Listen up

I had the most incredibly busy week I've had in a VERY long time. I have been so busy with work, and I feel like it is taking over my life on some levels. Along with that, I've also started using & selling Rodan + Fields skincare products. ALL of my profit from R+F will go towards the orphanage and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to do this right now. On top of that, my husband is traveling for a temporary job opportunity so I'll be a single parent for a couple of weeks. (By the way - I have SOOO much respect for single parents - it is HARD!) Oh, and we're preparing for an upcoming move to a 3rd world country - but no big deal.

 I hate that our lifestyles are so busy that we have to have something drastic take place before we slow down. I miss the days when we didn't have lightening fast internet or text messaging or email. I miss the days when we would stand in our front yard talking to the neighbors for an hour. Those days now seem to be very few and far between.

In the midst of the business, I feel like it is impossible not to get lost in the chaos. It seems as though more and more gets added to my plate each day, and while I'm good with that because I think I am super woman & I can do it all, something always suffers. Whether it's time with my son, time with my husband or time for myself, I have learned in the last few years as a social worker that something will get put aside. Lately, it seems to be time for myself that gets tossed out the window, or time with God. I can always tell when I haven't spent enough time with Jesus because my heart & my head start to malfunction and then everything seems to fall apart. I start losing patience with difficult clients or I get frustrated easily by my husband or my son, or I just feel short & snippy with those around me that I love the most. More than anything, I feel disconnected from GOD when I don't spend time in prayer and when I'm disconnected I feel more isolated and alone and I tend to worry more.

As I was driving to meet with a student for work on Tuesday, I was really focused on getting to my next destination quickly so I could move on to the next task. I felt God telling me to pull over help a girl I saw on the side of the road, holding a cardboard sign. I didn't even read the sign at first, and then I glanced over. It said "out of gas - anything helps." I just turned away and started wondering how long the light had been red because it was taking way too long and I am in a hurry! I continued to drive as I battled with my heart:

Heart: "Stop & help that girl. She can't be much older than you & maybe she is going through a really horrible time. Be the hands & feet you have been called to be!"

Me: "I'm trying to save kids, thanks. I'm in a hurry, and I need to get things done today! I don't have time for that."

Heart: "You can help right now, in some way and it won't take long. Just turn around."

Me: "No."

Heart: "TURN AROUND."

Me: "No, I don't have time.:

Heart: "You want to move to Africa to help people? Why don't you help her first?!"

Me: "OK!"

So I turned around, after fighting with my heart for a good 4 blocks. Long story short - her name is Sarah and she was traveling to AZ. She didn't calculate enough money for her gas and she ended up only having enough money for a little bit of food and that was all. She said she had a job lined up and a friend was giving her a room to stay in once she made it to AZ. We talked for a few minutes while we pumped her gas, and had a few laughs. She asked if she could give me hug and I asked if I could pray with her. We prayed, hugged and she went on her way.

As I was getting back in the car, I thought: "Ok, God, I did what you asked." I started back towards my next task and checked my email. There was a notice from Jadon's preschool and I immediately thought about how much we probably owe for his school and how we were going to pay for it was making my heart race. I opened the attached statement and discovered his amazing school director had canceled any charges for the days Jadon hasn't been at school since Phil was laid off (we're supposed to pay a fee even if he doesn't attend). The fees that were taken off our bill were several hundred dollars. I was speechless.

Tuesday will remain in my mind the day that I learned a very valuable lesson from God. If God asks you to help someone, do it, because even if you aren't sure how you'll pay the rest of your bills for the month, He will provide. I did it stubbornly, but I did what God asked that day. He showed me that even when we have doubts and feel overwhelmed by the daily struggles we encounter, God will always meet us where we are and meet our needs. But we have to listen.