Thinking Things Out…In His Presence

I have been thinking about things.

Really, God has been working on me about a few things.

I've just been sitting back thinking on what it is He is working on me about.

I know, I just finished that sentence with a preposition.

Yesterday morning, our daughters came into our room and got into bed with us and we talked and laughed and shared a leftover cranberry scone that a lovely friend made.

We needed to rush.

To get ready for church.

But it seemed so perfect 

what we were doing

laughing 

and talking 

and getting crumbs 

everywhere.

Ellie told us about a part of the book "Diary of A Wimpy Kid"

when Greg fell asleep in the bathroom. 

On the toilet. 

(I just whispered that part).

When he woke up, he stood with a start but his legs were asleep 

and he fell

and broke his wrist.

What middle school aged boy wants to admit that he has a cast on his arm because of a 

bathroom incident?

(also whispered)

So he told everyone he got into a fight 

and the sheer force of his punch

broke his wrist.

We skipped church.

A few years ago, 

that would've driven me crazy with guilt.

I would've heard about it

from others

who would've driven me crazy

with guilt.

And I would've been tempted

like Greg and his fake fight story

to make up some noble, 

worthy story 

of why we couldn't make it.

But things are different now.

I realize that although I feel the presence of the Lord at my church on Sunday mornings

the Holy Spirit is with me always.

And most certainly yesterday morning in the bed with my girls eating a scone and laughing.

Monte did read a devotion 

lest the guilt bubble up on either of us later.

He read from a devotional that McDaniel had received from her youth pastor for Christmas.

Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

I don't remember what he read but only that I liked it.

I picked it up again

as I was drying my hair later that morning

and read the introduction.

Sarah quotes J.I. Packer in his book "Your Father Loves You", 

"God…guides our minds as we think things out in His presence."

Isn't that amazing?

Because I am ALWAYS trying to figure something out.

Grasp it.

Make sure I don't miss the lesson

the big picture

the boat.

I just LOVE this image of God being 

right there

in front of me as I melt my brain trying to get it all and He is

right there

guiding my mind.

Thank you, Lord.

Because He knows the carnival ride

that is my mind

yet He still guides it.

Thank you!

This morning, I picked up Jesus Calling again

flipped to the first devotion

January 1 based in Romans 12:2 and Jeremiah 29:11:

"Come to Me with a teachable spirit, eager to be changed. A close walk with Me is a life of continual newness. Do not cling to old ways as you step into a new year. Instead, seek My Face with an open mind, knowing that your journey with Me involves being transformed by the renewing of your mind. As you focus your thoughts on Me, be aware that I am fully attentive to you. I see you with a steady eye, because My attention span is infinite. I know and understand you completely; My thoughts embrace you in everlasting Love. I also know the plans I have for you:  plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Give yourself fully to this adventure of increasing attentiveness to My Presence."

…Continual newness.

Do not cling to old ways…

…My attention span is infinite

I know and understand you completely…

Give yourself FULLY to this adventure of increasing attentiveness to My Presence.

Makes this crazy girl feel loved.

How about you?

After dinner we decided to have a "Dance Off" playing Wii's Just Dance 4.

Oh. 

My. 

Goodness.

First of all, 

I am going to have to step up my workouts

because I was WEARY

after all that dancing!

McDaniel looks like she is cowering in fear
that I am going to clobber her mid-dance.

Don't you love the Matrix-like dance style
of Monte? The speed of his arm
movements even caused blurring.

Through some truly UNFAIR conspiracy

Monte and I ended up on the same team.

We got smoked.

But we did laugh 

a lot.

Our most fun song was when he and I danced to the Blues Brothers song, 

"Everybody Needs Somebody To Love".

(Monte and I dressed up as Jake and Elwood not once but TWICE for Halloween. 

We even learned the dance to perform at a party. 

We "practiced" in front of our very shy college student babysitter and she 

nearly died of embarrassment.)

Last night Monte turned on one of those 30 on 30 shows on one of the cablillion sports channels we get.

It was about college basketball coach Jim Valvano.

Most just called him Coach V.

He coached an amazing underdog team to a NCAA championship

then died at 47 of bone cancer.

He was a sought after speaker before he was diagnosed with cancer.

After he was given his terminal diagnosis, Coach V was given the Arthur Ashe Courage and Humanitarian award at the first ever ESPY awards.

He said this in his acceptance speech:

"To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. And number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special."



It didn't strike me until this morning that there was still the tiniest bit of guilt in me and God was using that show and Coach V's speech to say:

So what if you missed church one Sunday.

You did the right thing!

You laughed with your girls.

You read my Word and talked and thought.

You danced!

You had a full day.

You made something special.