S.D.G.

For any of you who know me well, you know that I am a planner. I would definitely classify myself as a schedules and lists kind of girl. I love making multiple lists during the course of a day and feel a sense of pride and accomplishment as I check off each item on my 'to do' list. During my time as a teacher, I was the first to get my test dates on the calendar and my husband often complains when I want to plan out every detail of our weekend multiple days in advance. Yes, I am a planner. As I am writing this, it seems as if this is leading into a discussion of my overwhelming need to control things, but that discussion will have to wait for another day! No, this post is actually about the reason behind the need for all the lists and planning in the first place: We are busy.

Perhaps you are like me in that you feel like you spend your day running. All. Day. Long. While I have to admit our lives have DRASTICALLY slowed down since making the decision to homeschool, we still have a lot on our plates. From school, to Bible study, church commitments, social engagements, children's activities, and to basic every day stuff like cooking dinner and cleaning house, I often feel like it is impossible to truly get it all done. So why do we do this to ourselves? I think that as women especially we have this overwhelming need to be all things to all people and to do all things well. I must be the best mother, wife, teacher, housekeeper, mentor, friend, daughter, sister, chef, servant, etc. In fact, I spend my days trying to accomplish just that-pleasing everyone around me.

But in the midst of it all, I have to stop and ask myself a tough question. Is that really what I am here for? I am so busy running around trying to please everyone that I have lost sight of my sole purpose here on earth: to bring glory to God. Now, let me stop for a moment and give a disclaimer. YES, we can glorify God by doing all things well. YES, God is honored by me being a Godly wife, mother, friend, etc.. But I have to honestly ask myself, is that why I do all that I do? Is it truly to glorify God....or is it to glorify self? Ouch. Unfortunately sometimes my answer is the latter.

In Bible study this morning, the Lord reminded me of the simple truth that I am to have a singular purpose in life and that is to bring glory and honor to Him in everything I do. He wants me to have a singular focus, which is Him. So often I am too busy running around that I forget to look up and see Him, patiently waiting there for me to notice Him in the midst of all my busyness. I am looking in so many directions that I lose my focus and as a result, I often fall flat on my face. As Christians our purpose is to be set apart for the Lord and in doing that we bring Him glory. When we lose our focus, we often stumble in our walk with the Lord.

I am thankful that the Lord is patient. That He reminds me of these simple things that I tend to forget. That He gives me an opportunity to be still in the midst of it all and simply know that He is God. It is my prayer that I can take a hard look at all that I am doing during my day and be sure that the purpose in everything truly is to bring Him honor and glory. In Bible study today we heard a story about the great composer Johann Sebastian Bach. He wrote the initials S.D.G at the end of most of his compositions. These initials stood for Soli Deo Gloria....To God Alone be Glory. I would love to think at the end of each of my activities, at the end of each of my days and ultimately at the end of my life the Lord would be able to add this same inscription to my life...Soli Deo Gloria...To God Alone be Glory.