Clearing the fog before Christmas

OH hello friends :)  Oddly enough I have this day that is being rocked and moved by this crazy world, but as I try to focus my circumstances not on this world but God- I am choosing to see my: cancelling work appointments, late sleeping son and husband and well mannered, on time, ready for school daughter as a gift from him to glorify HIM.  Also thank God for supplements and Juice Plus as another round of cold seems to be on its way as payton sneezed 18 times on me last night (early morning) and Mya woke with a sore throat.  Probably doesn't help we just ate about 5 pies this weekend ;)
  It was an intense but reflective weekend.  Mostly it hit home for me yesterday during an amazing sermon on "Pre-Christmas Calibration" and the story of Mary and Martha.  And now this morning my devotion (which has been getting dusty on my shelf this past week or two, I will ashamedly admit) on how to strengthen yourself in the Lord.  I know the story of Mary(the sister who sits and Gods feet and is in awe of his presence blocking out all distraction) and Martha ( the "do-er" who is busy serving every one and being angry mary isn't helping) seems and old tale to most but two things hit me as this sermon had a new hit on my heart yesterday.  (ps here it is if you have a few minutes to listen www.faithbaptistfellowship.com nov 25 sermon, it will probably be uploaded by tomorrow) Usually we hear it and think "ok, yes do less, stop putting so much on my "to-do" list and pray more.  But the pastors point was not that.  Point 1, "instead of trying to stop being like Martha to be more like Mary, start being like Mary to be able to stop being like Martha."  WHOA that I had to hear more than once to understand but here's what it meant to me: I need to start putting God first, listening to Him, spending time in His word, spend time in silent prayer, then  I can tackle my mile long list and if things don't seem as important they will eventually fall off the list.  I (and josh) start by crossing things off our lists because we think that will give us more time and more opportunities to be with God.   It's all about law and action.  Case in point taking Mya out of dance because it took up too much time and money.... no, it didn't.  We just found something though WE could fix instead of letting God show us how to draw near to him and showing us how we could have peace and see the love of others around us trying to help.  We constantly sit down and try to cross things off our list financially.  Those of you who know me well know we cancel our cable like two times a year, or try to change phone plans or try to down size our house (that was a more recent example).  Now, maybe if we had a moral conviction of those things (which is another blog) then we would need to act and follow through, but WE are trying to fix something without seeking God and trusting him with what he has given us.  Please don't message me that God didn't give us cable ;)
Now, what all this means to me is that I avoid the internal and jump right to the external.  What can I do, how can I fix.  Not, how can I seek God and come closer to understanding who I am in Him? How can I feel his presence and peace more daily and rest under his light yoke?  That was point number 2.  Ask yourself those questions.  Who are we trying to please? impress?  by our Martha get it all done be all we can be attitudes.  Do we rely on others or Christs opinion of ourselves?  I can tell you one thing we would have waaay less stressed society(especially at Christmas) if we took on Christ view of ourselves.  Humans by nature don't want to give up sin and admit a need for a Savior. Then there can  never be an adoption in Gods family and love from him the way it's deserved. People think the bible is full of too many rules but in reality Gods loving guidance for our best interest is less harsh than the expectations we put on ourselves to succeed. We take every thing to far because we are told that it's ok to make yourself happy, to bad WE always fall short and we never get the approval we need.  This year I feel no joy in decorating my house for Christmas because of the stress we have been under, other than putting up our trees and stockings.  When I think of a client walking through my house or someone coming over and seeing it how I usually do it, I think of the praise I would get and it makes me want to begrudgingly haul out my stuff.  But I'm not going to.  I'm going to do my Christmas cards because they have been so far stress free and enjoyable to do.  I am going to look at my two trees, one lovingly decorated by Mya and her cousin and one that I will over primp on, and that will be enough.  I am going to take Mya to her dance competitions and enjoy the heck out of watching her do what she loves and not worry about how Payton is acting or how perfect Mya's hair/makeup and dance moves are.
1 Samuel 30 talks about a group of guys including David coming home from a long journey to find there homes torched to the ground and there woman and children taken away.  It says "they raised their voices and wept until they had no more strength to weep."  I can't imagine the sadness and depression that would cause. Until it then turned to anger and bitterness against David and they wanted to stone him.  Instead of giving up hope he prayed to God to strengthen him and for help in a decision to pursue in battle against those who had taken their families. How long do we sit in the fog of depression until we reach out to God to break the pattern.  I sink into my hole, I give into my desires and bad habits and I over compensate by reaching out to others opinions of me to fill the void that my God can only satisfy.  The world can give immediate, temporary fulfillment and satisfaction buy only God can give eternal security which produces fulfillment and everlasting peace that is OH so satisfying :)
May you reach out to God today for joy all decisions and in return have the most enjoyable pre-Christmas ever!!
laura