Rested but Weary

"If my energy is spent or I'm just not into the work, the first thing I'm doing is to hold it up to the Lord.  Am I doing the wrong thing? Am I managing my time poorly?  It's okay to feel tired sometimes, but I shouldn't be weary if I'm doing what He's called me to do.  If He's called me, He's equipped me."   - Tapestry Magazine, issue 1

If my energy is spent, the first thing I'm doing is trying to get some extra sleep, or reaching for some (probably unhealthy) food to keep me going.  I lose patience and cry far more easily. Sometimes I complain, or constantly zone out.  Sometimes I'll talk to God and ask Him to get me through it.  These are my responses with being tired or weary.  My first response should be to go straight to God when I'm tired.  But when I'm weary, day in and day out, there might be a deeper problem to address...

First, what am I doing?  How and when am I doing it? Am I in God's will?  Life is so full, with so many responsibilities, requirements, and rushing.  Do I stop and consider God's plan in the midst of my own scheduling? I get tired of hearing people say how the enemy is attacking them, how they are too tired to participate, that they are too busy to come.  People have so much going on, they add to it constantly, then complain when they grow weary.  And here I am doing the same.  Then we push on and often grow more weary.  And more frustrated at exhaustion or failure.  The catch is, if we are doing things - even good things - without working with God and through His purpose, what is actually going to succeed on the level we anticipate?  Why do we try to do things on our own, then become surprised when it doesn't work out?  When weary in daily activities, the first thing to be done is lay them before God.  Ask Him what He would have us do with each task, project, or commitment.  Does my lifestyle need to change, are my priorities straight, or do I need to drop something completely?  God has equipped me to do what He has called.

As I read through Tapestry's article, something in the back of my mind bothered me: don't Christians, in God's will, ever become truly weary? But if He has equipped us, how is this possible? Then I realized, this was written with the author's assumption that your relationship with God is already correct.

This brings me to my second point, the second thing we should do when we feel certain we are in God's will, and yet still find ourselves in a constant state of weariness: check our relationship with God.  It may be deeper than making sure your actions and plans line up with God's.  It may be your heart.  We need to make sure our heart is lined up with God.  Perhaps this should be done before checking our actions, but I fear few people would think to check their hearts first.

 Anymore, it is hard enough to get people to go to church even once a week, let alone read their Bible every day, forget getting something out of it.  It is no wonder we have a nation of weary Christians.  Even if you are acting inside His will and are in His place for you, if you are not abiding in Him and cultivating that relationship, you will grow weary.  We need both: to have a growing and faithful relationship with God, as well as the knowledge and conviction that we are living and acting inside His will.

This means take it to God.  Give it all to God.  Your plans, your worries, your obligations, your frustrations. Your family time, church time, personal time, work time, sleep time.  Are you sure you are managing this the way God would have you? Am I certain that I have talked to God about what I am doing? Beyond that, do I know that my relationship with God is where it should be? Have I spent any time with Him lately?  If the answer to any of these questions is no, I think that is our problem. Going to God, and fixing what is wrong, will be our way out of the constant state of weariness.

Meet Fitzsimmons (and blogging update)

Now that I have this wonderful, lovely, blog-accommodating computer, I plan to be making a few changes around the blog.  On top of a more clean and chic look, and updated "About Me" page, and actual recent pictures of myself, I plan to be adding some new post topics! After all, it may be my blog, but I don't want it to be "all about me."  I'll still be doing seasonal updates, but in addition to pictures about my daily life, the goal is to add in other things that I am passionate about. (in case you're wondering, this will hopefully include style/fashion, Bible study musings, travel, and more) I'm definitely still going to be a lifestyle blogger: covering a little bit of everything in this crazy messy life.  However, I hope to be a bit more organized in the future, that way I can post more than simply random photos! So hold tight as all of the new elements here get up and running!

To help with the new blogging, I want you to meet Fitzsimmons: my new laptop! He is an HP Pavilion, with a touch screen that flips all the way around. I am very excited about this, and I'm hoping the new size and features will help me with my blogging (and be more consistent ;) maybe.)

Spring Lovelies

"It smells like warm!" - Sammy, one of the first days we opened the windows to let the sunshine and fresh spring breezes in.  I sat playing the piano, and he sat in the rocking chair next to me, simply staring outside and watching the robins and the flowers and the neighbors.  This spring Aly was in a production of Mary Poppins, the girls hosted their very own tea party, and I sewed both my sister's theatre costume and a dress for myself. --- In between the business of the season, we spent quite a bit of time enjoying the spring weather. I would carry all of my devotional items outside and Sam all of his coloring supplies and we'd sit on the back deck together.  We also played catch, picked flowers, washed rearranged the dirt on my car, and listened to a lot of K-Love.

Winter Wrap-Up

It's no secret: late January and February are often the hardest parts of the year for me.  Christmas is over, but spring is far away.  I try to fill the rough season will fun activities, good books, and warm drinks.  This year's particular set of fun: The Lunar Chronicles, OwlCrate subscription boxes, Lego Dimensions, a Harry Potter party, bunny snuggles, Sammy's birthday, and snow days.