The least of these . . .

I LOVE to spend time with the Lord! I long for the days (in YWAM) that I used to spend 2 and 3 hours with Him - talking, listening, reading His Word, crying, rejoicing, learning and more. . . . . . . of course - that was B.C.!! Before Children!! :) Heck -that was B.H. . . . . . Before Husband! Now how do I find time to get my fill each day with the Lord?

I know what some of you are thinking . . . 2-3 hours??? I can barely pray for 5 minutes and the Bible is so boring to read some times. I totally understand. I was the same way till the Holy Spirit got ahold of me! Ever since then - I can't get enough. Yes I go through "dry" spells, but lately God has been calling me back - to a deeper place with Him - a deeper place of refreshing, of healing, of learning. That's why I've been so frustrated lately at not being able to spend quantity and quality time with the Lord.

Every day - 7 days a week - I have between 2 and 5 kids at home - on different schedules, at different schools, some homeschooled, some in public school, etc. About every 1 1/2 - 2 hours I have to pick someone up, drop someone off, make a meal, etc - and then squeeze in the laundry, housework (which I put off as much as possible already), bills, grocery shopping and just paying attention to my very busy, newly adopted 3 year old (and her siblings)! My brain never has much longer than 2 -30 minutes to think about anything before being interrupted. (So far I have been interrupted 5 times just writing this much. :) . . . but I press on!) We made a rule a long time ago that there would be no TV or video games on Monday -Thursdays . . . . . . . ugh. No - it really is a good rule - but one that I have had to break lately with my 3 year old just to get some things done (rationalizing, of course, that she hasn't had the opportunity to see all the wonderful educational American TV shows that her siblings watched at her age). If I put in a movie I could even possibly get an hour to myself . . . but then I feel guilty about ignoring my child who just came home from Guatemala. I've done it a few times to spend time with the Lord - but that just makes me crave even more time with Him - and there just never seems to be enough hours in the day (or enough of mommy/wife to go around) to do it all.

So - the other day I was complaining to God that I just wanted to spend more time with Him - that I was sorry I wasn't getting up super-early (I'm already up at 6:45 each day - which, for a night owl - is waaay tooo early). I do talk to God all day long as I'm doing the chores, helping with homework ("GOD HELP ME . . . and my child!" is usually that prayer!), driving my "taxi" . . . . and I even get a whole 15-20 minutes to talk to God in the shower each day . . . .usually. :) I have had some great "chats" with God in my shower! But I long for more.

So after complaining/apologizing for not spending much one-on-one time with God lately because I am always taking care of my kids , I heard God gently remind me . . . "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." (Mt. 25:40 - read verses 35-39 too) "When you spend time with your children - pouring into their lives - you are spending time with Me Lori." :) Wow! What a refreshing word that lit up my soul! God knows! He knows all about our busy lives. He knows that we can't possibly spend hours and hours alone, one-on-one with just Him - and so He gives us an opportunity to minister to Him by taking care of the precious treasures He entrusted to us! He's still calling to you - to come deeper . . . .but it may not be in the way that you had once known. He is calling us deeper in ALL areas of our life with Him - including parenting!

I still long for the long periods of solitude with God each day - and I'm still on a quest to be able to find the time to do that. Maybe I should be praying to become a "morning" person. :) . . . .NAHHH! . . . . But I am not going to overlook the time I AM spending with the Lord when I am "doing unto the least of these".

God bless you today!