When the Heart Needs Unwinding: GraceLaced Monday

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 

Acts 2:42

Seems like I talk frequently here about life being intense.

It just is. It ebbs and flows and rises and falls like an exciting roller coaster, but generally speaking, our lives have had a certain intensity to them for some time.

Sometimes it really starts to get to me. Last week was full in every sense of the word, with BB out of town most of the week, plus weird things like a visit to the ER with one of the kids. 

And you know how it goes - there are times when your kiddos just need a whole lot of extra attention, love, discipline, training, healing. And interacting with them takes time. Much time. And much energy. 

I'm learning to give thanks for the exhausting and often confusing elements of parenting at this stage in the game. And God is our wisdom and strength-giver. He is so good.

And yet my mind still reels and does-not-compute becomes the extent of my thought processes by the end of the day sometimes. That's kind of where my heart and mind were heading by the end of this past week and as we moved into the weekend.

BB graciously sent me off for a quick nap Saturday in the midst of all our weekend cleanup and school efforts. As I went to lie down, I tried to pray and there were just no words. At all. And that's when I thanked Him for this:

....the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. Romans 8:26

By Sunday morning, I was feeling all wound up inside. Sometimes it's hard for me to know what to do with all the tense junk stored up inside, which leads me to the particular grace I wanted to highlight for today's GraceLaced Monday.

Yesterday afternoon was the day for our Sunday school class to get together for a meal and fellowship. On the menu was loaded baked potatoes. Our family contributed a pound of butter and 20 pounds of potatoes, baked to that fabulous-smelling soft perfection. Other families brought toppings, desserts, and salad. 

The kids and I took off for the get-together, while BB stayed behind to take care of his own schoolwork.

And can I say what a grace it really was, what a blessing and refreshment to my heart to visit with my dear friends last night? And the fact that all the children played outside quite happily while the adults ate? Not minding that a bit, either. Then later, when we circled up for prayer requests and a short time of prayer, once again, the kids were quietly occupied in another room, allowing for slightly more openness for the adults to share our hearts a bit.

So I guess what I'm saying is that having that time of fellowship, and the opportunity to be transparent just for a few moments was such a blessing. Truly, it helped my heart unwind, thaw, relax.

He is indeed my Rescuer! Thank You, Lord, for lifting me out of the bottled up tension through relaxed time spent with the body of Christ and some extra calm and happy children last night!

Photos: the wonderful surprise flowers my mom sent early last week! Breathtakingly beautiful. It was a congratulatory bouquet, celebrating the new baby-on-the-way. This last photo is just for keeping it real - I sat the flowers where I get the best sun for photos: the catchall table. Big Legos, Little Legos, a board game, a dead printer, a tiny Bible, and an amaryllis that won't bloom. Lovely. 

But back to the flowers...to the giver of the blooms: Mom, you're the best!! Thank you!