Sunday, May 3, 2009

Time....

Today's post...my first "official" post is about the sermon at Fairmount Christian Church in Mechanicsville, VA. If you have Time...listen to the sermon at the church's website sometime. These are just my views on the sermon...not in anyway reflecting anyone else's opinions...just a disclaimer JIC.

Joe and Mr. T (you'll get it if you heard the sermon) did a great job sermonizing about Time today. It's something we all talk about...and mostly complain about. I know in one week I probably say "I don't have enough Time" at least 100 times.
Joe said that we all need to slow down. A simple statement...but it made me realize how much I've rushed through my entire life. Starting in second grade I was thinking about college...getting good grades to get into college and saving money to be able to afford college. What did it get me? I got into a great school....and I accumulated $20k in debt. It also made me miss out on lots of things...I couldn't hang out as much with friends because I was working 2-5 jobs in high school. I don't remember a lot of things from high school because I was always busy with something else.
Well, then I went to college....on the 3 year plan...I had a plan and it involved lots of school...get a year ahead...why not? So the first 2 years...I worked and went to school....had some friends, but never really slowed down to have any fun...the third year...I finally stopped working (off campus) and tried to enjoy my final year at Emory & Henry College. It was the first time in my life that I ever remember slowing down...but I was still had more courses than a full load, joined a sorority (♥ Delta Pi!!), became a student senator, wrote for the college paper, worked on campus as a tutor for 2 classes, and worked the alumni phone drive....where was the Time?
I planned on medical school...that's why I rushed through...didn't have enough Time to study...didn't do well...ended up in grad school....couldn't find work...didn't want to be a doctor anymore (only took me 15 years to figure that out)....went to nursing school (an accelerated program, of course)....and where did that put me? if I had gone to medical school, I would have graduated 6 months before I ended up graduating from nursing school...all that rushing for nearly 20 years and I finished 6 months later than I would have if I had stayed on track...ironic? maybe?
So that all went through my head fairly quickly...takes a lot more Time to type it out. So now Joe is sermonizing about the Time we give to God....whoa...I didn't metion God at all in that tirade about rushing through things. Where was God during all this? Well, He was there....but I never slowed down enough to listen. I remember the first Time God called to me. I was 10 years old at vacation Bible school at my g-ma's church. I tried to tell someone, but somewhere a long the way, I guess I got distracted....
The next time I really remember God, basically yelling at me at this point...I was in graduate school in Norfolk. I was "officially" on my own...separated from my family be distance, finanacially, everything...I was a grown-up. God not only yelled for me, but I yearned for Him....I still didn't make Time...I became depressed and fatigued. It was not a good Time in my life....I wonder if I had made more Time for Him...if I would have better memories of that Time.
I FINALLY started making a little Time for God when I lived in Indiana...I found a friend who made Time for Him during her busy life...and I followed by example. It wasn't much, but I gave God more Time than I had ever in my life.
What took so long for me to listen to God and to give him my Time. My Time that is really His Time to begin with?! What is so important that I can't take Time to be with and talk to and thank my Lord & Savior? Why have I been so naive and so selfish to think my Time is more important than His? Why is watching hours of TV justifiable, but taking minutes to share myself with my Father too much to ask for? It's not, there is no excuse, there is nothing more important. So today, I started this Blog (you can get the history from the first post) because it's my promise to spend more Time with God. I hope to bring more Time with God not only into my life as an individual, but in my marriage. James is the person who brought me closest to God in the first place...so why aren't we giving God more Time in our marriage?
Today is the day I stop asking "Why?" Today is the day that I make a promise and start living up to it. Today, I promise to myself, and more importantly to God...that I will slow down and give God more Time.

He prayed,“O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in all of heaven and earth. You keep your covenant and show unfailing love to all who walk before you in wholehearted devotion. :2 Chronicles 6:14

Let's get it started....

So, "Riding on Empty." Catchy title, right? Well, I could say it's because my car is currently totally on the "E." In fact, that's where I came up with the title....everything today, though, has been leading me to creating this Blog and sharing my thoughts because I, me, myself, and I are riding on empty. Just like when you don't fill your car with gas and it stops...I stop because I don't allow myself to refill more often...and to refill with God is the only way to do more than coast.
I just spent nearly 5 hours catching up on my TIVO because I never have any "me time." I mean, really, I deserve some time to sit and relax, right? But when do I give God any time? I go to church when I can on Sunday mornings. I help in the nursery or with toddlers at church when I can. I joined the drama team at church and go....when I can. Same with the church softball team...when I can. Valiant efforts to give God my time...but I don't really spend quality time with God...so this is where the Blog comes in. My time with God....will be reflected here...where anyone in the world or no one at all can read what I got from a Sunday service or an evening of worship. What happened when I went for a walk and God suddenly spoke to me through the whispering leaves. This blog is where I will really think about the time I spent with God....and hopefully when He calls to me...I'll be open to hear it...and if it's meant to help someone...His Word will be seen here.
This blog is not for me to talk about my life or to be cynical about the things I've seen...it's really for me to reflect on my thoughts and to grow with God as my guide. How is this Blog going to do that? I don't really know yet...but as I was sitting in Church this morning and our service about Time was going on...blog just kept going through my mind...sharing my struggles with knowing when God is talking to me and how to listen....as a young Christian (not by age, but length of time since I was saved [August 12, 2007; best day of my life]), I'm still learning...and I know I will continue to as my age (this time I mean since birth).
So this is the intro....I'll write another about todays sermon...about how Time is truly a Godly gift. How I hope to use it better. And at least one post a week is promised to anyone who reads this...and to myself...so that I can see how I grow as a Christian...how to give myself a committment that I will spend time with God more often...
maybe future blogs will make more sense...b/c I know right now, this post doesn't.