Within Reach

I did a skit one time where I played the song "You're all I Need." I was lip syncing the words as I sang about God being all I wanted, but I kept filling my hands will all sorts of stuff. I was picking up a laptop, a video controller, books, cell phone, etc. while trying to reach out to Him as I sang. The point was that I was filling my hands with so many things and they were so full I could never quite reach out to Him - even though that's what my heart wanted.

As caregivers, our hands are full of so many things - and they are not just extras we choose (who has time for that, right?), it's stuff that has to be done. Every day is filled with tasks and chores that can't be ignored or put off until tomorrow and we can feel like our hands, minds, hearts and bodies are full all the time.

And while I'm all about carving out some quiet time for me and God - there are some days that just doesn't happen. Of course, my initial response is to condemn myself. I can overload myself with guilt quickly too with thoughts like:

If I was just more organized...

Why didn't I plan this earlier...

If  I was better at meal planning...

I need to keep up with housework better...

If I was just more disciplined...

If I am not careful, I can rail myself to death, and still be behind in my daily chores. I'm sure that's just me, right? The never ending, ever repeating chores of caregiving are enough to keep any one person busy all day - every day. Add to that so many who also have jobs, whether they work from home like I do or go out to work - it's easy to get on overload with very necessary things. We don't intentionally pick up things and fill our hands. It's all needed.

In my skit, I was picking up a lot of extras, and my hands were so full I couldn't juggle them to reach out for God, as much as I wanted to. But now I see that He is big enough to bypass the caregiver's full hands. He is always within reach.

He is so close to the caregiver that the tiniest whisper from our hearts brings Him running to our side. He really does hear us from our hearts. When we don't have the words to cry out, or don't know what or how to ask for - He still understands. James 4:8 says that as we draw near to Him - He comes closer to us. He understands the intent of our heart - and when we seek Him - He lets us find Him. (Jeremiah 29:14)

Today my thoughts will be on the nearness of God. As I go through today's chores and responsibilities, I will acknowledge, even if it's only silently, that His presence is right here with me. I'll meditate on how He hears the silent cries of my heart just as loudly as when I boldly cry out to Him. My thoughts will be about how He is always within reach. And once again I will rest in Him, will you join me?

Looking At Today

Each day we get up - seems to look a lot like yesterday. Most days seem to be the same and it seems silly to expect anything different of today. Sometimes it seems that days are cyclical and just go round and round again with identical tasks repeating themselves...and so we face another day...

It can be easy to get emotionally sucked in when days seem to be the same. And just as easy to sink into the longing for days gone by - you know, back when we had a real life. Back when we could come and go at will and enjoy the park or the zoo for an afternoon. And other luxuries such as shopping for groceries without watching the time so closely, or catching an afternoon movie.But letting the thoughts run freely through the freedoms that have been lost will only bog us down...we really must move into today and embrace it. It's not the grieving over our lost past that causes the biggest problem; it's thinking it will always be this way that gets to us.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:34 do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. This is good advise which if followed will help us stay ahead of the little game our emotions can play with us. We must keep our thoughts focused on what He wants to do with us today. And while planning for the future is wise and necessary sometimes taking care of today the best we can is the wisest option!

Let's embrace today and make it the best today we can. The responsibilities of today can easily keep us distracted from what He is doing in us. But we must remember that what we see is very temporal. He continues His eternal work in us - His truth is not disrupted or distracted by the facts we see around us. He who began a good work in us - will complete it! That's worthy of meditation today!