Down times

Everybody has down times and I haven't had one in a long, long time. But, please, don't envy my couple of days sans kids. I missed them like crazy by the end of day one.

Life in the past year has brought my family too many events. I do recall a "down" time this past year with my husband at a marriage conference. Three moves, four long flights, meeting new people in the new places, getting furniture from Craigslist and garage sales, soft/base/foot/ball games, and the list goes one.

I've had quite a bit of down time in the past few days without my family. It's been a really different, humbling to say the least experience. I wish I can look back and say I spent these two days wisely, praying for each of my family members, feeding on the Word in prayer or getting things done that just aren't on my priority list when they are around. I did get a few things done I wouldn't have been able to do with the children around, but I feel those accomplishments so pale in the right perspective.
So, it has been a while since I was strapped inside a log cabin (my temporary dwelling between jobs)tall by myself in the midst of a snow "storm". Overnight, gently, without any wind, the landscape transformed into a gorgeous painting of pure, downy (see down is the word here today) white. It reminded of the cold winters with lots of snow, that, at its worst, stopped public transportation and caused people to walk to their jobs. I remember walking to my office for over an hour and a half after trying to catch overcrowded trolley or a bus one after another. My heart was so heavy that our children wouldn't get to enjoy this rare event before they returned, that I didn't dare take more than a few pictures today, most of them deer tracks for my son to identify ( I won't bore you with posting them). I hope to get out dressed up a bit warmer tomorrow and get a few more memories of the picturesque blessing in my down time.
I have had quite a bit of time to ponder, analyze and examine in my recent down time. I am grateful for a few more days to get a hold of some unresolved issues in my heart. One of my most dreaded things in life is Having Regrets. Everyone has fears and this one is one of my Major ones. Why is it so hard for some of us to not dwell on the past and muse on "what ifs"? On the hurts and the pains? Even when forgiveness and peace seemed such an accomplished and sealed event, why is there still pain? I can't explain it to myself. But, I so want to press forward as instructed in Phillipians 3:14:

Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.


A timely em, a thoughtful call or card from a friend have made a world of difference when I felt lonely and confused. I am so grateful for each friend who called me yesterday to cheer me up and give me a chance to clean my windows in the living room/kitchen while laughing and reminiscing on the phone. Time with friends is so precious. One of my very favorite bloggers and an wonderful real-life friend emed me today this song. I don't know the tune to it but I just had to share the lyrics. It warmed my heart in this cold weather and reminded me yet, again, of the One who never lets me down and who doesn't point my mistakes or singles out regrets. He doesn't have regrets. He has a plan for each one of us. I am so impatient to find out the plan that I fail to realize the down time is part of it. But I do miss my family a lot. I miss the kids laughter and watching them play in the snow. I don't miss the oodles of gloves, snow pants, hats, gallons of hot chocolate and the tons of snow I'd be watching pile up straight into my living room. But I miss seeing my kids happy and excited.
I hope this ministers to you as well.

1. I would love to tell you what I think of Jesus

Since I found in Him a friend so strong and true;

I would tell you how He chang'd my life completely

He did something that no other friend could do.

Refrain:

No one ever cared for me like Jesus,

There's no other friend so kind as He;

No one else could take the sin and darkness from me

O how much He cared for me!

2. All my life was full of sin when Jesus found me,

All my heart was full of misery and woe;

Jesus placed His strong and loving arms around me,

And He led me in the way I ought to go.

3. Ev'ry day He comes to me with new assurance,

More and more I understand His words of love;

But I'll never know just why He came to save me,

Till some day I see His blessed face above.