Get out of the Rat Race!

I got caught up in the rat race again!!

My observation is that this is the easiest way for the Enemy to distract me and steal my peace. Between finishing home school projects, extra murals, sick children (all seven of them had a tummy bug in two days), cleaning up and a special birthday (me turning 40), I was so busy with all the many, many ‘good things’ and missed out on ‘best’. I got caught up in planning, preparing, organizing and delegating. I’ve realized that these take away your focus from today. All this planning, preparing, organizing and delegating are for the future.

But what about today?

Today I want to stop when my baby smiles at me with clear, innocent eyes.
Today I want to hold my toddler when he asks me to, give him a kiss and I don’t want to be in a hurry.
Today I want to stop to appreciate my little girl’s newly drawn picture.
Today I want to push my boys on their swings and enjoy the fresh morning breeze.
Today I want to stop when my boys want to tell me a story, look them in the eyes and listen.
Today I want to stop and acknowledge and appreciate my older ones’ efforts helping with the younger ones.
Today I want to serve my big boy lying sick on the couch, pretending he is my little boy again. Today I want to look at my children and remember they are the reason I’m a Mother.
Today I want to stand a little longer in my husband’s embrace and remember the way he smells.
Today I want to take a minute and write my husband an encouraging-thank you letter.
Today I want to look at my husband and remember he is the reason I’m a wife.

But most of all I NEED to stop and remember I’m God’s child. I want to sit at His feet and let Him fill me with His Spirit. I want to be in His presence, be myself and know it’s good. I want to remember I’m God’s precious daughter and I want to remember He is the reason I live!

I want to stop pretending.
I want to stop being like the other Mothers.
I want to stop comparing my children with other children. It is when I try to be a mother and wife the way I THINK I should be, or in my own strength, that I fail.

I can only be a loving Mother when I make peace with the unique person God created me to be.
I can only be a peaceful Mother when I am drinking out of His well of living water.
I can only be a caring Mother when I mother through His strength.

Only He can make me serve with a serving heart.
Only He can give me patience and longsuffering to handle the frustrations and chaos of little children.
Only He can give me the wisdom and attentiveness to know my older children.
Only He can make me a submissive wife who loves her husband unconditionally.
Only through His peace can I manage my house.

But I don’t want to have this only for today; I want to have it every day, for the rest of my life!

This morning God gave me the answer – like so many times before!
I can only get out of the rat race, when I come to Jesus and learn from His example. When I take His yoke upon me; when I have His gentle and lowly heart, then I’ll have rest for my soul.

I am going to take the challenge again to know Jesus more, to give Him all my burdens and ask Him to reveal Himself to me.

I got out of the rat race and I can already see the difference in myself and in my home.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Matt 11:28-30

PS. I’ve just received the newest Above Rubies magazine, #75. Inside is an article by Nancy Campbell (Editor and Founder of Above Rubies) and guess what one of the main articles is? ‘Help! How can I have PEACE in my Home?’

Wow, what an amazing article! Just the right timing - just for me!!
Maybe it is also intended for you….?

To receive this copy of Above Rubies, subscribe HERE.

The Children, Christo and I with my birthday cake! Four candles, one for every decade!!

My goal for the next 40 years? To live a simple, quiet life.