Sunday, July 22, 2012

Time...how quickly it goes by

Where does the time go? I find it hard to believe that it was a month ago that I wrote about my lifestyle change. Here is the update: I have now been eating differently for 2 months and I feel GREAT! I still have moments where I could hurt someone for want of a cinnamon bun but for the most part it is easy to say no once you realize how terrible certain foods can make you feel...one of the hardest things sometimes is forcing myself to get off the couch to cook after a long day. I love cooking but every once in awhile I am simply tired and want 'easy'; last night was one of those nights. After being forced to listen to the dog downstairs barking for 8 solid hours the previous night (obviously NO sleep) and working (day 6 this week), I simply wanted to keep my feet up and drink my wine...the kids offered to pick up pizza or subs and I was sorely tempted. As I pondered their offer I realized what an idiot I was being as both of those options would make me feel worse, so I got off the couch and before I knew it we had Mahi-Mahi burgers (sans bun for moi), spinach and blueberry salad with homemade pomegranate dressing and leftover quinoa...it was delicious and pretty easy to throw together...then I read for awhile and went to bed early feeling good! The point of this convoluted story is that the change has been for the good, sometimes difficult but better in the long run. Funny that much of life is like that, which brings me to another change.

This past week, I have started something else that has long been missing from my daily routine...study! I will be starting a book on finding Jesus in Genesis...and yes, it will include using my Bible alot!!  I am looking forward to getting together with a few friends and digging in, I have been horrified at how little time I allocate each day for study and hope to change that.  

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus withdrew to a solitary place to be alone with God and pray. 
Mark 1: 35

Since Jesus did nothing without reason, I it is easy to assume that this practice was vital for him. Jesus sought out solitude so he could pray and meditate showing us another glimpse of  His humanity. As I read this passage today, it somehow struck me in a way it had not before.  Jesus was an incredibly busy dude at that point in his ministry, everyone wanted a piece of him, everyone wanted to be healed....who wouldn't, he was performing so many miracles that he had to keep moving from town to town because of the mobs of people (in v 33 the whole town is at the door). But think about this, in his human form he needed to refuel mentally, physically and spiritually...he did this in the quiet moments he made so that he might hear his father, he did this in his moments alone.

 As I write this out it seems so elementary yet we miss it, or perhaps ignore it. We somehow feel that our lives are so busy it is difficult to spend time with God, in His word...we fall asleep while reading because our day was so full of activity. Mark recounts a time when Jesus spent a full day healing a whole town...yet made time to refuel, he went early the next morning...he made time. If he made time, should we not do the same?