Loving God
Recently, I enjoyed a blissful morning. The kids, still recovering from sickness had more screen time than normal. They were beginning to feel better, so they played wii for the first time in weeks. After weeks of disinfecting, begging kids to drink, giving meds, checking temperatures and picking up tissues, these moments of occupied kids felt quite blissful. I sat in the family room with them, coffee in one hand, a book in the other. I was filling my heart and mind with truth in a way that had been alluding me. In survival mode, I was having moments of time with the Lord, but no time for prolonged devotions or reading.
It felt too good to be true, thirty minutes of reading, filling my soul and my mind. We were all together, the kids were getting along, laughter filling the room.
Then the *almost* dreaded question came. “Mommy, will you play with us?”
No, I really don’t want to. I want to keep reading. I am enjoying this break. My heart and soul are being nourished, my mind is being reorientated. I want more of this.
I barely paused, put down my coffee and books. I stopped to take this photo. Kai, asked me why I took it.
“Because I want to remember this. Do you think I am loving God more right now by reading about Him or by playing with you and loving and being with you?”
Without hesitation, he replied, “being with us.”
I think he is right.
Books are great, studying God’s word is necessary, time with God is life sustaining and life giving. Don’t ever stop.
But remember, people matter, too. The little ones on our laps, the friends who need an encouraging text, the coworkers that need prayers. Love others by caring about what they care about, even if it is just a wii game, an action figure or a Peppa Pig book.
Sometimes it’s good to put down the book on Holiness and pick up the wii controller.
(Spoiler. I picked these books back up and finished them and they’re both worth the read!) #exhalecreativity