For those of you observing Lent, how is it going? Well, just keepin’ it real here on the blog…but I’m a big Lent failure!! For the first week, I did great…now, I’ve pretty much fallen off the bandwagon.
So, let me just tell you…I have stayed off of facebook AND the blog reading…so in those 2 small areas there has been success. However, I haven’t been able to stay off the computer all day long like I wanted to at first. The first few days, I was challenged in that I had a few phone calls with people needing me to send out emails right then. No problem, get on, send an email…get back off.
Well, then this past week I checked out a book from the library called Real Food. (remember my thoughts on Real Food?) It was great…it gave me websites to check. One click here, another click there and before you know it, I’m online off and on throughout the day researching. I kept telling myself that I was studying and learning how to feed my family more healthy foods…and that is the truth! And it is a GOOD thing…but I still wasn’t keeping up with my commitment to “fast” from the internet. Uggg…
Add in yet another factor…we’ve had sick kids for over 2 weeks here…2-3 days I’ve put movies on for the sickies and well, gotten on the computer! I’m telling you…it was kind of like cabin fever here for awhile and I was so ready for everyone to be well!! And, now, finally I *think* we are all better! Hallelujah!!
And the final “factor” in my list of excuses as to why I haven’t been able to stay off the computer…I’m struggling. I have said it before, but I seem to have this tendency in my life to have waves of ups and downs. This past week has been a hard one. I am finding myself feeling very overwhelmed…very frustrated, irritable. You name it. I don’t know what brings these times on…or really how to even bring myself out of them…but it’s been a hard week. Lately I feel like all my kids do is fight. (will it always be this way?) And some days I feel like if I hear anymore crying and whining I might have to do something drastic. I don’t know what that might be…but well, it would need to be drastic. Some days I feel like I’m losing my mind! I know all of these things are normal, kids will fight, kids will complain, kids will cry. But, it’s just been worse than usual. Or is it worse because I’m already feeling a bit overwhelmed? Anyway, I’m not sure if it’s the kids or if it’s me…but I’m feeling it either way. So, all that to say…you can pray for me!! I’m not sure what the problem is, or if there’s an answer…but you can pray for me, at least! 🙂
I’ve been continuing to memorize verses with Beth Moore on her blog, the 1st and 15th of each month we choose a new verse to memorize. Here is my verse from the past 2 weeks:
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be TRANSFORMED by the RENEWING of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2.
Now, from the Message:
“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life – your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking around life – and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best you can do for Him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity. God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.”
So, I’ve been praying fervently that God would TRANSFORM my mind. Everytime I open His word or spend time in prayer, I’m begging Him to TRANSFORM me and RENEW my mind. I want to think like Him, to have the big picture in my mind, to not be bogged down and overwhelmed by my daily life. But, alas, I’m not there yet. It’s my prayer…and I’m still pleading with God for that transformation…but I know also that I have to keep going to Him daily. He’s not going to “fix” me and make things perfect for me here on earth. Otherwise I wouldn’t keep needing Him so desperately day in and day out. Otherwise I wouldn’t long for my eternal home with Him where there will be no troubles, no worries, no sickness and no pain. I’m clinging to that HOPE…the HOPE of Christ..and the HOPE of that FOREVER transformation that will occur someday. Praise God we have HOPE in Jesus!!
I struggle in the same way, feeling really frustrated and overwhelmed. In your case, I bet the reason the kids are more whiny is because they don’t feel good. Then you are stuck in the house with whiny sick kids. It’s no fun and my heart goes out to you. I go through these same times and I have often wondered what brings them on? I will be praying for your family. What have the kids had? Here in Oklahoma, it seems to be the upper resp. thing and the tummy thing.
BIG HUGS!
I gave up internet time in the mornings for Lent. I found myself getting online before work and wasting a lot of time I should have been in Bible study or prayer. Actually it was taking up all my prayer time. I was getting on right after Bible study instead of praying.
I have been observing a fast-free day a week as suggested in some studies. That’s where you take one day a week and not observe Lent in celebration of the freedom we have in Christ. It may sound weird…or as Kevin said “cheating”…but it has really helped me. I’ve been able to keep my Lenten commitment because of it.
Funny thing is now…I don’t usually want to get online in the mornings on my fast-free day. And I’ve had some awesome prayer times since. I see this trend staying. At least I hope so.
I’ll be praying that you find the strength to keep going during this Lenten season. Don’t give up because you’ve had a couple hard days. You can do it!
Praying for you, Candace, as you struggle! I am proud of you for limiting your computer time even if you didn’t realize your goals. You have inspired me to limit my time on the computer too!