Like many of you, we are a multiple computer household. 2 out of 3 of them are currently having "technical difficulties." The one in the playroom, primarily used by my younger daughter for instant messaging and email, won't really turn on most of the time. Well, it turns on, but you get that scary looking black screen with all that computer jargon that I don't understand. Last time I saw that screen, my hard drive had crashed and I had lost 2 months worth of un-backed-up pictures. OUCH! Luckily, there isn't anything of any great importance stored on that computer, so if it crashes for good, we will be OK. But what is a girl to do when there is a HUGE, IMPORTANT happening of some sort on Club Penguin and she can't get on a computer????
Much more importantly (to me, anyway :-) THIS computer that I am currently using is doing wierd stuff as well. I can't open certain websites that I can open on other computers, my Inbox in my email program has malfunctioned and ....HORROR of HORRORS....I can't seem to post pictures on my blog anymore!!! I have this awesome daffodil thing that I want to share with you and I have these beautiful pictures of daffodils currently blooming right here in my own garden and I CAN"T POST A PICTURE!!! So, you can see my frustration, right?
I probably ought to call one of those computer geeks out here....no, really, they call themselves geeks, I promise....but I am really busy. The story of my life....I am really busy. See, my kids are in all of these plays; one in a play at school and both of them in a play at church. One play is the last weekend in April and one is the first weekend in May. Even though they are the ones in the plays, somehow, I keep finding myself in charge of stuff. My husband feels neglected, so he asked me to go with him on a business trip to Hawaii later this month. I guess he feels like he has to take me out of the continental United States to get my attention....that worked out pretty well for me, I guess! As I was telling a friend today, I almost talked myself out of going with him because of volunteer stuff I am involved in....isn't the beauty of volunteer work that you can make your own schedule? That is when you know you are too busy AND too impressed with your own indispensability....when you say no to free trips to Hawaii because you are worried things won't get done while you are gone!!!
We started our new bible study this morning and it looks to be a great one. We are doing Priscilla Shirer's Discerning the Voice of God. Today's video was centered around John 10:27. This verse reminds us that "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." One of the things she said that really struck me was "do you think that He loves you enough to die for you, but He doesn't love you enough to speak to you?" She challenged us to anticipate that God does and will speak to us...that He wants nothing more than to have an intimate relationship with us....one that involves both listening to us AND speaking to us.
I believe this is true. I have experienced God speaking to me in ways that changed my life. Yet, on a day to day basis, I find that many other things distract me from hearing His voice. In my rush to conquer that never-quite-finished to do list, I often talk to God on the run. Talking you can do on the run; listening is much more difficult. So I find myself praying the same prayers, asking forgiveness for the same things, wondering why I don't hear an answer or see a change. And I picture God, my blessing in hand, waiting for me to sit still long enough to receive it.
My friend Katie talked about slowing down to spend time with God on her blog this week. I loved the Oswald Chambers quote that she shared...so much so that I am going to steal it!
All God's revelations are sealed until they are opened to us by obedience...Obey God in the thing He shows you, and instantly the next thing is opened up...God will never reveal more truth about Himself until you have obeyed what you know already.
I know the one area of obedience that I am always working on is spending more time with God...not on-the-run time, but sitting-still-and-listening time. I am grateful for the discipline of a new bible study to bring focus to that time and I pray that I will be faithful. God will never be outdone in faithfulness...when I am faithful just a little, He pours it on big! Speaking of God multiplying our faithfulness, I am going to post the thing I received from my friend about daffodils even WITHOUT the pictures of mine. Trust me, they are gorgeous!
I love this. I've copied from your blog back to mine. Great minds you know. :)
Posted by: Katie | April 03, 2008 at 06:04 PM