Hot Wheels and Dishes in the Sink

We've had a challenge put on us by our pastor to really press into the Lord in the next 21 days.  It's a call to unplug from our busy lives and really seek after the face of God.

We started Sunday.

Can I share with you just what I've learned since then?

I've learned that God has been trying to press into me for sometime.  It's amazing how our busy-ness can cause us to push back from God, even without knowing.

I've learned that I've recently held a jaded view of the Lord.  I've held a view of punishment and wrath, but have overlooked the goodness He offers to those He loves.  I've done this, yet my life verse is Zephaniah 3:17:

For the Lord your God is living among you.
    He is a mighty savior.
He will take delight in you with gladness.
    With his love, he will calm all your fears.
    He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”

I'm learning just how much of my day He can absorb if I allow it.  By pressing into Him and praying for Him to open my eyes and burden my heart to desire Him more, He's showing up in places in my life that I'd ignored Him for sometime.  He's in the car, He's in the rain(bow), He's in the way I approach my kids, He's in the music I hear.  

I'm learning that I've missed the joy of the blessings for sometime, mostly because I've missed the blessings.  It's the whole you can't see the forest for the trees idea.  Can I explain to you how overwhelmed I was last night climbing into bed and realizing that our mattress was littered with Hot Wheels?  A week ago, I would have been overwhelmingly agitated that I'd need to get up and clear stuff out.  I know exactly what I'd think, "He shouldn't be in our room anyway!"  Not last night.  No, last night my very - first - thought was, "Praise God I have a little boy, one who is healthy enough to play with cars, we have the means for him to have these cars, and he feels safe enough to enjoy them in our home.  He likes being near us, with us, around us, and it won't always be this way.  There will be a day without Hot Wheels cars in my bed, and those will be the days I'd do anything for the opportunity to have to get up to clean them out."  

Perspective.  He's given me perspective.  

Today - Bryton had a hard time napping.  Hubs took away all of his snacks for the rest of the day.  B and I were on our way to church tonight when an idea struck me, knowing he normally gets a snack at church, "B, when they try to offer you a snack at church tonight, I want you to be honest and tell them that you can't have one because you were naughty and didn't nap."  We talked about it for just a couple of minutes, and I didn't have my hopes up that he would actually do it.  By the time I got him inside, I'd forgotten about it.  

Upon picking him up - Ms. Joy ran up to me immediately, "He was so sweet tonight.  When we tried to give him his snack he said he couldn't have it because he'd not taken his nap today."  He'd followed through.  Blessing. 

A - her and her 1 1/2 (almost) year old self has been putting her dishes away in the sink.  Consistently.  Little (ok, big for her age, but still little) girl can hardly reach the sink, but prides herself everytime that dish drops.  Blessing.  

So much of life and faith depend on perspective and attitude.  Things I fail at more often than I'd like to admit, but places that God is convicting and showing me there's a better way.