In This I Live

Sometimes life is what happens when you wake up each day.

Make coffee.
Pack lunches.
Talk with God.

Shower.
Dress.
Check backpacks.
Find hats and mittens.
Find shoes.

Let the dog out.
Let the dog in.

Drink more coffee.
Start laundry.

Wake up the children.
Help them dress. Help them eat. Help them remember spelling words.


Help them remember you love them tremendously and will see them in a few hours.

Take them to school.
Talk with God.

Run a few errands.
Answer a few emails.
Make a few decisions.
Talk with God.

Show up at school to volunteer.
Pour your heart out for the kids.
Encourage. Love. Shine.

Hug.

Cut and paste. Re-shelve books. Colate. Laugh. Listen. Read. Help.

Talk with God.

Welcome home. Fix snacks. Make coffee. Drink coffee.
Prepare dinner. Supervise homework. Encourage play. Referee.

Let dog out.
Let dog in.

Talk with God.

Family Dinner. Laugh. Connect. Laugh. Wonder. Eat. Be thankful.

Give baths. Read books. Snuggle. Pray. Retrieve blankets, bears, bunnies, snacks, drinks, hugs, music, etc. Give hugs. And more hugs. And kisses. Pray.

Sign papers, check backpacks, check emails.

Let dog out.
Let dog in.

Think.
Talk with God.

Wash face. Brush teeth.
Take meat out of freezer for tomorrow.
Switch laundry.

Talk with God.

Sleep.

Repeat.

I once heard someone say that faith is one small step of obedience at a time. Just one step. Then another, then another, then another. Eventually, a long walk is comprised of single steps in the same direction. Is this a life of faith? Each day, one step after another.

I used to think a life of faith would be more glamourous. Big, huge, exciting things happening all the time. But now I realize obedience and faith are pretty much synonymous when it comes to a daily walk with Jesus. It is not the destination that is important right now. For me, it is the journey. One step at a time, each carried out with love and grace, hopefully. Not always, but that's the goal anyway. In looking back over the last few months of steps, I see we've traversed a beautiful path. And we've come up higher, too.

There is a tremendous amount of growth which results from self-sacrifice.

I love this life, this faith-obedience life. I never know what adventure awaits each day. What I do know is that each day I will be loved, directed, and cared for - brilliantly - which allows me to love, direct, and care for others with an ability not of my own making.

This isn't huge, exciting or glamourous, but this is love... not that I love God, but that God loves me, and sent his son... in this, I live. In this, I wake up each day, ready to love the world.