Monday, July 16, 2012

Honest Housewife : Me Date

Dearest Friend,
It's 9:45 pm on Sunday night.
My babies are home sleeping and my Hubby is there watching over them.
I, on the other hand, am out. Out on a date. 
By myself...

Every other week or so I go on a 'Me Date'.
Leaving our place after the boys have gone to bed, and my Love has been fed ;)
I sit, alone, at a restaurant, order a little something to eat and I write, and pause, and pray and breath. In and out. New perspective enters, old perspective leaves.
I sit down a little tired, and walk out ready to face a hundred giants.

For some reason, memories of being 20 keep popping in my head. Random trips to the lake, college group at church/The Way, staying out late on Friday nights. Monday evenings with the sweetest of girl friends -singing praises to God and praying over one another. Wednesday morning Bible study/Romans/Josh White. Laughter. Laughter was different then. Burdens were different then. Laughter seemed lighter, and burdens seemed heavier. Oh I was a girl who flew high with the good times and sunk low in the hard. Emotional. That was me. Pursuing the Lord with passion! and healing from wounds long ago. 
This time of year, the scent of those days still lingers in the summer air. 

I remember being single, hoping to find love and a greater purpose.
Doing my best to make the most of that season, I would take all that I could learn, about marriage and children and what it was to be a Godly woman, and shove as much as possible into my heart and mind. I would listen, to those who had gone before me. I would read, the Word of God and books that explained in depth more of what His intimate message said.
Educating myself as best as I could on how to live the life that I prayed was ahead of me.

Folding baby clothes earlier today it hit me.
I am exactly where I once had so badly wanted to be. I have a husband. I have children. I am a 'stay at home wife and mom'... This is the life that I longed for. That I was working for.

Now that I'm here, making the most of this season looks a bit different. These 'Me Dates' are part of it. 
One huge aspect of taking care of what's before me, is taking time for myself. Spending time with the Lord, eating healthy, treating my body well/working out... I want to be such a strong Wife and Mother. But if I'm always pouring myself out, then I'm obviously going to run dry and fall faint and fail the 3 men placed in my care. It's a good thing God is with me everywhere I go and I have 24/7 access!! Oh how I must rely on Him!! 

Lighting a candle, opening the windows to let in a cool and refreshing breeze, always wearing perfume. Dancing to happy music, shouting "Hallelujah! Praise the Lord" when the sun comes up in the morning, meditating upon the fruits of the Spirit, doing my hair and make-up, singing...
Some of these things might sounds silly to you, but it's easy to lose yourself when your primary focus in life is others, like a Husband and now 2 sons!! These 'silly' things are happy things for me. And doing them fans the flame in my heart.
My Love does a perfect job of letting me get out when I need to. Evenings or weekends. 30 minutes or 2 hours. We've found a steady balance and for the most part, all of our needs are being met.

I am thankful for the blessings and answered prayers that I walk within. 
Sometimes I miss those single days of absolute freedom.
But then I laugh! The entire time that I was there, I was wishing to be here.
Never mind... These days are a thousand times better than those. 
Because today is exactly where God has me.
20 was a great year!!! Oh it was!
and now 27 is just as good!! It's better... but it's not. 
The times are different and equally exciting. 
Hopefully I'm making sense of all this...
It's past my bedtime ;)

Remember to take time to pursue what's on your heart dear friend.
God made you with special desires and likings and if you let go of them... 
Well then don't you somehow let go of who you're supposed to be?
Who He would want you to be. 
Being you in a unique way, bearing His wonderful image and shining in a way only you can.

So go light a candle. Paint a picture or talk to a stranger. What ever makes your heart beat the way you know it was meant to beat, do that. Whatever brings you closer to God, as silly as it may be.
Make the most of this season.

Alright, I'm losing my ability to edit where all this is going.
Moms get tired quickly {this I am learning... laid down on my bed the other day, praise Jesus Shawn was home, and fell asleep in a few seconds! I didn't even know I was tired!}
That being said, before I fall asleep on this laptop and post a silly letter, I'm saying Au Revoir!

Have a fabulous week Darlings!
xoxo

8 comments:

  1. First thing I thought when I read this was, "Now that was refreshing!"

    You just encouraged and motivated me! Thank you! I needed that today!

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    Replies
    1. Hope you enjoy many "Me Dates" to come!
      xoxo

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  2. I LOVE THIS! I love that you find the joy in the little things, Opening the windows, putting on perfume, doing your hair, enjoying a cup of coffee (or tea) in the breeze on the porch & reading the word. I too need these things to feel alive, and even though they are small they make us feel like women, the women we were meant to be. Its amazing how not taking the time to have these things can change life significantly. your post was so refreshing (as Jamie above said) thank you for your beautiful writing.

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    Replies
    1. Alicia, you inspire me at this often! It's obvious that you take time for yourself, even though you're a new Mama, you are still pretty, classy, fun loving you!

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  3. Jamie - So glad to hear your were encouraged! Amber has that way about her...love it! :)

    Alicia - You're so right....relishing the little things, it's so important.

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  4. I am so glad I read this post. I can honestly say that it brought tears to my eyes. I really needed to hear this. Taking time for me to just be me with God, not the leader or the minister part, just me, has always been a struggle. To have silly moments soaking in God's presence rather than just times of prayer and intercession. Don't get me wrong, those are absolutely necessary, but to take time and let the person God created me as come out and see how he is using that is what I need to do. Thank you for this post.
    Dalayna

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    Replies
    1. I'm so glad Dalayna! That's exactly the place I was in when I first realized that I needed to take "me dates" or "Jesus dates". Ministry is fantastic! But in order to pour out, we must be poured into! ;)
      xoxo

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