That was me to my hubby this morning! He thought I was buying too much pizza for our boys when there are so many more nutritious foods in the house. So, when I told Emmie I was ordering pizza for them today, he astonishingly asked, “You stood up to daddy?” (After nineteen years of marriage, I’ve WISELY learned to choose my battles, leaving the rest with God!). “Yes!” I replied, “I want you guys to know that this same mom who pushes you to stay up to study until 1 am, is the same mom who wants you to enjoy yourself, too. Life is a balance. When it’s time to work, we work hard. When it’s time to play and enjoy, we do that. I don’t want to put too much pressure on you guys all the time. It’s a beautiful life!”
Five minutes later, I go to have an appointment with God, and can you believe He found a sweet way to reveal His invisible Presence with us in that conversation? I continued reading from where I had left off with my husband in our alone time with God, to incredibly read this (written as if God is speaking to us):
“When you’re comfortable enough in your true identity to BALANCE WORK WITH RELAXATION (Wink! Wink!), you are more effective in My kingdom.” – Jesus Always
Wow! God is too much! I’m talking my exact conversation with my son about balancing work with relaxation and enjoyment only minutes prior! This was God’s sweet way of saying, ‘Nik, I AM ALWAYS WITH YOU. I AM ALWAYS WITH YOU. I AM ALWAYS WITH YOU.’ This lined up too perfectly to be considered some ordinary coincidence! Of all my meditation books, I felt Him saying to me to continue reading from where I had last stopped. Too perfect!!! I rushed down to show Emmie and to teach him about God’s deep, deep, deep love for us.
This gives me such confidence that I CAN think great thoughts of God. His love and attention to the most minor details of my life (pizza for my sons!), gives me the ability to face challenges bravely, fearlessly, courageously, KNOWING I’m walking with the Creator of the Universe. I have complete FAITH in Him! I do my best, and I leave the rest for Him!
However, while He helps me to be STRONGER in some areas, He is also making me SOFTER in others. I look back to where I was exactly one year ago, and I’m so much more forgiving, patient, gentler, content, and kinder. I continually pause, inviting God into as many of my moments as possible, asking Him, “What will make You happy here?” And as I do that, unbelievably, He seems to ask me, ‘Nik, what would make you happy here?’ (HUGE SMILE)
To the point that I was up after midnight CRYING attending a Zoom meeting with my daughter, Julie, for her early admissions to attend college completely for free in the US. They said even if she needed lab goggles, they would be provided free of charge. But the best part was knowing I have such terrific, on the ball, close to God, super-intelligent, sweetie pie daughters who inspire me to be better. Truly PRICELESS! God is my Partner in every aspect of my life, and He has been the one directing your girl here, step by step, in this parenting thing.
Even with this husband who loves to give me a hard time, God gives me the wisdom, tact, strength, love, and patience to show up as the best wife possible to the better than the best husband in the world. Nobody’s perfect, y’all!
