Beckoning

I have a lot on my mind today. So lucky you, if you read my blog you get to hear about what is on my mind! I feel like the word beckoning sums up the temptations in my life right now. The definition is to invite, attract, draw, coax, tempt, tantalize, allure, beguile. God has promised that "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man and God is faithful, He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear but when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." The way out is not always easy. He showed me the way out today. As I was driving to church alone (hubby stayed home with the kids since they all have colds) I found myself in the familiar place of brokenness and listlessness and an all around sense that I had not led the type of life I wanted that week. Too many times I snapped at the kids or did not put my husband first or did not call on God or take a break just to soak Him in. If this was the only Sunday this feeling came over me I would just ignore it but this has been happening for a very long time. I feel scattered, like I have no true direction and have way too many things beckoning me to give my attention to them instead of God, my husband, and my family. And so I keep falling short of the life I am certain Christ wants me to live. It made me think of Paul's word in Galatians "You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you." I feel like each week after church I am refreshed and ready to run a good race that week but something continues to cut in on me. I asked God what continuously cuts in on me and this is what He said. I am very blessed to be a very creative girl. Hyper creative in an almost neurotic sense. It is a gift from God but it's also a temptation and this is what has been cutting in on my running a good race. This is what has been beckoning me. Constantly while I am going about my day with the kids my mind is not on them. Instead it's on what painting, home decor project, clothing item, knitting project, etc, etc, I want, I NEED, to create next. I fiend for a moment to feed the beast of creativity a little more hoping that it will die down so I can focus on the kids. But if you feed something, it grows. And this has grown. It is causing me to not live a life of excellence for Christ. So today when I got home from church I started packing up every single hobby that I have. I was disturbed at how much "stuff" there was. All of it beckoning me to deal with it everyday of my life. I packed it up and my hubby helped me carry it all downstairs. Seeing all of my hobbies together really put a face on the heavy load I have been making myself carry. All of these things were begging to be done, created, dealt with. And they were not only cluttering our home but more importantly they were cluttering me. I don't think this is the end of this journey but only the beginning. I took the first step of this week in obedience and am going to work hard to seek and follow after God and let nothing cut in on me this week. I am determined to run a good race! And a rhetorical question for those that read this: Is there anything in your life that is beckoning you? What continues to cut in on you and keep you from running a good race? Or are you one of those lucky people who are perfect? (smile)