Show me Your ways Lord

Hello, little blog, I promise I haven't forgotten you.

Life has been so busy...

September was packed month. Our family took a much needed one week vacation in Florida. I use the word "vacation" loosely but it was a fun family trip. ;) After that my mom-in-law came in town and we had a baby shower for my sister-in-law who's having her first girl. Also, our very dear friend Kory's wedding was in September, complete with all the wedding festivities: bridal shower, lingerie shower, tool shower, rehearsal, etc, etc, etc. We had some close friends stay with us while they were in town over wedding weekend, which was fun. I also had a couple of events to decorate for. (I think I've mentioned it before, but I do some event decorating for the church and for friends). And actually Kory's wedding was one of those events. We wrapped the month up with a big presentation that Ashley and Emily had at school, in which they both did awesome.

Then there's our weekly home-group, weekly women's Bible study, and bi-weekly adoption group.

And all of this in addition to the daily grind of diapers, laundry, dishes, packed lunches, homework, housecleaning, buying groceries, paying bills and other glorious tasks.

*sigh*

But there's this ever present nudge. Calling me to slow down.

At the risk of sounding overly poetic, the cooler weather always seems to blow a fresh perspective over my life. It beckons me to take deep breaths. To look around and be thankful. It makes me want to slow down. Its almost as if the Creator of the autumn breezes knows whats best for me. ;)

Some things you just can't. Its not as if I can tell my kids that we're giving up evening homework for the week so Mommy can slow down. Its not as if I can just bail out on grocery shopping or laundry or going to our best friends' wedding. Things like Women's study and small group are actually things that refuel me, so I couldn't and wouldn't let those go.

But some things....

I recently made a list. Of all the things that take up time on my calendar. Every. Little. Thing. I needed to evaluate and purge. Its not an easy task, but it had to be done. I'm taking a good look at my weeks and organizing them the way a good homemaker should, with the help of an amazing book "Large Family Logistics" (which I'm sure I've referenced before).

~Monday is Cleaning Day
~Tuesday is Laundry Day
~Wednesday is Town Day (don't laugh, I know it sounds very Little House on the Prairie, but don't know what else to call it)
~Thursday is Kitchen Day
~Friday is Office Day

I've got my schedule all written up. With room to breathe. Room for life. And room to do the things around my house that make life sweeter when I push up my sleeves and attend to. If you've ever seen the program Microsoft One Note, its perfect for my new Home Management Book. I've got a tab for each day, complete with meal plans, to do lists, housecleaning schedules, and links to recipes, etc. I've also got tabs for our family budget, the kids' school stuff, grocery and shopping lists, weekend projects, and all things medical.

Today is Kitchen Day and I baked a loaf of Reeces peanut butter cup banana bread. Next I'm making granola bars, pre-baking some meatballs for dinner, and then hopefully a batch of my laundry detergent.

And because I've kept up with all my other "days" this week (and I'm ignoring the pile of mail and emails until "Office Day" tomorrow), today I can open my windows, crank up Pandora, and bake my little heart out. Right now Kate is taking her morning nap and Mabry is hosting a babydoll teaparty while she runs into the kitchen periodically with me to lick spoons.

Life is so sweet when its slow.

~~~

That's not all though. There's more on my heart.

Not only is God calling me to slow down, He's calling me deeper. In actuality, I believe He's always calling me to both, but right now, I'm listening.

"Do you really know how much I love you? And do you live like you know it?"
"Will you obey Me at any cost?"
"I have such great things in store for you if you'll follow me deeper."

He's stirring my heart. I don't know where He's going to take me but I know that's where I want to be. I want to chase Him with reckless abandon. I want to give up all the things of this world to know Him more. I want to focus my eyes on Him and not on the fleeting things of this world.

The pot is stirred. There's no going back.

God thank you for guiding me. Give me wisdom, boldness and discernment to do that which You've called me to do, and only that which You've called me to do.

The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands.
Proverbs 14:1

A mans heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.
Proverbs 16:9


Show me your ways Lord, teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation, on You I wait all the day.
Psalm 25:4-5