Simplicity of Knowing

As I sit here at my kitchen table, typing on the laptop, drinking my morning tea, jotting down new recipes I've tried or want to try, and listening to the bread machine working on a new loaf of deliciousness, I can't help but think how thankful and joyful I feel for this simple life.  

In the past several months, I have come to the realization that I needed to slow down and enjoy time with God, my husband, family and friends. How did I come to this realization you ask? Well, let's say God nudged me a bit.

 I used to not take time to enjoy the simplicity of taking time off from the hustle of life. I think most of us don't take time to enjoy a more simplistic life. We as Americans or just humans in general, tend to rush to one thing only to leave and rush to something else.

I am no different from everyone else. I couldn't just sit still and enjoy all the the Lord gifted me. Actually I wouldn't sit still and enjoy Him or His gifts. 

 My time was consumed with my job, errand running, cleaning, traveling to and from my job, and other meaningless things. Everything else was pushed to the wayside. 

Not to say that working hard at my job wasn't important ("Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men" Col 3:23) or keeping a clean and organized home isn't part of my duties as a Godly wife, but I allowed these things to consume me and push aside those people most important to me - and many times without me even taking notice that I was doing it. 

I allowed the world to tell me how I should function, where to spend my energy and my resources. These past month, since leaving my job in January, I have learned so much about what it means to "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him..." Psalm 37:7.

The Lord made it evidently clear that spending time in His word was vitally important ("The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the Word of God will stand forever." Isaiah 40:8). He made it clear that it was important to spend time with my dying grandfather, it is important to sit and talk with my parents, it is important to spend genuine time with a friend can be to strengthen a bound of friendship, and it is important to put away the electronics to spend time with my husband can be.

I am thankful for the quiet moments around the house where I can get on my knees and thank the Lord for his abundant grace and love, and to remember to sit and enjoy the simplicity of life.