Are you to busy....

Most of us are busy. Our lives are marked by business...its almost a way to define ourselves. We are always on the run. Seems like with email, cell phones, and technology that makes life 'easier' we would have more time for the things that really matter....BUT THAT NEVER HAPPENS. all we do is pack our day with more and more. I guess we all got tired of the Army saying we do more before 7 am than most people do all day...so we started doing more...the army stopped running that ad.

But are we missing something....

I wont tell you I pray this everyday (some days I'm too busy to remember to pray this) but I work to pray every day to be used by God and most importantly to be aware of the times when He wants to use me. Basically to live my life open to the needs of those around me and the role God wants me to play in meeting their needs.

Last night was date night and the kids were also gone so we did not make breakfast, heck, we did not even think about breakfast until 2pm. By that time we decided to go to Panera (Nikki agreed even though we ate dinner there last night) and on teh way we stopped to by the post office to check the PO Box. On my way out I saw a lady approaching us from far away. You know when someone is way across a room or a parking lot and even though there are people between you and them you know they are coming straight to you...well that was what this was like. She was far enough away that I knew I could start the car and drive away long before she could even get close or I could hear her call after us...but something in my spirit said wait...so I waited. She approached asked for financial assistance because she was living out of her car and we coudl see the pain she was in. We only had $1 in coins and gave her all we could. As we started to drive away both Nikki and I were feeling awful that we could not do more...so Nikki we went back and asked he if we could get her food. Being TRULY hungry I assumed Nikki meant getting her a sandwich from panera after we ate. As Nikki got back in the car she said we have to do more than just get he 1 meal...so we went to walmart and got this lady some nonperishable groceries.

This is not a story to tout us or to brag and tell you to be more like us but to share with you what happened when we took the food back to this lady.

In walmart we did not spend much but what that little bit did for that lady was amazing...she was so overjoyed...she did not know how she was going to eat this week.


So here is the point...I was there very hungry because I missed 1 meal and if we had gotten wrapped up in ourselves that lady may have missed a week of meals. When we get wrapped up in ourselves there is no way we can ever accomplish either of the 2 greatest commands to love God and love others. Jesus never said and the third is like it Love yourself.

I'm not saying don't love yourself but we have real issue when we make an idol out of ourselves and the things we need to do. We all need to open our eyes, take our blinders off, and see/feel the pain of the person near us and cry out to God and ask Him if and how he wants us to help them.