...there is a time!

"A life lived close to Me is not complicated or cluttered . . . when your focus is on My Presence, many things that once troubled  you lose their power over you . . . though the world around you is messy and confusing, remember that I have overcome the world . . . I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have Peace!"  ~ Jesus Calling

My life sure has not seemed "un"complicated or "un"cluttered as of late, but the past week has been a start.  Though I feel like a week has FLOWN by, I can feel that I am much more "un"cluttered (at least in my mind) than I have been.  I still have "to-do" lists that are a MILE long, but I'm learning to be happy to cross off one or two items - if they aren't all crossed off, the end of the day still comes, and that's o.k.!  So, tonight, there are dishes in the sink, laundry in the hallway, clutter on the bathroom counter, and half packed bags spread all around . . . but, my dad had a good appointment with his eye Doctor today, we had a fun time taking him there, there was LOTS of LAUGHTER in our house, I got to get in a 3.6 mile run/walk on the treadmill, Colton Dixon (who has un-ashamedly shared his faith in Christ) is still on American Idol (which I watched while ON the treadmill!), there are now three peacefully sleeping girls in the house who are excited about their LAST day of school tomorrow before Spring Break and our trip to visit one of their FAVORITE Uncles (and Aunt & cousin too!) . . . so, I'm learning . . . slowly, but, I'm learning . . . learning to make important what is important and let what is un-important stay that way!  I want my life to be less complicated and less cluttered.  I want my focus to be on HIS Presence, I want to be less "troubled" - so that those troubles don't have power over me!

Yes, this world (and sometimes my house, my garage, my yard, my car and my desk at work) is messy.  Yes, the world around me is confusing (my human mind can't wrap itself around WHY Rick had to die), BUT, I do hold on to the hope that HE has overcome the world!  HE has told me these things so that I may have PEACE!

Today, I had ANOTHER reminder of how LOVED I am!  My cell phone rang and the call was a number that was not programmed in my phone and not one that I recognized . . . upon answering the call, it was someone from my church who I "know" but we've not had the chance to become "close".  She said she just had a burden for me today, was I o.k.?  I told her that I was, but was concerned about my Dad's eye Dr. appointment which he was at RIGHT AT THAT time . . . could she please pray for him as well?  She promised to as well as continuing to pray for me and we chatted for a few more minutes before we hung up and I stored her name with her number in my phone . . . so I could text her to let her know that Dad's appointment HAD gone well!  On a day that really was a "good" day, I was again given a reminder that even if I don't always know it and sometimes don't "feel" it . . . people DO care and are loving us by doing the BEST thing they can do, they are praying!   . . . And this is something that I have learned - if you are praying for someone - for WHATEVER reason, LET THEM KNOW!!  You may NEVER know how much of a blessing it will be to them to KNOW they are being upheld in prayer!  Even if it doesn't' seem like a "big deal" to you, it may be just the thing they need to hear!

The devotional that I referenced above ended with Ecclesiastes 3:1, "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under Heaven" . . . which leads into verse 2 . . . "a time to be born and a time to die" . . . another reminder that GOD IS in control, and there is a time for everything . . . even when that "everything" rocks my world and makes it feel "messy and confusing", THERE IS A SEASON FOR EVERY ACTIVITY UNDER HEAVEN!  And, HE is in control of it, I'm not!