Simple Living: Part Four

Praise the Lord!  We had a much better week.

It never ceases to amaze me how Christianity has such diverse seasons.  And for the season of life that I've been in, spending time with the Lord has proven to be quite a challenge.  Not only has my time been limited by caring for two children, but I've struggled with want to do it all.  Being Super Mom.  Combine those two and it's easy for quiet time to quickly fall on the back burner.  

In spending time in the Bible, I've been reading Psalms.  Nothing earth shaking in there.  Or is there?  I've daily been confronted with how often the author states, "I will put my trust in you." To hear it repeated over and over, I've come to realize my trust often lies so far away from the Lord.  What would it take for me to really trust in Him?  And do I want to know what He would do to make me that desperate for Him?

My prayer time has flourished.  I've made a conscious effort to "pray without ceasing" (I Thess. 5:17).  And I've noticed how my relationship with my kids has improved.  Our days run smoother.  Our conversations are deeper.  And our interactions are gentler.  My time with them is more enjoyable.  

Additionally, I find myself turning to God more in prayer than trying to come up with a solution on my own.  When a problem arises, my quick "breath" prayers are my first reaction.  And when it's been awhile since I've said one in my day, I miss those quick moments of interaction with the Lord.

As far as living a lifestyle of worship, I still have a lot to learn.  Taking every thought captive is much easier said than done.  At this point, it take such conscious effort to think through every action and reaction.  But I can already see little changes.

There were a couple of times this week that I stepped back from the situation and thought, "If not for a growing relationship with Christ, I could be very frustrated in this moment.  But instead here I am enjoying the antics of my kids."  Allowing God to change my attitude and my perception of the situation, to see the joy, was truly a blessing.

Although we still had things to do this evening, I would characterize our time tonight as "simple."  I was making dinner with the kids while I was waiting for my husband to arrive home.  Baby Girl was cranky and wanted to be held while Big Boy was jealous and wanted the same thing.  But instead of brushing them off to find activities out of the kitchen, we simply embraced the moment and sang and talked about letters and shared our day.

After dinner, we all went to the grocery store to pick up a few groceries and items for canning.  There was no clock telling us to hurry home and no one was rushing before work.  Instead, there was an attitude of carefreeness that accompanied us as we enjoyed our time together.  It was simply living in the moment.  Forgetting the to do list and embracing the relationships around us.

Sometimes I think that must be the real key to simple living: focusing on discipleship rather than everything else that vies for our time.  This even includes the good things, such a frugal living, homemaking, and ministries in the church.  If we're not investing in people, then what's the point?

As this next week approaches, I'm keeping my eye on meeting with the Lord on a consistent basis, but also on the other relationships in my life: my husband, my kids, and those I'm discipling.  As I pursue Simple Living, it continue to realize that it's a struggle not only against the things that vie for our attention, but also a struggle against ourselves.  That inner urge to be in control and not allow the Lord to mold our desire and directions.

To see how others are pursuing Simple Living, check out Passionate Homemaking and Simple Living Saturday.