A little time makes all the difference

As a busy momma of 4 boys I often find it hard to set aside time to spend with the Lord. Usually when I wake up in the morning its to the noise of hungry boys looking for breakfast.

I've tried setting an alarm to wake myself up before they get up but it doesn't work. It goes off, wakes them and me up and then I end up being ready for bed again at 3 o'clock in the afternoon! I am just not a morning person no matter how hard I try to be.

Then there is trying to spend time with the Lord before I go to bed at night. I get all the boys in bed, but then there are a million last few things to do before I pass out myself. By the time those are done I'm too tired to focus on the Word and actually get something out of it.

I think what works best is for me to start my mourning routine, get dressed, feed myself and the boys, and then let them have free time while I read the Word and pray. If I stick to my mourning routine there is plenty of time for this before we start school.

If I start this way my eyes are more open to the Lord in my life throughout the day. Things seem to go a little smoother. I seem to get more out of my day. When I start stringing together days and (gulp) weeks, together where I don't spend that time with the Lord daily, and you've got one miserable woman/wife/mother.

Why do I do this? I know that when I consistently spend time with the Lord on a daily basis through His Word, through prayer, through praise, through fellowship, etc, that I do so much better. I am a much better person, better mother, better wife. I know this. I also know that when I don't my life seems to fall apart. I lose my temper, I am easily irritated, easily distracted, I lose my focus and get discouraged. I know this too.

I guess it goes back to the flesh vs. spirit battle. My spirit is willing to be transformed into the image of God's Son and yet my flesh is fighting to remain in a sinful state.

"I die daily" That's what it comes down to. A daily decision to die to myself. To put aside what I "feel" like, and do what I know is right.

I know from past experience that the more I make time to spend with the Lord, the more I feel His presence in my life. He's always there, but I'm not always looking His way. Also when I start stringing these days together the easier it gets to make the time to spend with Him.

I truly love my Lord. My life is His. I am not perfect, I cannot say that everything I do is for Him alone, but I can truly say that my desire is to be able to say one day that all that I do is for Him, and motivated out of love for Him. One day, when this life is over, I will be able to say this.