Keep Your Tank Full! - Angela

"My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
       When can I go and meet with God?" Psalm 42:2

I have a bad habit of letting my gas tank get way too low.  My mini-van has one of those handy features of telling me how many miles I have left on the tank. I've learned the hard way that it isn't too accurate.

Honestly, I don't know how many times I've needed bailed out. My sister in law has brought me gas on the side of the road. My brother has brought gas to my house. Friends have brought me gas at random stores I had to pull over at. I've even been towed by a stranger to the nearest station. Sad. I know.

I was trying to figure out this weekend why that happens to me so much, and the bottom line is that I'm just not intentional about filling my tank when I can. The truth is, I'm just too busy on school days to stop for gas. My schedule is down to the minute in the mornings and at noon when delivering my prize kindergartner to his afternoon class. 

SO....I need to make sure I'm gassed up on the weekend. Just like I do more cleaning and more baking and more laundry on the weekends, getting ready for a new week, I need to make sure my tank is full and ready.

I love this verse because, as a mom, it is my constant question. When can I meet with God?

I'll be honest, I don't get a consistent time every day with the Lord. It isn't that I don't try or that I don't want it but kids don't often read my schedule and pick when to get sick or misbehave or wake up super early. There are days when my only time with God is just praying throughout my day or reading a chapter of Psalms to my kids.

Long before this weekend, when I finally decided when to fill my van's tank, I learned that I had to be pretty intentional to keep my spiritual tank filled. Santha and I were talking not too long ago, and she said something so profound (which is pretty normal for Santha). She said, "There is a difference between being intentional and being in control." So often as moms we feel sabotaged by our lack of control over our schedule and what may surprise us each day. But we can still be intentional with our relationship with God. Our time with Him may not happen every morning like we hope...or even during afternoon nap time, but we can still carve the time slot out and be ready.

Kim was just sharing with me this weekend how God has laid on her heart to get up at a certain time on certain days of the week - not every day, but certain days. That is how she is going to be intentional.

I've learned to take my "mom-time" to be with God. When Bill sends me out for a couple of hours to get away, I often take my Bible and meet God somewhere. I've learned it helps me more than just about anything else I need to keep going. This weekend, I'm doing something I've never done before (at least since I had kids), I'm going away for an entire weekend - just me and God. I can't wait!

Do you thirst for time with the Lord? Does your soul long for Him? He's waiting for you!