{The Main Thing}

Weary by Edward Radford, 1887

"The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing." -Stephen Covey

I am a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, a friend, among other things. And in each role, the main thing is the same. My relationship with my God. I cannot be the wife God designed me to be, or the mother God desires me to be or any other position I attempt to fill without keeping God at my center.

I have been listening to an audio series by Sono Harris on Biblical priorities as a homeschooling mom from the recommendation of the SAH Missionary (although really, I think everything Sono has said in the three messages pertain to every Christ-follower). According to Sono the two ways to maintain our relationship with God are studying His Word, the Bible, and spending time in prayer. Without these practices our hearts will become stale, cold and jaded. Our joy will be a memory we can vaguely recall. And more overtly, our sacrificial work in whatever role to which we are called, will be pure drudgery.

Last week, that was the state of my heart, my joy, my work. Drudgery.

And I was tired, even with seemingly enough sleep for an infant.

I love my kids, my husband, my home. I really do. But I found myself getting frustrated at having to do simple tasks for my kids. And where was the joy in getting on the floor with them or reading their current favorite book? Things weren't bad, just lackluster.

But I had forgotten what the main thing was. Or maybe I had too many things vying for the main thing. A clean house, well-behaved children, a strict budget, a small waistline, maybe even more comments per posts (gasp!) Just gettin' real here, people!

Well, I didn't let Sono's message go unheard. I was desperate and found hope in her words. And the words in an email from my cousin who encouraged me to get away for even a few hours. So, I treated myself to lunch at Wendy's with my Bible and my notepad, to jot down every new or refreshed understanding. And I actually talked to God about the state of my heart, confessing that I had let go of the main thing.
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And let me tell you, please, that I was given joy, energy and perspective. I can sing that He gives beauty for ashes, strength for fear, gladness for mourning, peace for despair.

I now know too, that only God can refresh a weary mom.



***UPDATE: I must give a big Shout-Out "THANK YOU!" to my awesome in-laws for treating my kids to their favorite lunch, pizza, fries and ice cream, while I was getting my priorities straight at Wendy's! Thanks, Giddo & Tata!)