Blessings

It's President's day.  My daughter is out of school today, so I thought we (mostly I) would sleep in a bit.  I was actually wide awake at about 6:20.  Ugh...  Then my 5yr old son came and crawled in bed with me.  

We stayed there for about 15 minutes, both pretending to sleep (I wanted to sleep, he wanted to play the Wii).  I debated over whether or not to get up.  I WANTED so badly to sleep and I knew if I stayed there long enough, I would eventually slip back into dreamland... maybe he would too.

I began to think about all I have to do this week.  There is always so much on my plate - or at least that is how I feel!  Then I thought about our small group.  Last night we were talking about what keeps us from living out the Word.  What keeps ME from being a living sacrifice?

Romans 12:1-2 says 
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

You know what I decided last night?  Really nothing new at all... simply put, I am TOO busy.  Too wrapped up in "all I have to do this week".  I give too much of my time to things that do not really matter... things of this world.  What can I do to change this?  Keep in mind I am still buried under the covers at this point.

I am wide awake.  Why am I not DOING something?  By now, I have a mental picture of my calendar in my head.  I have so much to DO!!!

Wait... you know what you should do, Beth?  Get up.  Quit hiding in the bed and take advantage of this not so crazy morning!   

After all my debating and stressing about mostly unnecessary busyness, I got up and made my coffee.  Now I am back in bed.  There are pillows piled behind me and Bible study materials piled in front of me.  I saw the sunrise.  Did you know that if I open the blinds that are in front of the patio doors in my room I actually get to see the sunrise?  I did not!    

I hear my kids laughing in the next room as they enjoy their slower paced morning.  The birds are chirping outside my bedroom door.  The dog is snuggled up under the covers right beside me.

The most precious part of my morning just may have been when my 9yr old daughter came in to ask me a question.  As she was leaving she said "You look beautiful!"  

I know this will sound silly, but that meant so much to me.  Here I sit, bed head and pj's., no makeup and glasses.  My hair is piled on top of my head.  My Bible, journal, pens and hilighters are all over the bed in front of me.  The sunlight is streaming in the back door of my room.  She saw beauty in this.  What a blessing!

You know, if I had gone back to sleep, I would have slept too late and gotten up in a rush.  If I had not gotten my tail out of bed and taken advantage of having unhurried extra time with HIM... some of these things I mentioned would not have occurred this morning.

I am SO thankful for ALL the blessings given to me DAILY!  My goal this week is to SLOW DOWN and THINK about how I spend my time.  What do I give my time to that is really unnecessary?  What can I eliminate?  What can I decrease so that HE can increase?

 "He must increase, but I must decrease."  

-John 3:30