Paige Aleah

Every morning I am sent a devotional from Proverbs 31 Ministries.  My usual routine is to wake up, and lay in bed and read through it before I even get up. Today was such a good devotional, it was so good that my Aunt Sherry forwarded it to me as well. Ha, I guess I really needed to read it. It  sums up a lot of what I experiencing in my current season of life. Here is some of what it said: 

//18 Feb 2011

Lynn Cowell

"I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts."
Psalm 119:45 (NIV)

Being busy, overwhelmed in fact, made me feel important. I loved nothing more than creating a to-do list, simply for the happiness of checking it off. Even better was recounting the day back to my husband; my life sounded so important! Running around had a purpose.

Busyness quieted the voices of insignificance that screamed inside my head. But it wore me down. The pay-off simply wasn't there.  Soon I sensed God asking me to take things off my plate. When I didn't, He started removing them...one by one. That is when I began to experience freedom and the peace that comes from simply being. I found my completion in being His girl. The more I embraced the Lord, the more His freedom became the thing I cherished.

Dictionary.com defines freedom as the state of being free or at liberty, rather than in confinement or under physical restraint. Freedom is my word for 2011, a word I want to fully understand. A word I am defining for me as: unconfined by my human limitations; free to be an expression of my amazing God and His revolutionary love. David must have been a bit like me; a man prone to have to preach to himself on occasion. He gave himself this command, “I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts” (Psalm 119:45, NIV).

In the original language "freedom" here means spacious, broad, roomy. That's not exactly how most non-Christians would describe Christians. But spacious, broad and roomy is exactly what Jesus has for those who are His. Since God is not a God of chaos or confinement, when I follow His ways He brings freedom. He causes the things He has not called me to do, or to be a part of, to fade in the background. That is where my purpose is peaceful.   //

This might not be of any encouragement to anyone, but it sure is to me. I can't believe how much I relate to this. I thrive off of production. I love to be able to look back on the day and find my worth and comfort in what I have accomplished. However, for the last 2 months, I have not been able to check very many things off. I have had the most incredible 2 months of my entire life, and it had nothing to do with checking things off. But I have to admit that there have been many times that I have thought to myself, Am I really of any value at this moment?  But I am starting to learn that I am in such a sweet and unique season of freedom and growth. I am left with many uncomfortable moments, but challenged to love and cherish every second that the Lord is allowing me to spend with Him, my family, and doing things that I enjoy. 

Daddy took the girls out to dinner tonight. We went to Madda's, an old restaurant that my parents grew up going to. The food was delicious and the conversation was enjoyable. We are now lounging around the family room, and I am drinking out of my Houston coffee cup! :) 

Shea leaves with grandma and papa for Virginia in the morning, I am SO JEALOUS. Mom and I are going to try to wake up and go for a hike in the morning, if the weather permits. I will let you know if that really happens or not :)