Blowing Bubbles and Encouraging Moments

During the last few weeks,
I've felt rushed. 

     Rushing to take the girls to their various music lessons and social get-togethers with their friends. 

     Trying some new techniques out with our family budgeting.

     Sharing reviews about some neat homeschooling products we've been using.

     Trying to figure out what Latin curriculum to use next year with my groups of homeschooled students who take classes at my home.

     Having a bunch of emails sitting in my email box that I've read, but need sorted and something "done with them."

     And I'm tired.     Not depressed, just tired.

     I think about spring coming, and that stirs my emotions  a bit.

     It takes me back to thoughts of my children's younger years, when having a little, plastic, slimy, slippery bottle of bubbles and an el-cheapo plastic bubble wand would be the highlight of their day.

     Thinking about blowing bubbles takes me farther back to my own childhood, when I used to love to blow bubbles and see them drift to and fro with the gentle breeze.

     It brings me back to a time in my life when I...

. . . wasn't rushed

. . . didn't feel stressed out

. . . and curling up with a good

book in a quiet room was almost a daily event.

     ...but then I'm jolted back to reality with a daughter who needs help with laying out a pattern for some doll clothes...


...and I'm realizing that I haven't planned ahead for dinner tonight - and it's already 4:30...


...and I still have a bunch of unread email I need to go through...


...as well as 365 other things I need to do around the house.


     I decide to glance at the emails, to see if there is anything that I need to be aware of right away.  There isn't.  But there's a new weekly email newsletter from TEACH Magazine that catches my eye:

     I usually skim over newsletters like this.  They're usually just trying to sell a bunch of stuff, or promote their products.  I don't have time to read through a bunch of articles promoting someone's products.  I can hit the "delete" key pretty quickly with those types of "newsletters."

But this looks different than the rest.
Hmmm. . .

     I read about marriage and how the attitude we bring into our marriage every day helps determine how happy our marriage is.  I agree!

Maybe I can sit here just a few more minutes...

...and then I suddenly feel like this sweet newsletter has been written just for me - I know it must be! - to remind me to pray for my husband each and every day.  I do pray for him, but some days I forget.  And other days, I forget to ask him how I can best be praying for him.


     I realize that as I "click" to read the rest of the article, it includes a beautiful monthly prayer calendar for wives to use as a reminder of how they can be praying for their husbands.  Well, that gets printed off and placed on the wall right by the computer, so my prayers for my husband will be more frequent...and more effective.

It's almost time to prepare dinner. . .

     but I feel the Lord whispering to my soul...take a few more minutes...go back to the place of peace and rest that I have for you...and read a little bit more...

     so I do.  This time, I'm convicted.  Deeply.  Instead of escaping my stresses and responsibilities by taking a bubble bath or going outside to blow soap bubbles, I'm convicted by these words...

Take a Bible bath daily.

     I'm reminded in a gentle, yet firm way that the spiritual weapon which will continue to keep me from feeling discouraged is found in Ephesians 6:17 ~

Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

     I'm reminded once again that though I lovingly spend time with my girls having Bible devotionals with them almost every morning, and with our family having evening Bible fellowship together right before bed, I still need to be having that private, quiet, time of rest with my Lord, on my own, where I can go back to the carefree days of childhood and rest on my heavenly Daddy's lap and hear words of encouragement and promise from the Holy Scriptures.


     After dinner and tucking the girls into bed, I relax at the computer, more at ease than I was at 4:30, and read through the remainder of this issue of Encouraging Moments that was written just for me. 


     I realize that I can watch the author of TEACH Magazine share short video vignettes for women about tips for moms, marriage, homemaking, parenting, and being a godly woman.  They are so good that I watch all of them - in one evening!  And I can see that if I have a question that I'd like Lorrie to answer on her little Chick Flicks videos, I can submit a question to her, as well!

I feel encouraged and strengthened.

     I haven't gone outside and blown bubbles with the girls.

     I haven't just arrived back home from a three-week vacation in New Zealand.

     I haven't taken a nap.

     All I've done is allow my spirit to be refreshed by words of wisdom and godliness. 

     I'm ready for a new day, tomorrow.  Willing to serve my family and my Lord.  And considering buying a subscription to TEACH/Eternal Encouragement Magazine, which I know is filled with many godly articles written just for women like me.  And not filled with a million splashy ads promoting everything else in the world except what I truly need for my soul. 

     Now I can look forward to reading bubbly yet convicting words every week in Encouraging Moments via email,


and I can find resources to guide me and my family at www.HomemakingWithTEACH.com .

I'm ready for my daily Bible bath.

Come read with me!

 

    I'm thankful to have learned about the Encouraging Moments weekly newsletters.

     If you'd like to find rest and encouragement from reading the weekly
Encouraging Moments newsletter,
you may go to Homemaking With TEACH. 


You'll find their email newsletter signup on the top right hand side of the page.

Prepare to be blessed and encouraged.

And then, go blow some bubbles with your kids!

© 2011 by Julieanne Miller

I am reviewing Encouraging Moments as an official member of The Gabby moms blogging program for Eternal Encouragement magazine.  I did not receive compensation for this post, and all opinions are solely my own.

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