A picture-less post. For a reason.

We had a great getaway& mini vacation this past week. First, we met some great friends at the lake. I love the friends that you can hang out with, be lazy with, and not necessarily have a minute by minute agenda. I love friends that welcome silence without awkwardness. Those are the friends we got to hang out with! We had some crazy times like trying to find Storms on the lake to eat without success, and then the next day we went to another grill on the lake to eat, only to find out that it closed. All in all it was a great restful time. It probably wasn't really very quiet since we did have 7 kids to look after, but whatever the case, it was fun!
Next, we drove straight from the lake to the beach. We met family there, but we were on quite different schedules, it became amusing! We did had so much fun, even though it wasn't exactly what we were anticipating. I love watching the excitement of the kids. And, even though we probably spent as much time washing sand off of everyone as we did actually playing the the sand (well, maybe I am exaggerating), we had a blast. I took some pictures of our time away, but overall, I felt like the Lord prompting me to be still and quiet. To have time for reflection and refreshing. And that is exactly how the whole weekend felt. I loved every minute of it.
I needed to be quiet, rest, and reflect on certain things. I also needed sleep, so I got to bed every night before 10pm. At home, sometimes it is very difficult to get to bed when you are surrounded by "things to get done."

I loved spending the 5 days being still. Listening.
I also spent more time then usual reading, praying and reflecting. That alone is so refreshing!

I feel like the Lord is trying to steer me in a different direction. I believe He is moving me to change some things, and some things drastically. There have been so many thoughts on my mind. Especially as it comes to earthly possessions!

"Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things."
It felt so nice living out of a suitcase. On the ride home from the beach I told Greg how refreshed I felt and how excited I was to get back to our routine for school and home. Then, I'll be honest, I came home. Surrounded by stuff. Laundry, clothes to sort through that kids had outgrown, piles of books, etc.

And, within a moments time I no longer felt refreshed, but overwhelmed. I felt enslaved.

Then, it dawned on me that all of this stuff DOES enslave me. Yes, we do have needs, but I think everyone in our culture recognizes at some point in time how absurd our lifestyles can get.

My kids have more clothes than some children probably ever own in their entire lifetime.
I probably have more "cute accessories" than some people have shirts for their backs.
I fret and spend time concerning myself with seeking out/buying organic, wholesome foods, when people around the world today are dying of hunger.
I have seasonal decorations.
Two sets of dishes.
A pantry full of food.
More clothes than I can keep up with.
I get concerned with having a manicured yard, for the sake of it "looking good."
All things that will burn away, and yet all things that FILL up my time and consume my energy.

"Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life; what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body for more than clothes."

Life is more about food and clothes. He is teaching me that it is ALL about following His Spirit. Daily. Moment by moment.

I have been reading a great book called Forgotten God by Francis Chan. There have been parts of it that as I have I read, I have tears streaming down my cheeks. And I don't cry very easily. ;-) It is not new information to me, but it is challenging and refreshing.

" He calls us to a radical faith...His call is to consider everything a loss for His sake. His call is for total surrender. He calls us to give up all that we have, to give even to the point of offering up our lives as a living sacrifice. His call means realizing that His power is made perfect in our weakness, that when we are weak, we are also strong."

"I don't want my life to be explainable without the Holy Spirit. I want people to look at my life and know that I couldn't be doing what I am doing within my own power. I want to live in such a way that I am desperate for HIM to come through. And, if He doesn't come through, I am screwed."

Essentially, this book is about how we, as the church have sometimes neglected the work and the power of the HOLY SPIRIT. It is about our need for Him every second of every day. It is about following Him and His guidance even in the most difficult of times, and sometimes giving up what we most value or enjoy, even things that are not "sinful." When the Spirit of God is praised, He IS AT work! But often, the church is praised for putting together a great selection of music/talent/entertaining service.

" I might wake up on a particular day feeling physically tired or stressed or impatient, and humanly speaking, those things would probably define my day. But the reality is that I am indwelt by the Holy Spirit. And because of this reality, stress and tiredness and impatience, etc. do not have to define my day."

"We all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3:18

How are we transformed?
By His Spirit.

I want to live in His Spirit daily.
I want my life to be defined by His power so that others can see Him and not me.

I believe that He has brought me to that point of daily needing Him to come through for me.
It's called having kids!

I am praying for ways to grow. Scary! Ways to give.
I felt like He wanted me to start with our home. To simplify. Who says my kids need more than one "Sunday best" outfit? Who says I need a more "fashionable appearance? And who says I need to spend lots of money on the grocery budget to put my mind at ease? I believe that He is the author and giver of every breath, and I fully believe that He will sustain me for as long as He wants me here, even if I don't eat all organic food).
These things are not bad. Not sinful. I am just trying to listen and see where he would lead me.

I want to glorify Him, so that others may also glorify Him.
And, I do not want to be defined by the size of my house, my wardrobe, the pictures I take, or the great foods I eat.
I want to be defined by a total surrender to the One who holds all of who I am in His hands.
I want to live by the Spirit, walk in His ways and consume myself with giving more to others around me vs. building up a great little place that I call "home."

After all, I really won't be here for very long.

So yea, I could post all of the pictures that I took from my trip, but today the Spirit is leading me to spend my time differently.

Only by His power.