Busy Work

Busy Work by Deena McDaniel Positively Beautiful Blog 9/3/22 Do you dream? No, not just thinking about building castles in the sky, but at night thoughts and images of crazy. My side of the family is filled with wild thoughts every morning. If you’re married to a dreamer you understand the excitement of sharing the extreme adventures of the night’s rest. ON the other hand, ask my husband how he’s had to live with 35 years of “Guess what my dream was about?” God does speak through dreams. And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.-Joel 2:28 God also entertains us in our slumber. Last night was impactful. Okay, so not all complete details, because it’s sure to not make any sense to you. However, throughout the entire dream, I was doing useless things. Over and over at a university, my professor was making us complete tasks of epic proportions for seemingly no good use. I woke up exhausted. Have you ever had those dreams? “I was dreaming about claims all night,” my husband had shared during the height of hurricane insurance claim season, “then I get up and go to work! No rest for the weary.” In this instance of my dream, it hit hard as I dialed up a podcast at random (not for God) that spoke exactly to my heart. He was going to connect the dots of my dream. We’ve all seen the movie Karate Kid. “Wax on. Wax off. Wax on. Wax off.” This task was grueling for the kid. It was preparing him in the automatic reaction to fighting. He’d no longer had to think of how to move, it just happened. He was prepared. Now let’s jump into our own lives. I’m guessing I’m past my midlife and well into the “golden years.” My heart may feel 25, but it’s true we do age. In this season of my life, I’ve struggled thinking how “would of … could of… should of…” in a plethora of choices. And yes, hindsight is 20/20. We are who we are by the series of choices we make. But what about the “wax on and off moments?” Insignificant as each coloring book we share with our kids, smile of encouragement we give to a stranger, and even hours of household chores we endure the eye of the Lord is upon us. Will it matter in Heaven if we’ve signed a billion book deals, gone to the moon, or became so famous we’re on all the billboards? You understand. It’s no. The thousands of nose wipes, diaper changes, and compassionate hugs mean more to the Lord. Busy doesn’t mean fruitful. It’s about attitude. Our busy lives slow down if we choose. Kids are gone in my house. And for this mom, it’s been quite the struggle. My friend Claudia is in the same boat, but rejoicing for her boys that have created a new life outside the home. (*She’s missing her kids too, but not in grief like me.) No matter how you feel you’re spending your days, God’s ordained them. His heart is for you to grow closer to him and know his character. I begin again. Now I see this adventure through the eyes of Arlowe Jane. She’s 3 ½ but soon to be driving. It goes that fast. I’ve got an opportunity to pour my granny wisdom into her life. My memories of my grandmother are precious. God’s busy work for me isn’t a simple time of making cupcakes with Arlowe or teaching her to swim or even the book time. We go through the motions of life. God sees our heart and moves it. Begin to look at the mundane as magnificent! We’re preparing for the next move without anticipating how to react. It’s beautiful. Muscles of mundane make life filled with dreams of what God might do next. Be prepared.

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