be specific

as a mom (actually, i'm pretty sure ANY person with any relationships in their life can relate) i struggle to feel like i meet the needs of all those i love.

especially pat and my kids {there are so many of them!} :-)

i can sense pretty quickly when one of them in particular needs extra from me. and i used to let this consume me with worry. worry, worry, worry. thinking, thinking, thinking.

but i remember the first time i was VERY specific and took the request and worry to God. it was about joshua. i prayed for he and i to have time to connect that day - just me and him. it was a crazy, busy day ahead and i saw no way to make it happen on my own. i remember the circumstances so clearly. and, as i navigated the conversation with him (it was a HUGE thing going on in his heart and my "sense" that he needed something extra was very accurate) i can remember the AWE filling my chest as i watching God WORK so clearly in the minutes and circumstances of my day.

we always say He cares about the little things. but do we ever give the little things to Him so that we can SEE how very much He cares about them? so we can see Him orchestrate the minutes and actions around us in ways we never could?

i've seen it happen many times since that day. it's still not second nature for me to pray and be specific immediately. i usually have to worry and think and try to do things the way i think they should go first. but, after enough worry, i do give it to Him. i ask VERY SPECIFIC things. and do you know what? HE HAS ANSWERED EVERY SINGLE TIME.

EVERY.SINGLE.TIME.

it is hard to get one on one time with my kids. but it is a desire of my heart, and a need of theirs, so it happens.

recently, rebekah and i have been running together on tuesday evenings. 3 miles. it's been such a sweet time.

i will admit to the last couple years being hard for me (in LOTS of ways!) but, in this case, with regard to my kids getting older. it's a different ballgame and it's taken some adjustment and learning and growing in all of us. there's been some kicking and screaming but we are making our way and i'm finding that i am enjoying it more than struggling with it these days.