Friday, May 1, 2009

REST? What's that?

"There just are not enough hours in the day!" "I have so much to get done but I don't have the time or the energy to do it!"

Ever caught yourself saying these things? I do, maybe too much. I'm always making excuses. I have four children now five years and under. They require a ton of my attention. My husband, the house, my ministry...There are just not enough hours in the day and even if there were I wouldn't have the energy to do it. Sometime I feel like I am just "going through the motions".

Females naturally function on "high speed" trying to juggle house, home, work, relationships. Us as Americans have also been taught this lifestyle of working around the clock. I know God did not intend for us as women, wives, and mothers to be so tired and worn out. I, for one, am too young to feel this way. Aren't I?

Yesterday, after a full day of breastfeedings, diaper changings, school work, breaking up fights, cleaning up messes, laundry, vacuuming, cooking, and shopping my husband arrived to take over and I headed to work. Yes at 6:30pm I started yet another "job". Sure the office lacked the screaming children and the responsibilities of a home but I was faced with a new set of responsibilities. Childcare schedules, printer malfunctions, computer issues, paperwork, and craft prep. Finally at 9:30pm I headed home giving up on the slow computer and faulty printer. Did I even get anything done?

I arrive home to my oldest two girls jumping around the living room at 10pm. My husband dozing off on the couch feeding the baby and a messy kitchen! So I put back on my mommy cap. Got the girls into bed and cleaned up the kitchen. Sat down to nurse the baby and flipped through the stations for a while. My body and brain were fried. Finally at 11:30pm my channel surfing lead me to a Joyce Meyer broadcast. Every time I watch her the Lord uses her to speak to me and last night was no different.

She was teaching on health and happiness. #1 Drink Water. Yuck! I am really bad at this...it has no taste. Ok, Lord, I will work on it. #2 Get enough sleep and rest. What's that? I guess she doesn't realize that I have four small children that need me around the clock and a husband that works hard and sleeps harder.

She spent the entire broadcast bringing home the point that we need to get rest to function. So I encourage you to join me as I strive to get rest. Not so much to take a nap but to sit still and know that He is God! I am asking God to bring resoration to my body and mind so that I can continue fulfilling the responsibilities that I have taken on as a women, wife, mother, and child of God!