Let The Son Shine Again

This weekend we celebrated our church's 18th anniversary, and we had a great time thanking God and praising God. Really, it was a great party, and last night as I tried to fall asleep, several songs just kept running through my head, like a playlist, and this was one of them.

Yet this morning, I wake up, and first of all, I am a bit tired from the weekend. Secondly, the house has been a literal dumping ground as we pass in and out, and it's a bit trashed, so I'm not looking forward to having to clean things up. I've already gotten short with Zander this morning, *sigh*, and to be honest, it's even an effort to sit here and blog this morning.

*Smile*

But I am determined, and that is going to change things up here. I am determined that as we made a commitment this weekend to live a life of praise, that I am actually going to do so. Because after such an energizing weekend, the devil would just love for me to focus on the fact that I am tired and don't feel like doing much. Instead, I am going to take a few minutes and focus. I am going to thank God for this new day, for this new opportunity to praise Him, and I am going to tackle my housework with gusto and with energy, because God is the ultimate provider and will provide me with every drop of energy I need. And even better, I also have the faith to know that when I have completed all the tasks before me, that God will help me to feel refreshed despite my efforts.

"If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 4:11

I am going to purpose to live a life of praise. And that means all the time, not just when I am in a great mood and full of energy. It's every day, every moment, every second. Every second, I am praising God with all that I do. I praise Him with my actions, with my words, with my thoughts. A life of praise is not a selfish life. It doesn't buy into the sham of "me time" that the world has so greatly instilled upon us, which is the subject of another post for another day. It's important for me to remind myself all the time that I can live a life of praise as the mom and housewife that God has called me to be as well. In fact, if I really think on it, I bet that it's easier for me to live a life of praise than someone who has a job outside of the home. The tasks that I do everyday, I can do while talking to God, I can do them with a song in my heart, and I don't need to keep my mind focused on the tasks at hand for which I am getting paid. I can focus on God while my hands are busy scrubbing the floor. I can thank Him for this past weekend, for all the joy it put into people's lives. Even better, I can pray for all those who need it this morning as they go back to the normal everyday life.

Just what is normal though? I choose that my normal will be a life lived for the purpose of praising God in all that I do.