Alone With God

Every time I kneel to pray,
I open up my heart to the Lord.

Every time I close my eyes,
I feel the awesome power of my Lord.

Every time I see a child,
I know the gentleness of my Lord.
I don't know why so many things
seem to get in the way
of seeing my God's glory.

But I try every day
to see and to thank him
for all the things he's given me.

I was listening to this song on my ipod, and I just LOVE it. The section I made larger especially speaks to me. I often forget to look for God's hand in everything, and when I just SLOW DOWN, it's amazing to see where he is working, and disgusting how little I acknowledge it.

When I think of the times in my life when I felt spiritually strong, I realize that they were times when I took the time to spend alone with God routinely. I began having my "quiet times" when Eric and I first got married, but of course, once I started working, and finding things to keep myself busy, well I didn't have the time for that alone time, and I now realize that it quite possibly contributed to my many stressful days - trying to do it all on my own. It doesn't work. 

This Quiet Time is something that I can remember my sweet Mimi always encouraging us to take advantage of. She lived the example of what it would be like to truly have a friendship with Jesus, and have daily conversations with him. One of my most vivid memories of her is waking up early in the morning, creeping down the hallway to find her in her chair, with her bible or devotional book and cup of coffee - and of course a pen in hand making conscious notes. She had the most incredible wisdom. When she died, quite honestly, a part of me did too. One day my Pap gave me one of her devotional books that had been sitting in the same place for a year since she died - with her notes of wisdom scrawled inside in that special Mimi handwriting. The book is called Fill My Cup Lord...With the Peace of Your Presence by Emilie Barnes. I started reading this in the mornings and I felt as if I were have a devotional with her. It's so special to me. 

I opened this book up and the first chapter is entitled : A Cup of Quietness. How perfect. The author makes the point that we are holding up our cups to the Lord, in constant need of being filled, and one thing about that cup is that it is cracked and flawed , and that is perhaps why we seem to empty out so easily. And this part Mimi double underlined: we leak, so we need refilling on a daily or even hourly basis. How incredibly true.

I need to get myself back in the habit of taking that time alone with God, and I know that seeing his hand in my life and waiting on him will come more naturally.