Love Languages

Several months ago, I had my kids take the "love languages" test in Gary Chapman's book.  It confirmed what I had already suspected about each of them.  They have three distinctly different love languages. So I've been trying to pay more attention to that lately.  This is the reason that we had a "Texas" dinner last night:  barbecue brisket (that cooked for 8 hours and smelled amazing!), cheesy potatoes, cinnamon applesauce jello and chocolate sheet cake.  Yum.  This was "T"s requested menu.  We invited a friend over for dinner and then watched the Texas - Alabama National Championship together...because "T"s love language is 'Time Spent'.  So even though it wasn't the outcome of the game that we wanted (praying for Colt today...), it was still a great evening together.  And I know "T" felt loved.

"Gift-moments"

Today was a pretty normal day in my life.  Kids back to school, me back to work...that slightly sick feeling in the pit of my stomach as my post-vacation to-do-list seemed to multiply before my eyes.  I'm an almost off-the-chart "task-oriented" person.  Crossing things off my list energizes me.  So I woke up ready to go...ready to have an amazingly productive day!

But early this morning I was reminded of the message we heard yesterday at church.  So I prayed that God would show me what He is doing, and how I can participate.  As I sit here now - 10:30 at night, I am filled with a sense of wonder at how God works in spite of us.  I think He looks at me with a knowing smile tonight, because as I allowed Him to set my agenda, I found unexpected gifts in the day. 

I'm sure if I had followed my plan I would have crossed more things off my list.  But I would have missed the little moments.  The truly important moments. Those moments when you're suddenly aware that this is a 'gift-moment.'

Being "interruptible" meant I could have lunch with friends at the spur of the moment and enjoy easy conversation and fun.  A true gift. It meant I could trade ideas with a co-worker who encourages and sharpens and blesses me.  Another gift.  It meant I stayed at work late to meet with a friend.  And because we were there late, we were in the building when a young girl came in crying because she had gotten her car stuck in a snow drift in the parking lot and had spent the last 30 minutes trying to get out...to no avail.  God used that moment for His holy purposes as I was able to sit in her car and wait for her dad to come... and share Jesus love with her.

That was the best gift-moment.
And I'm incredibly humbled and grateful.

Light

Someone at church asked me this morning if I had made any "new year's resolutions".  I told them that I had started a blog, so I could more intentionally chart my spiritual journey this year.  She shared her journaling experience and it ended up being such an encouragement.  Just a two-minute conversation in the midst of a busy morning.  Nothing earth-shattering.  But it meant a lot. (Thanks Patricia.  God used you to bless me this morning.)

Then, the sermon was on Christ our "Dayspring" - shining light into our dark world and showing us the way.  Considering that I started this blog last night in hopes of seeing God's path for me more clearly, it was also an encouragement!  It felt like a 'hug from God' - reminding me that He does, in fact, have a plan for me and is very happy to light my path as I follow Him.

That's my commitment today.  Not to worry so much about whether I'm in the right spot, or where I might be headed.  But just to say "what are you doing God? and how can I participate?"

So...'what are you doing God?  And how can I participate?'