R.S.V.P....God is waiting....

I just finished reading "Misplacing God...And Finding Him Again" by my good bloggy buddy Joanne Heim. I'll admit that when I first read her request for people to review the book...I was excited for many reasons. I'd read her other books...and loved Living Simply. I like her and follow her blog regularly. As odd as it seems, I consider her a good friend...a good example. So, it really came as a surprise that this book would hit me right between the eyes...that it was something that God really knew I needed to hear. Isn't God neat like that?
So, in order to give ya'll incentive to go order her book now....I shall elaborate. The first thing that yelled out was when she talks about "choosing to praise Him midst the humdrum and ordinary tasks." That's so my life right now...and it is a CHOICE! She included a quote from Brennan Manning "Our controlled frenzy creates the illusion of a well-ordered existence. We move from crisis to crisis, responding to the urgent and neglecting the essential." I use this constant state as an excuse. Shame on me.

Later, she writes about putting quiet time first...and when you do...later in the day you can remember that God met your needs already...It gives peace. She is so open and understanding about individuality and different people types. She makes it clear that it's not about doing it HER way...it's just about putting God first for you. That might mean getting up at 5...it might mean using the kid's nap time for God time, it might mean staying up later. BUT, God has to come first!!!

The thing that hit me hardest...was a tiny bit of the book on control. I've always known I have these issues but children have really made them SHOUT at me. She recollects a time when a friend told her that control was an idol. OUCH...oh man...that hurts...it makes me cry even as I write this. It was something I needed to hear...I know that I have to "give control to God each day. To see it clearly as something to hand over to him, to open my hands and not grab at control until my knuckles turned white with the effort."

She gives a bold challenge to meet with God...to RSVP...which she reminds means Repondez, s'il vous plait...respond please. What I love about Joanne's challenges are that they come with her open honesty about her own struggles, her own imperfections, her own ongoing walk with Christ. It makes it so much easier to take...to be encouraged by a fellow runner of the race.

So, this morning my alarm went off at 5 (and the coffee pot downstairs kicked on because of auto set, PTL)...and I padded downstairs to meet with Him...in the quiet...because I had RSVP ed. Will you?