In the Mundane life, where is God?

How often do we live our lives caught up in the ordinary routines of life? I know there are days that I am so busy, but then at the end of the day when Bean is in bed and I am sitting on the couch, I can easily ask myself, "what did I do today?" Or "what did I do that was meaningful to others?" Or the most important, "How did I glorify God today?" I am sometimes very ashamed of my own answers. It can be so easy to place God on your check list of things to do for the day. I know that I struggle with incorporating God in the daily routines of my life. It is easy to remember God when you are doing a devotion or when you read the Bible to your children before nap or bedtime and you pray, or even before you eat. But, I am talking about including God in the EVERYDAY life. Like vacuuming or preparing lunch or playing on the floor with matchbox cars...those are moments when I could incorporate God either for myself or discussing Him with Bean during those quiet playful moments. I truly find it hard to remember remembering God during those moments.

During this second chapter of Crazy Love Francis Chan opened my eyes to the fact that I could be the next person in my family to die. Wow! I mean, you know you are going to die one day. One out of every one person does! But, to actually think "I could die today" can really make a difference on how you view what you do with your time. Chan says, "You could be the next person in your family to die. We have to realize it. We have to believe it enough that it changes how we live. We need to stop living selfish lives, forgetful of our God." Pg. 50-51. I am realizing that I need to regroup how I spend my days off. This actually was my prayer request last night during small group. To find the balance between housework and schooling Bean on my days off. I need to have a better schedule and I need to include on that schedule ways to incorporate God in my (and Bean's and Rock's) daily routine...I need to include it so greatly that it becomes so natural for me. Out of everything in life shouldn't God be the center and most important? I mean 'He is everything'! He created everything and can take everything from us at any moment.

All praise and glory go to Him!

Feeling Tiny

Our Wednesday night small group just watched the Louie Giglio video, Indescribable. In this video, Louie shows us just how far away and how powerful some planets, stars and galaxies are in the universe. It was incredible to think just how small our planet is compared to the universe, let alone just how tiny we are as humans compared to the universe. Louie made a comment that it would take all the gross national product of all the states like millions of years for us to power the sun for 1 second. How about that? Stop and think for a moment about that. Amazing, huh? This was the second time that I watched this video and yet, although I knew some images were coming, they reached a closer part of my heart than when I watched it the first time.

I am currently reading a book called Crazy Love, by Francis Chan. I am about half way through. It has been a very convicting, yet inspiring book. It has me questioning just who God is to me and how I view Him, as well as my love for Him. I brought up the Indescribable video because Chan has on his website a little clip also using astrological concepts to show just how big our God is. You can view it at http://www.crazylovebook.com/ and go to the "Awe Factor" You will be amazed at what you see.

I wanted to share some highlights on chapter 1 that left a lasting impression on me. On page 27 of the book (which you can also read on his website), Chan goes through different things throughout the earth that only God could have created; not some explosion. I am only typing a couple of them, so I encourage you to go to his website to read all of them!

An average elm tree has approx. 6 million leaves on it

Your own heart pumps enough blood throughout your body that is could squirt up to 30 feet

There are hundreds of different kinds bananas

Coral plants are so sensitive that they can die if the water temperature varies by one or two degrees

Goosebumps actually help you to stay warmer by trapping in your body heat

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world." Psalm 19:1-4

Chan tells us that God is Holy, God is eternal, God is all-knowing, God is all powerful, and God is fair and just (even when we don't see it). "God never excuses sin. Whenever we start to question whether God really hates sin, we have only to think of the cross, where His Son was tortured, mocked and beaten because of sin. Our sin" Page 34. Think about just how big God is; that is how much God loves us too and He truly cares when we sin - it hurts Him like we hurt our mom's and dad's when we disobey. This chapter and the video both have me thinking about my significance in life. Everything that I do in life is so insignificant when you think about how HUGE God is compared to us. Just how big the sun is compared to the earth, and so forth. It is like almost contradicting of itself, because there are things in life that I can do, like spread the word of God, or invite a friend to church, that are very significant to God, but when you sit back and think about how puny our lives are and that we are but a vapor on God's timeline, that significance is really shrunken down quite a bit! How Humbling!!!

Tell me your thoughts - please. I am interested to see how you view God and how you love Him!

Who doesn't like convictions?

Convictions are great. Right? I mean it is God telling you what you should be doing with your time. So, shouldn't it be easy to turn from your old ways and start anew? Ha, that seems too easy. I have been so convicted in getting up early before Bean wakes up to read my Bible. I have had friends tell me, I have heard messages on it and have felt convicted of it. So, you would think that I would just "do it." I mean, I have blogged about this before!

It isn't that easy. I did so well last week and then I started to not feel well. Then Bean started to not feel well. I haven't been sleeping the best and I am simply NOT a morning person. I do read almost everyday, but there is something about reading first thing in the morning and giving your day to God. That is what Jesus did when he walked this earth. If Jesus did it for God, then why shouldn't I do it for God?

Last week, I really took the time to read in the morning and then through out the day I would read my two other books that I am involved in. One is Crazy Love by Francis Chan and the other is Life on Planet Mom by Lisa Bergren. Both wonderful books. I think that last week I was truly filling my time with the Lord and his word throughout my day that I was focused soley on Him. Now, this week (and it being Friday!) I have realized that I haven't read a single chapter in either of my books nor have I gotten up one morning to read. I have read during the day, but I haven't given my day to the Lord first thing. Let me tell you....it matters. I can honestly say that my mood is different. I am not in the wanting to read mood like I had last week. I am in the "I am reading because I have to" mood and this is NOT where I want to be. I am blogging about this so that whoever reads this can keep me accountable and pray for me.

Matthew 6:33
But seek ye first his kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well.

The change starts here...right now! (Help me!)