Earlier today I was dusting the bookshelves and rearranging the stuff on them. While I dusted the last shelf, Caleb came over and this was our conversation:
Caleb: Don’t just clean it.
Me: But I have to clean it.
Caleb: OxyClean it.
I just started laughing. Obviously he has seen that commercial a few times.
I mentioned before that I was going to write about some things that stood out to me from our ladies retreat. Diane Olson was our speaker, her husband is the president of Northland Baptist Bible College, where I went to school. Here is my first quote from her, and my thoughts about it since.
“Devotions is not an action, it is an attitude.”
How often do we here someone say “I need to have my devotions this morning,” or “I never have time for daily devotions.” Too often. Shouldn’t the thought be “I need to be devoted to Christ” or “I have become devoted to other things, rather than God.” See, I view it as either being focused on me, or being focused on God. When I am thinking about having my “devotions,” I am focusing on what I can get out of it. When I am thinking about being truly devoted, I am focusing on God and what should be done for Him. Am I so devoted that I place Him first in everything: my sleep, my projects, my music, my family? Or, am I selfish that I say I need to have “devotions” so my day will be better. Yes, my day usually goes better when I read my Bible and pray, but that is selfish motivation, and I am realizing just how selfish I really am. Instead, I need to have complete devotion to Him – a willingness to follow Him no matter what, whether it means I have to get up earlier, or move to Alaska in a cabin without electricity where you only see people every 3-4 months. (Josh and I were talking about that, after watching Tougher in Alaska, so it is on my mind.) As you have previously read in my blog about family music, we listen to oldies. A song just came to mind by Olivia Newton-John, “Hopelessly devoted to you.” That song is about a relationship, often fleeting. Can I say that I am hopelessly devoted to Christ? That, no matter what, there is no hope that it would go away?
Lord, thank you for being an example of complete devotion, so much that you were willing to lay down your life, for mine. I pray for that devotion – guide me to it. Enlarge me so that it grows within. I love you, and am eternally grateful for your gift.
Ok, so I know that I have only been posting recently pictures…I promise I will write a real post this evening!! I have been contemplating some thoughts from the retreat last weekend. Anyway, here are pictures of my light finally installed in my kitchen, and my new floor lamp from craig’s list.
