Journaling, I Timothy 4:8 and Psalm 115-118

As I was jogging today this verse came to mind-I Timothy 4:8,

"7Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. " 

These verses were the verses I have on my 8th grade confirmation braclet.  Amazing how the mind works to recall things.  8th grade was 20 years ago!

God used this verse to convict me.  Justin, took the kids out to breakfast and I was using this quiet time to jog and not to be with Him.  But God who is ever gracious allowed me some quiet, clock ticking time when I got home before two monkeys and handsome husband burst in the house.  I am thankful.

I have come to realize that I haven't spent much time alone with God.  Sure I have had a 10 minutes before the kids wake up or the 10 minutes before my head hits the pillow at night.  WHICH IS GOOD. I have had moments of decent time during naps and quiet room, but I haven't really sat with Jesus and listened much. I have been living on crumbs and not on a whole meal. 

Katie and I are reading, Little House in the Big Woods and we finished the section where Laura and Mary ask about why Sundays are so hard.  Why they can't play. Why do they have to listen to the Bible or only play hymns on the fiddle. The story doesn't say why it is like this, but Katie and I concluded that the Sabbath is God's day, it is a holy day so one must be respectful of His day of Rest.  My mind went back to college and the days or 1/2s of sabbaths we were encouraged to have.  As a culture we don't have Sabbaths anymore.  Stores are always open, technology is always beeping at us, we run from church to errands to small groups etc...And I think now if I have an extra 3 hours I spend it keeping the house or running errands or jogging.  I am in the rut of the world.  'Do something', don't just sit, listen, journal and read  But I do desperately want to cultivate the disapline again of time with Jesus. I would love it to be everyday or once a week, but I am praying to have one day a month. Time where I sit, quietly with my Bible and journal, for two or three hours listening and thinking through what life should look like with Jesus.  I want to study life giving words! I want to put down my idols and turn to Jesus.  I want to have a soft heart to hear Him lovingly correct me and the strength to trust and do what He asks of me. And I know to do this, I need to be with Him.  We also desire our kids to have this relationship with Jesus. And therefore our kids need to see us desperate for Him. 

A few Psalms that I have read a lot lately are Psalm 115-118.  They are life giving.  I have  been pondering them, chewing over them throughout the day and it has been so good.  In these Psalms there are words like, trust, lovingkindness, truth, call upon, thanks, fear, death and love.  These passages are rich with truth and have brought perspective back into my life.  They have slowed me down to truth in Jesus and not in myself.  They have pointed me to Him and His purposes.  They have grounded me again in what is right, true and lovely.  

This post is really a post for me.  A way to hold myself accountable to spending time with Jesus.  And, if you want, feel free to ask me if I am actually spending time with the King of Creation and ask me what He has been teaching me.  Hope you all are able to sit and be with Him too soon. 

-PS, Justin gave me an extra 2 hours on Saturday morning.  Refreshing and thankful am I!