Enslaved

While the primary purpose of this blog has been to keep you all up-to-date with our family, I'm starting to feel the pull to share a little something more.  Motivational speaker, Priscilla Shirer (Going Beyond Ministries), talks about how we become enslaved to things in our life - "Are we so addicted with chaos that we can't even enjoy a break when it's thrust upon us? .... Because anything we've been given to enjoy outside of the boundaries in which it was designed to flourish will cause chaos, catastrophe, disaster and destruction in our lives."

Seriously, let those thoughts soak in for a few minutes.

She challenges us all to think about things in our life that are have taken over in place of God (anything from shopping, eating, social media,work, home improvements, marriage, children, relaxing, hobbies, exercise, appearance, etc.). The list could go on and on and each affects us different based on our personalities and interests. If we can't let God be God in our lives, then we're losing sight of his intentions for us while we're in this world. I'm just as guilty as the next, but in today's society, if we're not "busy," we're not happy.  It seems anymore that when you ask someone, "What have you been up to?" The response, in some form or another, comes with the answer of 'I've been so busy with ...'  Does a full schedule give us a sense of significance or worth? Ultimately I wonder if the these 'things' in our life provide a sense of false self-fulfillment.  Are we just keeping up with the Joneses' because that's what we do in today's world? Who are we trying to impress? Is there ever an end to finding self-satisfaction? She states, "Our tendency toward too-full lives often expresses itself most tangibly in our over-crowded closets, unmanageable table surfaces and cluttered desks as we cram them full of far more than we need.  Even our children fall prey to the chaos of overcrowded living as their toy boxes and bookshelves overflow with more than they ever manage. In the meantime they sit, chin in hand, complaining of boredom."  AMEN! Those words hit home as I have reflected for quite some time about how we {as a family} manage our possessions, time and communication. I've threatened more than once, upon hearing "Mom, I'm bored," that I'm going to pack up all of the untouched toys and give them to children who have none. Empty threats, but I'm feeling like there's more to that idea of getting rid of, or de-cluttering, our lives. My children crave personal time with their family and friends and are always much happier, in the end, with personal interaction than with a toy or electronic device.

I don't know what God as in store for me; but, I want more than THINGS in my life. I want meaningful relationships and self-love. We get one shot at life on Earth and I'm ready to improve myself and hopefully the lives of those around me.