I’ve thought a lot about our earlier married years lately. Not the time right after marriage, but the time when we were going from a family of 5 to a family of 6.
I realize that some of you wouldn’t know, but during that time, we moved 2 hours away from family and bought our first home. Two months after buying our first home Chris received a major promotion and had to move to Pennsylvania. Since I was about to give birth and had a trusted mid-wife, the kids and I stayed in our Conway home for almost a year before moving.
It’s hard to be a pregnant mom of 3 and suddenly be an “acting” single mom. Chris was only able to come home every couple of months. It was difficult, for certain, but it was also the sweetest time with God.
Those were the days that we strictly guarded our media intake. Little kids all around us, so the wildest our movie viewing got was Little House on the Prairie, and the like. I played worship music most of the day from a small CD player in our kitchen.
I’ll never forget, one day, I was listening to the music and worshiping. I had my hands raised and eyes closed, then heard the sweet sound of the kids. Noah whispered, “Do it like this.” I peeked at them and saw they were standing in front of me with their eyes closed and hands raised too.
The sweetest times ever.
Teaching my children to love Jesus, while I was growing by leaps and bounds. You can do both at the same time.
I don’t long to be living in separate places again, but I do long for that sweetness of a constant soaking again. To be honest, we’ve been moving toward that, and my family doesn’t realize it. The things I long for most, the things I long to see in my family, I don’t ever force. I rarely even tell them. I simply give my request to God and then I just live it in front of my family…and inevitably they catch on.
When you cultivate a lifestyle of living soaked in Him, those around you can’t help but get wet.
I will exalt You, my God and King, and praise Your name forever and ever. I will praise You every day; yes, I will praise You forever. Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure His greatness. Let each generation tell its children of Your mighty acts; let them proclaim our power. I will meditate on Your majestic, glorious splendor and Your wonderful miracles. Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue; I will proclaim Your greatness. Everyone will share the story of Your wonderful goodness; they will sing with joy about Your righteousness. The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all His creation. All of your works will thank You, Lord, and Your faithful followers will praise You. They will speak of the glory of Your kingdom; they will give examples of Your power. They will tell about Your mighty deeds and about the majesty and glory of Your reign. For Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations. The Lord always keeps His promises; He is gracious in all He does. The Lord helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads. The eyes of all look to You in hope; You give them their food as they need it. When You open Your hand, You satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in everything He does; He is filled with kindness. The Lord is close to all who call on Him, yes, to all who call on Him in truth. He grants the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cries for help and rescues them. The Lord protects all those who love Him, but He destroys the wicked. I will praise the Lord, and may everyone on earth bless His holy name forever and ever. Psalm 145:1-21
365 Days in the Presence 