Slooooowing Down...or Running the Race?

This title describes my last few weeks.  I have come to the conclusion that I am a fair weather fan. :-)  I tend to slow down in times of extreme heat or extreme cold.  For this phase in my life however, it is the extreme cold.  I joke about this phenomenon with my hubby but I have also been evaluating why I do this.  I tend to be a thinker and examiner of things.  When we lived in the desert, when it was very hot, it was all I could do to move about and now that it is EXTREMELY cold it is the same thing.  It really isn't that bad outside and other people have it much worse. ( I keep telling myself this )  

As I was contemplating, in the wee hours of this morning, knowing my son wanted to go out and search for tracks in the snow today, it dawned on me why I was having these feelings.   I am not prepared!  I do not have many snow clothes and it just seems daunting to me to explore and freeze, yet I love to be in God's creation!  My hearts desire is to enjoy the moments and bloom where God has me, this means even in cold weather conditions.  The question is how? or why? 

My why is pretty settled for me.......I don't want to miss a single thing that God has given me to enjoy, especially with my little son that longs for that time.  So I obviously must answer the question of  how?  For me...Be prepared.  I love how God cares even about these things.  You see, He is gracious to answer when we ask Him.  As I was in prayer this morning, and reading through Phillippians 3 with our Goodmorninggirls.org study on being Intentionally Focused, I was struck by this verse........

¹³ Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
¹⁴ I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

The Lord had me focusing in on reaching forth and pressing toward.  I chewed on those words and did some digging.  I love digging don't you?  Nuggets of truth to chew on and change us for God's glory......oh my yes! Good stuff! 

The Lord was speaking to me about the word being used in the ESV, straining towards.  I heard that lovely still small voice, are you straining ahead, or looking back and remembering those things which are behind?  My sweet Jesus, He knows just where to take me......I read these words in my favorite commentary.....

And reaching forward ( this denotes a direction :-) to those things which are ahead: namely, the privileges and responsibilities ( this is where my preparation comes in for me ) of the Christian life, whether worship service, or the personal development of Christian character.  

I loved this part too....

The upward call of God in Christ Jesus includes all the purposes that God had in mind in saving us. ( Isn't it awesome to know God had a purpose in mind for you/us? )  It includes salvation, conformity to Christ, joint-heirship with Him, a home in heaven, and numberless other spiritual blessings. 

This is a long way around but I cannot help but praise God for the many things He does in our lives, even though they may seem insignificant, NOTHING God does is insignificant.  I am asking God for wisdom and He has shown me in His word the answer.  It is hard to get over how AMAZING He is.  His answer...I am not prepared for or straining forward to those opportunities that He has given, even in something like dressing warm.  I am seeing I can tend to have a "wobble head".  Looking back, then forward, then back, then forward...but in God's grace I will be reaching forward.  

My personal theme for this year is.......I've got a river of life flowing out of me! That life that I have in Christ Jesus.  All things in my personal time with my sweet Savior, are pointing to this, dying to self, and letting it flow!  Could be an interesting year, don't you think?  For God always prepares our heart for His will.  Sometimes I notice and sometimes I don't.

So girls, guess where I am headed today.......out in the snow to look for tracks of animals and to enjoy the beautiful creation God has given.........why? Because it is an opportunity to share an amazing God with a little 10 year old son who has a tender heart and openness that I do not want to crush, at least intentionally! 

This is just a small glimpse of one portion in my race for my calling in motherhood.  Let's strain forth or reach forward to those things ahead..........I wish I had time to share more, for Jesus is doing so much in my heart........perhaps another post!

Now, I am off to PREPARE!  It is COLD out there :-)  Why oh why did I not make myself one of those scarves?