Rest for the Weary

I have nothing witty or exciting to post for you today.  I'm simply tired.

Do you ever have days like this (or weeks or months)?  This whole week has felt like it is moving at a snail's pace.

One of the many perks of my job, though, is that I have Fridays off.  So Thursdays are my Fridays.  It's nice having a day off that most people don't.  It's like I get special "me" time or something.  Although, admittedly, I wish Matthew had the day off with me.

I've been in this awful cycle this week where I have a really hard time falling asleep at night and then have an even harder time waking up in the morning because it took so long to fall asleep the night before.  It's miserable.  Especially when my husband has the ability to simply fall asleep on demand.  (However, I probably would, too, if I worked the hours he does.)

And it's not that I'm not tired at night - I am.  I just can't seem to settle my thoughts or energy enough to actually fall asleep.  Or it's too hot or too cold.

Alas, all of this weariness has reminded me that my rest is in the One who created it.  And that the One who redeemed me was a working-man and knows weariness like mine.  That he experienced it all.  I can't help but wonder if Jesus had days where he just didn't want to get out of bed because he was physically exhausted.

I find peace knowing my Jesus is relate-able.  That he was "born in the likeness of men" (Phil. 2:7) so that he could be a high priest who is able to sympathize with my weaknesses (see Heb. 4:15).

So, if you find yourself in an exhausted rut like me, here are some verses to dwell on:

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.  (Psalm 63:1)

So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.  (Gen 2:3)

He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.  (Psalm 23:3)

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.  (Psalm 51:12)

Behold, God is my helper; 

the Lord is the upholder of my life.  (Psalm 54:4)

Unless the Lord builds the house, 

those who build it labor in vain. 

Unless the Lord watches over the city, 

the watchman stays awake in vain.  

It is in vain that you rise up early 

and go late to rest, 

eating the bread of anxious toil; 

for he gives to his beloved sleep.  (Psalm 127:1-2)

Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.  (Prov. 4:23)

Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.  (Prov. 16:3)

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.  (Prov 17:22)

She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.  (Prov. 31:27)

Have you not known? Have you not heard?  The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.  He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.  Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.  (Isaiah 40: 28-31)

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”  (Matt. 11:28-30)

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all.  The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.  (Jn. 6:63)

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.  (Jn. 14:16-17)

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.  (Rom. 8:26)

I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.  And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.  (Gal. 2:20)

May you find rest and peace for your soul,

Christmas musings

It has been busy around here recently.  Christmas is just around the corner, which means holiday shopping and Christmas morning service planning for me.  I finally finished my online holiday shopping, which was nice to have under my belt.  And tonight is the first rehearsal for our Christmas morning service here at the church.  On top of that, I still have to get the "normal", week-to-week stuff done.  So it's been hectic.

But I can't complain at all.  I like being busy.  I'd rather be busy than bored.  Not that I don't enjoy rest every once in a while.  I just don't like having idle hands.

Recently, the thing that's kept my hands the least idle are homemade Christmas presents.  I know what you're thinking, "Wow.  She's cheap."  And there's some truth to that.  However, that's not the motivation for these gifts.  I found these particular gifts on Pinterest and knew that they would be perfect for certain people, better than something I could buy.  Fortunately, I have a boyfriend who gets excited about my projects and likes to work on them with me, which has been helpful since some of these have been more involved than I expected.  So Chewie and I have been working on gifts for a couple of weeks now - we do a little bit every day.  Slowly, but surely, our projects are coming along.  And I plan to share them with you on here soon after they've been given to their recipients - I don't want to spoil the surprise for them!

I'm super excited because next week, Chewie and I are hosting our 2nd Annual Christmas Movie Party!  Last year about this time we invited a bunch of friends and had a spontaneous Christmas party and watched some classic Christmas movies on a big screen at the camp where Chewie works. We had a great time, and I think it was a pretty big success, so we decided to do it again this year.  And this year, our movie of choice is one of my faves: Elf.  If you haven't seen it, you are SO missing out.  It's super kid-friendly, but it appeals to all ages.  Anyway, I'm crazy excited about this year's party.  I've got some fun themed treats planned.

