Ps. 130:3-4
A few lessons from a whirlwind week as we hold our breath for the first day of school:
1. A well-organized planner makes a big difference. I recently changed how I utilize mine, and it's greatly helped me keep track of my thoughts, tasks, and time without bringing the guilt that comes from lists lacking checkmarks. Do you have tips on organizing a planner or agenda?
2. It's never too late in the day for quiet time. An instagrammer I follow posted this late in the week: "It's not too late to recalibrate this day with the balm of His Word." It was a reminder I needed. I always try to keep my mornings long and restful, but that naturally means they start pretty early. Sometimes quiet time gets squeezed out and the day can feel like a failure from the first cup of coffee onward. This season of transition, with the start of school this coming week, is a good time to remember that every hour of the day is an opportunity to start over and refresh the soul.
3. Every so often, it's ok if everything on the dinner plate came right out of the freezer. We're not all-natural. We're not paleo, or whole30, or organic. We try to eat fruits and vegetables every day, but we don't stress about adding sausage and french fries or a frozen pizza (OK, we had frozen pizza this week too) to the menu. And I think we're a happier family because of it.
4. We're part of something much bigger than what goes on in the four walls of our house every day. Our family is one little piece of our local church, and our local church is one piece of the church of Christ across the globe. This weekend marked a special moment in the story of our church as we broke ground for a new sanctuary being added to our building. With the Lord's help, we will be able to share the love of Christ with more people than ever before as we make physical room for them, while also making room in our hearts.
5. One chapter of scripture can sink deeper into your heart every time you read it, specifically if those readings are layered one after the other. For the last eight months, I've taken a new spin on daily Bible reading. Each week I take one passage of scripture and read it every day of the week. This week's chapter, Psalm 130, was especially hearty for me and I keep adding notes to my margins as I read it throughout the week. Let a piece of God's Word do this for you; give a chapter more than one reading and see what the Lord shows you as you read it on repeat.
It was a hectic week and not once did I sit down with my gratitude journal and make a list of things to be grateful for. A running list each week is an encouragement, but the blessings that come looping around every week are worthy of remembering too. Reaching a Sunday afternoon and still having my husband and my son safe and healthy under my roof is a blessing not granted to every wife and mother. Not only this, but my uncle and my cousin, both of whom were in dangerous accidents this week, were also preserved from harm. Gratefulness always inspires more gratefulness. Sometimes noticing a few big ways the Lord has smiled on your family can help you see the little ways more clearly too.
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