Monday SHINE....
Today's Reading: Job 23
Good Monday morning, SHINE girls!
Today is our LAST week of school here in Morgan County, Georgia! Hooray!
I have a little something to share. (surprised?)
Yesterday morning, we woke up like any other Sunday. I was prepared to start getting ready for church after breakfast.
Lem, instead, suggests that we go on a family hike.
Seriously? YES! I am doing the happy dance along with the kids.
I LOVE hiking with my family. Especially on a beautiful Sunday morning.
More than anything, I LOVE flying by the seat of my pants! I love spur of the moment plans! NOTHING makes me happier!
Lem then spends an hour on the computer looking for the "perfect" place to go. (he's not the fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants kind of guy. He's the planner in the family...can you tell?)
When he finally decides on the "perfect" spot, he sits us down and tells us all about it. (yawn)
I am half-way listening. I just know that I need to pack a cooler, some food, and throw my day-old hair up in a pony tail and hit the road.
The kids are just like me. They are just ready to scoot out the door. Who cares where we go...let's just go!
It was decided. We would bring our Bibles, have church in the car, and have lunch on the road. The trip would take 3 hours to get there.
I was fine with that.
When Lem finally finishes telling the details, I head to the kitchen and open the pantry. We only have 3 slices of bread for our sandwiches.
Shoot.
I tell Lem that we will have to pick up Subway or something since we are low on groceries.
The plans halt.
Lem says, "We don't need to eat lunch out. So, since we don't have bread, we are not going."
Do WHAT???
I was devastated.
(more like angry, if I'm being honest.)
After a long, very long war of words with my Lem, I go to the bathroom and start getting ready for church.
I was not happy about it, though. (understatement of the year.)
I had scolded Lem (in front of the kids) for leading us on to think we were going hiking and then shooting our plans down.
He was (as usual) calm as a cucumber. He told us to all get ready for church. That was the Hill Family's new plan.
Uggh.
As I stomped to the bathroom, I could feel the Holy Spirit gripping my heart.
"You know better than to act like this, Jill. What are you teaching your kids? Go apologize to Lem. He is only trying to take care of his family. He knows what is important."
After a few minutes of hard-core conviction, I go to Lem. Through gritted teeth, I apologized. (he laughed at me for being so childish.) I gritted my teeth (again) as I smiled.
We went to church. We came home for lunch....and had a wonderful day.
Girls, why am I telling you this story?
To let you know that being obedient, holding my tongue, and apologizing for irrational behavior, is a daily struggle for me.
It does NOT come easy. However, it does get easier, the more that I do it. Some days are a bigger struggle than others. (like yesterday)
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23
I don't know why there just happened to be 3 pieces of bread in the pantry. If there would have been 4, the kids could have split one, and I could have gone without.
Maybe the Lord was protecting us? Maybe the Lord just wanted to see me act in obedience--even when it was going against my flesh and something that I really, really, really wanted to do?
I may never know.
I do know this: Hiking or not, we had an awesome day. Church was wonderful, I got a lot of laundry done, and a whole lot of time with my kids and husband at home.
Whatever you think your plans hold today, girls....be flexible. Be obedient. Listen to the Lord (or your hubby!) when He wants to change up your plans. He knows what is best for you.
There just may be someone on your new and unplanned path that needs your ears to hear them. That needs your hands to help them. That needs your feet to walk with them. That needs your arms to hug them. That needs your heart to love them.
Trust the Lord with your day. Trust the Lord with your week. He knows best.
"In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9
Listen closely for Him. He's speaking to you. Yes, YOU!
unlacing my hiking boots,
jill
Good Monday morning, SHINE girls!
Today is our LAST week of school here in Morgan County, Georgia! Hooray!
I have a little something to share. (surprised?)
Yesterday morning, we woke up like any other Sunday. I was prepared to start getting ready for church after breakfast.
Lem, instead, suggests that we go on a family hike.
Seriously? YES! I am doing the happy dance along with the kids.
I LOVE hiking with my family. Especially on a beautiful Sunday morning.
More than anything, I LOVE flying by the seat of my pants! I love spur of the moment plans! NOTHING makes me happier!
Lem then spends an hour on the computer looking for the "perfect" place to go. (he's not the fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants kind of guy. He's the planner in the family...can you tell?)
When he finally decides on the "perfect" spot, he sits us down and tells us all about it. (yawn)
I am half-way listening. I just know that I need to pack a cooler, some food, and throw my day-old hair up in a pony tail and hit the road.
The kids are just like me. They are just ready to scoot out the door. Who cares where we go...let's just go!
It was decided. We would bring our Bibles, have church in the car, and have lunch on the road. The trip would take 3 hours to get there.
I was fine with that.
When Lem finally finishes telling the details, I head to the kitchen and open the pantry. We only have 3 slices of bread for our sandwiches.
Shoot.
I tell Lem that we will have to pick up Subway or something since we are low on groceries.
The plans halt.
Lem says, "We don't need to eat lunch out. So, since we don't have bread, we are not going."
Do WHAT???
I was devastated.
(more like angry, if I'm being honest.)
After a long, very long war of words with my Lem, I go to the bathroom and start getting ready for church.
I was not happy about it, though. (understatement of the year.)
I had scolded Lem (in front of the kids) for leading us on to think we were going hiking and then shooting our plans down.
He was (as usual) calm as a cucumber. He told us to all get ready for church. That was the Hill Family's new plan.
Uggh.
As I stomped to the bathroom, I could feel the Holy Spirit gripping my heart.
"You know better than to act like this, Jill. What are you teaching your kids? Go apologize to Lem. He is only trying to take care of his family. He knows what is important."
After a few minutes of hard-core conviction, I go to Lem. Through gritted teeth, I apologized. (he laughed at me for being so childish.) I gritted my teeth (again) as I smiled.
We went to church. We came home for lunch....and had a wonderful day.
Girls, why am I telling you this story?
To let you know that being obedient, holding my tongue, and apologizing for irrational behavior, is a daily struggle for me.
It does NOT come easy. However, it does get easier, the more that I do it. Some days are a bigger struggle than others. (like yesterday)
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23
I don't know why there just happened to be 3 pieces of bread in the pantry. If there would have been 4, the kids could have split one, and I could have gone without.
Maybe the Lord was protecting us? Maybe the Lord just wanted to see me act in obedience--even when it was going against my flesh and something that I really, really, really wanted to do?
I may never know.
I do know this: Hiking or not, we had an awesome day. Church was wonderful, I got a lot of laundry done, and a whole lot of time with my kids and husband at home.
Whatever you think your plans hold today, girls....be flexible. Be obedient. Listen to the Lord (or your hubby!) when He wants to change up your plans. He knows what is best for you.
There just may be someone on your new and unplanned path that needs your ears to hear them. That needs your hands to help them. That needs your feet to walk with them. That needs your arms to hug them. That needs your heart to love them.
Trust the Lord with your day. Trust the Lord with your week. He knows best.
"In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9
Listen closely for Him. He's speaking to you. Yes, YOU!
unlacing my hiking boots,
jill
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| my hunky hiking man, and our off -spring. :-) (on one of our hiking excursions) |