I hope you are all enjoying the holiday festivities - I know I am.  It's such a happy time of the year, but at the same time it's sobering.  The whole reason we celebrate Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus.  And the purpose of Jesus' birth here on earth was to die for mankind.  I was brought to tears yesterday as I pondered this thought.  I know we don't usually reflect on the death of Christ like this until Easter, but I couldn't help but be reminded of why he was born.  And how my sin and shortcomings make me so undeserving and unworthy of the gift of Jesus and his salvation.  But oh how wonderful it is to know that, in spite of my unworthiness, God loved me so much that he sent Jesus here as a little baby to save the world!  It's absolutely beautiful.

Happy Christmas!

♫ "Summer's Here" ♫

I thought I'd give an update about the goings-on in my life...

I woke up this morning with James Taylor's "Summer's Here" stuck in my head - go ahead, give it a listen (you know you want to...).  Sing along with me:

♫ "Summer's here, I'm for that, 

Got my rubber sandals got my straw hat...

It's my favorite time of the year, and I'm glad that it's here" ♫

You did pretty well!  Haha.  Needless to say (but I'll say it anyway), it was a good morning.  :)

It's a long story, but I'm looking for a job.  So far so good.  I have a few interviews in the next week, and I just got back from a temp agency in hopes of finding something to hold me over for a while.  I'm feeling good about it though.  The Lord has me in high spirits.

I've been recently going through a book called "Lies Women Believe" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss, and I've really been confronted by some things in my life because of it.  God has taught me so much about what I believe and what the evidence of my beliefs is.  And I've also learned a ton about what it means to be a woman of God and a wife and mom, even though I'm neither of the latter two yet.  There are so many things that I've thought and believed about my own life as a woman that so do not line up with what God's Word says.  I have to say that I haven't agreed with some of the things she said, particularly the chapter about children, but overall it's been a nice journey.  I've been using it as part of my morning devo, and I feel like my whole spirit is refreshed.  It's nice replacing the lies with the Truth and no longer living in bondage because I am free in Christ!

Okay.  I just had to get that out of my system!  I've decided from now on, in this blog, to call my boyfriend "Chewie."  It's not his real name, in case you were wondering.  Just a nickname.  But in reading other blogs I've found that, for legal disclosure policy-ish reasons, it's better not to use his real name but a nickname instead.  So, yeah.

Anyway, Chewie has a big-time interview next week, and we are praying that Jesus gives him that job!  The pay is decent, and he'll have pretty decent benefits, as well.  Plus, don't you think a guy this cheesy deserves a great job???  :D

My small group, that we fondly call "Quarterlifers," is going so so so well.  I love this group.  They have become my best friends, my accountability, somewhere I go for wisdom and encouragement, and so much more.  I am so thankful that Jesus put this group of people in my life.  And I'm so excited about how the Holy Spirit is moving amongst us.  One of the things we are praying for right now is revival in the hearts of those in our group and in our church.  Our church has been through some t.o.u.g.h. stuff in the past 6 months, and I believe we're ready for some major Jesus-movement.

Also, the Quarterlifers have been challenged by the youth group to weekly Sunday morning events, like relay races and basketball games.  If we win, they have to wash our cars.  Holler!  And if they win - Jesus, help us - we have to host a lock-in for them.  Now, I'm not sure if you're familiar with youth lock-ins (and, believe me, you should be grateful for that), but I definitely am familiar with them.  Therefore, I am praying - hard - that we will beat their tushies (sp???)!  All-in-all, though, it should be really fun, and I am really excited.

There are so many good things stirring right now that I can't help but to be dizzy with excitement.  I feel a new adventure coming on with my career, as well as Chewie's, and God is definitely working in and around my life right now.  He is so good.  I just can't say it enough.