(Not necessarily Monday's) Devotion: Ever Present God

Psalm 139: "You have searched me, Lord, and you know me..."

It's Wednesday, and it has been a busy, busy week already. My little niece was born Monday, my dishwasher is finally getting looked at by some very friendly maintenance gentlemen, and my laundry seems to be never ending. So I know this is a little late, but it seems like this is what God has been placing on my heart this week:

Someone posted on FB yesterday "Why do get to the 'good part' of a book right about the time I need to be sleeping?" and I thought, "Yeah! Why is that?!" I have to remind myself that those characters, in that time, in that moment, will stay frozen until I pick up the book and begin reading.

My children love to hear books on cd in the car. When we go to the library, that is the first place we look. Their love for it has brought back my love for listening to someone tell me a story. So, I Googled free audio books to download on my computer that I can listen to while cooking, cleaning, or washing the dishes. What I found, though, was this incredible book of poems by a lady of yester-years talking about home life. It's called The Verse-Book of a Homely Woman, by Fay Inchfawn. Her words, frustrations, worries, and happiness reminded me so much of my own, a young mother, years later. Here is one of her poems:

The Housewife
SEE, I am cumbered, Lord,
With serving, and with small vexatious
things.
Upstairs, and down, my feet
Must hasten, sure and fleet.
So weary that I cannot heed Thy word;
So tired, I cannot now mount up with
wings.
I wrestle -- how I wrestle! -- through the
hours.
Nay, not with principalities, nor powers --
Dark spiritual foes of God's and man's --
But with antagonistic pots and pans:
With footmarks in the hall,
With smears upon the wall,
With doubtful ears, and small unwashen
hands,
And with a babe's innumerable demands.
I toil with feverish haste, while tear-drops
glisten,

(O, child of mine, be still. And listen --
listen!)

At last, I laid aside
Important work, no other hands could do
So well (I thought), no skill contrive so
true.
And with my heart's door open -- open
wide --
With leisured feet, and idle hands, I sat.
I, foolish, fussy, blind as any bat,
Sat down to listen, and to learn. And lo,
My thousand tasks were done the better so.

After hearing those words, I realized that so many times I forget to "put down the book of life" and focus on what's really important: God. That's why I referenced Psalm 139 in the beginning. That entire Psalm talks about how well God knows us and is waiting on us to make HIM important. When we take the time to focus on Him, we can find that "[our] thousand tasks were done the better so". Both the Psalmist and Mrs. Inchfawn comment on how troubling this world can be if we lose our focus on God. There are always going to be chores to do. The children are always going to need to learn discipline (I say this as my oldest is looking at me longingly from the back door window. I won't let them in because they are letting the cold air out and the bugs in...while I'm cooking dinner...and blogging). We have to remember that life can take a break, just like those characters in a story all freeze while I set it down, and all the troubles of the world are made better by the peace that God gives us when we give Him our time.

Lord, you know me. You know how easy I can get wrapped up in keeping the house clean, making sure my children are responsible and respectful at home and in public, in maintaining a healthy relationship with my husband, and finding my purpose. You also know, Lord, my limitations better than I know them. Continue to remind me that making You the primary focus of my day is what makes all those other tasks all worth it. Bring peace to my friends, whether they are working moms or stay at home moms. Show them the importance of putting you first. Thank you for the many blessings. and Thank you for simple reminders. In your name, Amen. 


Link I found for free Audio books: http://www.booksshouldbefree.com/
Link to poems by Fay Inchfawn: http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/IncBook.html