Living in Him

Daylight savings time is not my friend. Every year it seems we have just gotten into a nice groove of the kids waking up a little after 7am, and then it hits. I knew it was coming, but somehow hoped this year we'd all actually enjoy the extra hour of sleep. It sort of took me by surprise that I was jolted out of bed by 4--yes, all 4--little voices at 6:00 on the dot.

You see, I make every effort I can to wake up before my kids. It's not at all something I do because of legalism or because I want to seem all spiritual. The Lord (and a dear friend) truly led me to this habit about 4ish years ago and ever since I have come to realize I need this morning time with Him. A chance to refresh in the quiet, to fill my spirit with the truth of God's Word and ask Him to guide my day, before little feet and loud voices come running my way.

I am so thankful for this morning time, but with four very young kids, it is not a guarantee. Yesterday was a prime example. I was sort of alarmed at my panic reaction when I realized I would not get a moment of quiet. I started thinking, "What if I can't get to my chair...I can't get my coffee and open my Bible before they get loud and unruly and someone needs to go potty (they would still be in their rooms until 7--rules!)...this day is totally ruined!"

My solution was to get in the shower to at least drown out the noise, and hope that it would be quiet when I got out. And God spoke to me in that time. He seemed to place the question on my heart, "Am I any less accessible when you don't get your morning quiet time in? Am I further away from you?" Of course, the answer is a big fat NO, but why don't I get it sometimes? I think I found the key is in seeking.

"Seek and you will find..." It is a common phrase found many places in the Bible. Maybe that is because I'm not the only one who needs to be reminded. Seek Him! Find Him! Seek the Lord in the morning quiet and in the chaos both. Seek Him in the laundry or bills piled up. Seek Him in the dirty dishes, the school books, the phone calls, the sickness, the family dynamics. Seek in the messy moments and the ones that go just as we planned (that happens on occasion).

"God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and have our being." ~Acts 17:27-28

I will continue to be recharged through my quiet moments with God before this house starts buzzing. I know He will continue to provide those moments, though they may be interrupted at times. Lord help me figure out what it truly means to seek you in every moment of my day, to truly live and move and have my being in you, even when the morning quiet is scarce.