Join us today to hear about decisions we are making for our hearts, souls, minds and strength to be sure we are living intentionally, well, to invest time in the things that will provide us the most meaningful and flourishing best life forward. Love love being with my Joy. And I will never forget the wonderful time we shared in Vienna. Such a great decision.
Now, what decisions will you make this summer?
Your little ones are storing up love every time you cuddle them, sing them a song, hold them, love them.
Your husband longs for your companionship—to know there is someone to cheer him on in the mundane issues of lfie.
Your teen may be out of sorts, but your being the mature one who chooses to invest in time—a surprise meal out, a coffee date, a long fun, (not agenda-filled) sitting out under the summer stars and being friends might be remembered forever.
Sleep more. Read more. Make time for friends. Spend time listening to God’s voice through early morning reverie in His presence.
We wish you a happy and fulfilling summer.
Be intentional and you will look back and see a well-formed time that satisfied your soul.
