With Fresh Eyes

Well, it's been quite the morning in our home to say the least. It's not even 10 a.m. and our little one has already had several lessons in behavioral etiquette...

Among a few other things, Emma has {hopefully} learned that...
Hitting Ma-ma is not OK.
Angrily hitting the {very full} spoon that's feeding you, splattering food all over Ma-ma and the floor, is not acceptable.
And flailing on the floor while screaming at the top of your lungs, unfortunately, does not get you what you want.

All this before 10 a.m.! I haven't even had a chance to make my coffee yet... {sigh} It's gonna be a 2...or 3..or 4-cup kinda morning.

For the most part, Emma is sweet, content and cheerful, and loves to make you laugh. But as she's been growing into her personality, she's had several bad days, in which she's been testy, discontent and beyond irritable. It's during these days I easily become overwhelmed and struggle to maintain an even keel and act in love. I become consumed in maintaining some sort of structure and balance for my family, trying to keep myself {my emotions} bridled and under control. My mind reeling with To-Do Lists, errands and keeping our house together, I neglect my Quiet Time. Sure, I'll retreat for a quick 15 minutes of peace and quiet to pray and read my Scripture of the day. But I return to the hustle and bustle with my heart in the same place, counting on that 15 minutes of God to give me enough "oomph" for the day; enough "God-power" to maintain that calm, "zen", Prov.31 spirit to handle all the day brings.

Yeah, right...

* * * * * *

Sometimes I envy new believers...

They are just ON FIRE for the Lord! They have the amazing privilege of seeing everything with fresh eyes. Verses like John 3.16 and Philippians 4.13 give them chills. Songs we hear all the time and know by heart {Amazing Grace, I Surrender All} bring tears to their eyes.

I'm ashamed to say that, after growing up in church and being a believer for so long, I often read over the verses I've known since Kindergarten {John 14.6, Galatians 3.26...}. I mentally file them away for the next time I share Christ with someone, forgetting their present relevance to me. I mechanically sing Amazing Grace, I Surrender All, and Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus allowing the lyrics to glide over my cold, unaffected heart...

The truth is... I've forgotten.

I've forgotten why I call myself a Christian. I've forgotten the purpose behind my Christianity. I've allowed myself to forget the meaning and the overwhelming depth of what Jesus Christ did for ME! 

We need a renewed fervor and passion for our Lord. We need to focus less on whether the house is spic'n'span or not, and focus more of our attention and energy on regaining a passion and love for our God.

Forget the To-Do Lists, errands, and frustrating tantrums for 30 minutes and read God's Word with fresh eyes and a renewed focus!

Here are some things I have tried in an effort to enhance my Quiet Time...

• Wake up a good 30-40 minutes before my family wakes up.
• Find {or create} a comfortable, clutter-free, relaxing environment. 
• Make sure my cell phone and all other distracting/tempting electronics are OFF. 
• Use a Devotional Guide Book - I've been reading through a 365-day devotional book; Jesus is Calling by Sarah Young. My husband frequently uses the YouVersion Bible App (downloadable on any wi-fi capable device); they have very good topical reading plans and other great resources.
• Keep a Devotional Diary - I record what I read that day, how it spoke to my heart, and the things it revealed to me about myself that I need to ask God to change in me. Actually, writing like this helps me stay focused and resist the urge to jot down a quick To-Do list as things come to mind.
• Keep a Prayer Journal - I record what I prayed for that day/week/month and then record how those prayers were answered. I've found this to be very spiritually enriching! I love looking through my journal and being reminded of all God has done for me. I always close my book in awe of God and His faithfulness even down to the little things.

I hope those few things help you develop and enhance your Quiet Time with the Lord.

As you begin to open yourself up to Him again and your heart draws closer to His, you will find that regained passion and love for Him that you've been searching for all this time...

                  You will see Him in a whole new light...

                                              You will see Him with fresh eyes.