Living, Moving, Having our Being....In Him

If someone were to have tried to track our family's activities this past weekend, it would have been a challenge.  There are a lot of us and keeping track of where each one is is a full-time job in itself!

Let's take Friday night for an example.  My oldest daughter blessed my 2nd daughter for an early birthday present with tickets to Hamilton, the musical of all musicals.  It was the best night of her life she said.  They went over the border, just the two of them, to see it in Buffalo. 

Meanwhile, we were graciously offered 4 tickets to see Tim Neufeld and the Glory Boys (a country band) that same night!  I had never heard of this band and I have to admit I was a little skeptical.  Country is not exactly my style or anyone in my family's style.  But it sounded like a fun event, so we gladly accepted.  Who would go?  Who would stay?  It turns out, I ended up taking 3 of the "medium" aged kids, leaving the youngest at home with the oldest boy! (see, it's complicated!)  I have to admit, I walked out saying, along with my kids, "That was one of the best concerts I've ever seen!"  Tim shouldn't just be in a band, he should really be a comedian as well.  I had tears running down my face I was laughing so much throughout his show.  He was HILARIOUS!  My kids loved him and his antics, too.  It was a super great night. 

Meanwhile (there's lots of "meanwhiles"....), my husband and my 2nd son were meeting with a pilot who graduated from a school we're considering for this year or next.  That was also a very interesting meeting as he was extremely helpful and informative about the school giving great input as to how and why it blessed him so much.  Right now this pilot we met has a once in a lifetime job flying all over the world and he credits his experience to that school, so even though it was off the table, now it's back on!

At the same time, I hadn't even seen my oldest son who had just finished writing another final exam, so missed catching up with him, as did everyone else, 'cause no one was home to hear him, the poor guy!

When we all finally got together the next day, there was so much to say, so much to talk about....everyone was interrupting everyone else.  It was funny!  We almost have to schedule a family conference in order to hear what's going on in everyone's life.  I marvel at all the driving that goes on and thank God every time we are all back safe and sound.   Truly God's traveling mercies have been on us.

The following day, Saturday, was spent all apart again - some went with me to attempt making soap at a friend's house.  Some stayed home dog-sitting a little golden retriever puppy we've made friends with!  Some went to work, some were working in the shop.....it is hard to connect.  Life can get so busy.

Our evenings are when we try to debrief.  It has meant staying up later than I am used to.  But those are when the conversations happen.

Today will be no different.  My oldest and I will head to a dental surgeon where she is getting a tooth extracted.  She will be totally put under so I will have to drive her home.  Some will head for more finals, some will head to work, others will be left at home to watch little ones.  We will be all split up again.  But this Thursday evening marks the beginning of a 3 week "vacation".  For some that would mean a trip.  For us, it means a "stay-cation".  I don't mind though.  My husband has great plans for the house to try and finish up a few things.  I've already told a few people to pray for me so that I won't be the wife who has all these secret expectations who then gets disappointed when things don't go her way!  More than anything, these 3 weeks will be a wonderful time where we will get to connect as a family, hopefully we will be able to just spend time in the same room, talking, laughing, praying together.  Life is going so fast.  I want it to slow down, but then again, it makes for a full life, so I don't mind so much.

I read in Acts 17:26-28 that everything I'm feeling and experiencing has been pre-determined.  Even in all the craziness, God knew where I would live, He knew the kids I would have, He knew when I would be born and when my kids would be born.  And all of this is in order for us to seek God, to feel our way toward Him.  That even in the busy-ness, He is not far from me.  That "in Him we live and move and have our being". 

26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for

“‘In him we live and move and have our being’;[d]

So I read those verses to the kids because the last thing I want is for our busy life to take over and to miss seeking God.  I don't want us to ever lose focus on God or on each other. What a challenge this is.  I love that we can live in him, move in him and have our being in him.  I feel like that means we can do all the things we do in our life, go all the places we go and still be in him as long as we don't lose our focus.  As long as we acknowledge him in our lives, daily, moment by moment.  One way I do this is I pray with the kids as I drive, no matter where we go, I start the car and I say to the kids, "Hey, let's pray for our day and for everybody in our family."  Then, each one prays for safety, thanking Him for each experience we have, for all the opportunities we have, etc.  It is a small thing, but it reminds us that we have a good life and we need to make sure that we keep God first and foremost.  It's all about "as we rise up, as we walk along the way..."  I'm trying to keep the spiritual side of their life as regular as breathing.  

I'm excited about the next few weeks.  It won't be normal.  We don't do many "normal" things around here, but's good - as long as we keep living, moving and having our being in Him......