Wonderful Counselor

Life is busy. We have preschool, soccer, cubbies, Mops, Bible Study and in between we try to see the friends, get the grocery shopping done and some relatively nutritional meals on the table. Dad has been swamped and at home maybe one night a week before the kids go to bed. We are all a little tired.
There are days I am overwhelmed by the simple task of getting all the kids clothes on and then there are days, where we are actually all dressed, fed, ready to go and out the door early, with enough time to drive thru and get coffee. (After all, who doesn't deserve an award for getting out the door early with three kids clothed and fed and not screaming like crazy nuts?) I have yet to find a rhyme or reason to why sometimes it's a go and sometimes it's not and frankly, I am not sure I will. I am definitely learning to take life as it comes. Well, getting slightly better at it anyway.
After sitting back and feeling slightly overwhlemed I have already made some adjustments to our schedule next year to cut out a few things and consolidate some others, so hopefully we won't be so crazy scheduled. My kids are too young to be there already and I am working on not heading down the path. We Americans tend to drive ourselves into the ground and I am noticing it starts younger and younger. I am not so sure why we have this sense we need to always be doing more.
I think of my schedule and the schedule of the moms around me and it really is just insane all we try to cram in. On top of it, often I get the sense that there is something else I should be doing. I am beginning to wonder if Satan uses this to bog me down and make me believe that raising my kids, giving my attention to them and focusing on their hearts and their souls isn't enough. I know God would say it is.
Don't get me wrong. I do believe God has other things for me to do...places to serve, people to love, and offerings to give. But I also believe my first priority is my husband and my kids and right now, my JOB is to mold, shape and point my little ones to Jesus. Sometimes I forget and in the day to day routine it doesn't seem like enough and I add more to my plate without consulting Him. Oh if only I learned faster
He calls Himself Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father. And me in my infinite wisdom, truck along without checking and wonder why I feel so overbooked, under prepared and emotionally drained. Hmmm? He costs nothing, He's always available and He's the best out there...Why is it I wait so long to seek His counsel, His strength and His love? Too busy doin' my own thing, I guess. However, I can tell you this...I am working on scheduling more sessions with Him. I think even He'd agree those are worth putting on the calendar!

Sneaky

I was doing my Bible Study tonight and reading a passage in Ezekiel where the elders of Israel are going into dark rooms and worshiping idols, claiming "The Lord does not see, He has forsaken the Land". As though, being in a dark room might keep it a secret from God. He's not stupid...He's omnipotent! I sat there pondering...how they could possibly think they are being sneaky? Probably in the same way I think God won't notice that I didn't crack my Bible all week and seek His advice on life, until...oh say just now...where I decide to go all judgmental on the elders of Israel!
It is funny to me that we think sometimes we can sneak stuff pass God. I do it all the time...maybe he won't notice if I don't follow that urge He's given me, maybe He's to busy to care if I brought my heart issues to Him, or if I just took out my grief on those around me today. Does he laugh or cry? I think if I were God, there would be quite a bit of both. It's like watching our kids (Brayden specifically) sneak into the pantry and get in the candy jar, thinking we won't hear the tic tacs, let alone notice the green saliva dripping from his stuffed mouth when he comes out. On one hand, I want to run to the other room and have a good belly laugh, on the other, my stomach knots up, because I know he is now going to be disciplined and pay the consequences of his actions.
Some people want to think that God is far off and doesn't take time for the details, I think this may be because they want to believe they can sneak by. But here is what I was reminded of tonight...we are not sneaky. We are dumb. Unfortunately for these people and fortunately for these people, God does take an interest in every aspect of our lives and our hearts...so we might as well stop hiding and start turning on the lights and cleaning out the dark rooms. Whether we worship money, our husband, our kids, our neighbors...whatever we put before our God...it's gotta go. Out of first place and into second.
I once again ended my Bible study, with the ever theological and oh so deep..."Yay Jesus!" How grateful I am for someone who can save me from myself and a God, who while He still does discipline and allow consequences for actions, He also offers up extreme grace and mercy to a silly child like me who thinks she can be sneaky.