August 15, 2013
Today I learned why I am at Belton Elementary in this moment.
There are many reasons but one was confirmed today.
Don’t get all excited…I can’t reveal that reason.
I just know God gave me a peace.
As anxious, overwhelmed and frustrated as I’ve become (sadly) in three days, my purpose was confirmed and that’s all I needed to know.
I struggled knowing I needed to post today because I’ve started posting on Mondays and Thursdays. Well, smart girl that I am obviously forgot we started school for teachers on a Monday. Kids come on Thursday. AND the first real day of school is Monday. In other words, what was I thinking?!?
But, last night, at school I was talking to a dear friend (who continues to inspire me daily! Seriously. Y’all should see her room and the things she comes up with for her kids!) and I left feeling filled. I left the conversation with joy because of so many things. Later when I got home, I was finally finishing our Unglued Bible study and so many things jumped out at me! But last night, this verse was what I needed:
“Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until He comes and showers righteousness on you.” Hosea 10:12 (NIV).
Y’all. If anybody knew about hardships, it was Hosea. He chased and chased after Gomer so many times because God told him to even though she continued to run! He ran after her because of the opportunity to love. The opportunity to “reap the fruit of unfailing love.”
I think I need to break up my unplowed ground, what about you?
We are seeds. We sow seeds. We plow and plant and harvest seeds in every aspect of our lives. Sometimes even in unplowed ground.
The word opportunity has continued to convict/enlighten/inspire me this week…from Ashton Kutcher’s speech at the Teen Choice awards to Richie’s ahhmazing story.
Then, Russ shared this with me: I Corinthians 16:9 “A great door for effective work is open to me and there are many who oppose me.” (NIV)
That door is opportunity! That door is hard to push open. According to Ashton Kutcher, “hard work looks a lot like opportunity!” I wonder if Ashton knew what he was saying what was perfectly in line with God’s word! Are you not as amazed as I am how God knew 2,000 years ago and it STILL applies today!!?!?
Every day we have an opportunity to plant a seed. Every day we encounter an opportunity to plant a seed. Every day we have a choice to plant a seed or leave it buried in the ground. How will you harvest your relationships? What opportunities do you have?
I am so humbled to know that I. Have. So. Much. To. Learn.
Daily.
Every day is a fresh start to water those seeds.
To stand by or to plow the hardened ground.
To harvest or give up.
In Unglued, Lysa said, “When the circumstances of life run you dry, see this emptiness as an OPPORTUNITY. Instead of REACTING out of emptiness, CHOOSE to see this as a beautiful space of grace.” (I added the all caps.)
Love that.
This summer has been flat out exhausting.
We are remodeling a home.
We have a four month old.
We are now starting to school and our house is almost finished so of course moving would be right about now.
We have a two year old.
We have thrown dollar after dollar at this house.
We have a four month old.
We have been under contract on our home for the third time.
We have a two year old.
But in all this, I remember how blessed we are for this opportunity. This chance to live in the home of our dreams. This chance to experience life together with two amazing little boys and incredible family close by. The chance to be us in this life that God so perfectly planned.
This home, this journey has given me the opportunity to learn and every time we showed our house (31 times) we de-cluttered. We simplified. And I am so grateful for these lessons because had these things not happened in the exact order God ordained, I would have missed it. The slightest difference and I would not have read Seven. I would be a serious pack rat. I would not be so grateful. Ouch. That’s really hard to type.
So as I jump all over the place in this one post, I’m reminded of the opportunity to post this. The opportunity to love. The opportunity to be in this very moment. The opportunity to be a wife. The opportunity to be a mommy. The opportunity to be a friend. The opportunity to teach. The opportunity to sow many seeds. The opportunity to harvest them.
The opportunity to be the daughter of a King.
This is the true opportunity of a lifetime.
P.S. I think I could go on and on about this forever so there may be a future post. For now, let me know what you think and if I’m way off base. While you decide, watch the videos. You will be glad you did.
