A week has gone by since I went to North Carolina and then into Tennessee. We have pulled our lives back together after being gone for a week. I have caught up the laundry, grocery shopped, answered emails, made phone calls, gone back to schooling, and so on and so on. But something is different. Something has changed. I talked a little before about God asking me to raise the bar. I went to Ridgecrest with nothing major going on in my life. Nothing dramatic to pray for or God to heal for me personally. I think that those circumstances placed me in just the right mind set for God to overflow my cup. It was as though God said,"Ok life is good... things are solid....now...lets raise the bar. Just making it through the day is not good enough anymore."
So I came home questioning mediocrity, luke warmness, half heartedness.
Where does it exist in my day to day life?
What areas need to change?
And where do I go from here?
This is what it looks like in some areas:
Being a better wife: No complaining! Choosing carefully what I burden my husband with. Praying for him no matter what (when discouraged, I'm moody, bad attitude, any situation). Honoring him at all cost.
Being a better mom: Praying for them no matter what (...) Choosing to spend my time wisely. Pouring Christ into all aspects of their life. Never giving up (even when I am frustrated at a "learning to read assignment" :-) Being available. Handling them and their emotions with care!
Being a better home manager: Saying NO to things that don't help our family. (Birthday parties, social outings, volunteering, and friends)
Protecting my sanity: Refusing to run on empty. When I feel overwhelmed I ask for help. When I need a moment to myself....I ask for help. When I am loosing my mind.....I put my fingers in my ears and listen to myself breathe :-) If I go nuts, the entire house goes nuts.
Being a better Bible study leader: Accepting that I will be held accountable for the women I lead. If I do not study my stuff, pray for them, protect them ...then I will answer for it. Understanding the honor that I have been given to be able to lead and never taking it for granted.
Controlling my tongue: Controlling my words does not only mean "being kind". It also means speaking truth. Raising the bar in this area of my life means speaking the truth into peoples lives when I feel led to do so. Speaking into people's lives in a way that will shine the light of Christ. My husband, my children, my bible study, my friends.
Friendship: Raising the bar in this area, means dropping some walls. Allowing friendships to go to a deeper level and trust people completely. In each church that we have served in I have prayed that God would allow me to have deep meaningful and lasting friendships. He has given those to me in small doses. But never have I been in a place that I have been so surrounded by so many Godly women. I am so blessed with these friendships.
So the theme of my life right now is "Raising the Bar". I accept that this is where God is stretching me right now. But I also accept the my theme may change tomorrow :-) No matter where He is working things out in my life I pray that I will always point to Him. But more than anything I am so very thankful for this season of my life.
~LL
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