scattered thoughts from my heart

My coffee date for this morning had to cancel last minute, and I confess part of me was just a little bit happier than I should have been to have a morning without a whole lot to do. The weather is foggy and gloomy and even though it is only about ten in the morning, I am just about ready for a nap.

So I am writing down ideas for the youth group at our church, fun things to draw them out a little. Libby is sitting next to me, drawing and coloring beautiful little girl pictures, which we plan to place in cards and send to some lovely people in nursing homes and hospitals who might just love to get a bright, cheery picture from a young heart. Who wouldn't enjoy a picture of a pink horse enveloped in rainbows and pixie dust? Or a griffin surrounded by ballerinas?

My peace loving heart has caused me to be extreme- yes, again. I took every single Lego gun in this house and trashed it. Yes, I'm that mom. I just can't stand the thought of my children using toys to pretend to shoot and kill. Although I may have to take pencils away too, as the littler ones are using them in between their fingers to have sharp claws like Wolverine. {sigh} Oh superheroes, how I hate thy violent ways!

It would seem in so many ways that the way of Jesus is counter intuitive to our most basic instincts and desires.

I'm trying to teach my children to be peacemakers.

Dylan has made lemon muffins this morning and I rented a movie on Samuel Morris for my children to watch. Ella Grace, bless her sweet little heart, is congested and wheezy, and it would seem the allergy medications and breathing treatments are not working very well. Still, she is smiley and happy.

And what's been on my heart has been how to go outward with my faith. Not to ask people to come to me, to my church, but rather to find ways to GO to them. The cards and pictures are a start. I'm also looking into giving. Even my smaller purchases can count. I've bought necklaces that were made by women in Uganda. The proceeds allow these precious ladies to earn an honest wage, to provide for their families. It makes me smile when I put them on.

I recently got back blood work that showed I am anemic. That explains some of my fatigue. But it also makes me wonder, in what ways am I spiritually anemic, weak, lacking? In prayer. This past Sunday I went early to the evening service so I could pray. And I prayed God would make me a woman given to prayer, that I would be quick to confess my faults, quick to love others and lift them up faithfully, quick to bring my anxieties to God. I've been up late, praying. The ironic thing is the more I pray, the more I need to pray.

Perhaps that's because prayer is not simply a transaction, but an ongoing relationship. A conversation between two hearts, mine and His.

I feel like this post has more or less be a lot of babbling on; it's just the scattered thoughts of my heart right now.

If you've read down this far, thank you, kind friend, for taking the time to listen to me. Would you mind very much if I asked you to pray for me, for my family and for my church? It would be so appreciated. And please feel personally invited to leave a comment below. I'd love to hear from and pray for you as well.

Be encouraged today.

~amy danielle