Going through the motions. Have you ever found yourself there? Nothing exciting or tragic has happened. I'm not unhappy. I'm content. My life is full of loads of laundry, purchasing flip-flops and sunscreen, cooking meals, groceries, hugging boys, pulling weeds, working on spreadsheets and planning events at my paying job, mowing, dusting, visits to the library, washing windows, paying bills, reading, conversations with Pat, lunch with friends, shooing neighbor boys out of my house, watching movies and planning for summer activities.
The calendar and To-Do list are Overflowing. This Overflow is my life...but... I'm missing something.
What is missing is my closeness with God. This happens to me periodically and this time it's been going on for a few months. I try and it feels like He isn't there. I know He is so I keep chatting. It's an empty feeling and I'm so thankful I know what the full feeling is like. The feeling of having God in my life. The thing is...I'm not holding up my end of this relationship. My chats with Him have been happening less often. My morning quiet time has been more reading and pulling weeds than journaling, studying and talking to God. When I neglect this part of my life everything else suffers. This nurturing of my relationship with God is a discipline I have let slide.
I'm feeling the hunger pangs again though. I'm curious. I want to feel that closeness again. I want to talk to Him. I want to learn again. There is hope.
*All photos courtesy of flickr.com
Until Next Time,
Jackie
A very timely post for me too, Jackie. I am 'there' as well. Perfect... thank you :) -Tammy
ReplyDeleteThank you for the food for thought. Good timing for me and my family.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you've had time for a blog make over. Very pretty.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy you day.
Blessings
Patti
Great post, love the new look.
ReplyDelete........:-) Hugs
I guess we've all been where you are, many times. Sometimes I find that just going through the motions is what keeps me going.
ReplyDeleteI just love the new look on your blog. It's so welcoming.
I am also acquainted with "going through the motions". It does seem to ebb and flow. I have come to realize it is ok to go through the seeming dry spells. God is just so big and so great and so much that I obviously cannot contain Him. These "rest" periods or valleys or whatever you want to call them come and go. I have learned I cannot live on the mountaintop all the time. Indeed, I would never know a mountaintop if I didn't know a valley. I've come to accept He's God, I'm not. I look for Him, I listen for Him, sometimes with boldness and intensity, other times in weakness and longing. I don't understand it, but I know He is there and He loves perfectly. Goodness I am rambling, hope this makes some sense. But I totally related to what you've said here...thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI think everyone goes through a period like you described you are going through right now. I know I have. Thank you for your transparency here, Jackie.
ReplyDeleteThank you, also, for stopping by and leaving me a note the last few days. I'm glad you are able to enjoy the fruits of your labor with the lettuce.
Also, wanted to mention that I love the new look of your blog!
Going through the motions. Oh yes, I have been feeling like that since March. Sometimes I find it comforting and sometimes it sort of aggravates me! Then I take a walk and look at all the beauty around me, listen and smell summer and it all gets worked out in my head. Content is a great place to be :) Busy, I don't know. It would be nice if things slowed down a bit!
ReplyDeleteYour new blog is cheery and fun! Feels like Spring :)
This is exactly what the Lord spoke to me about yesterday and today in my long overdue quiet time with Him. My life gets all out of sorts and stressful when I let other things take first place and don't have a quiet time. When I do, it's like a huge boulder gets lifted from my chest and I even accomplish so much more on my day's list than if I hadn't talked to God first.
ReplyDeleteI love your new header and blog look Jackie!
Lee Ann
First time visitor so please forgive me for saying this but...sounds like you've got too much of, just about, everything. IOW, your life is so crowded you don't make room for the Thing that truly matters and holds everything else together.
ReplyDeleteHow do I know this? Because this is something I allow to happen in my life with too much frequency. Life is stuffed full of busy but what we crave is God solitude time. Remember what Thoreau said? "One chair for solitude, two for companionship and three for company."
It's time for one chair and a Bible.