As to the Lord...

Those who know me well, know that I am not a morning person. To say that I struggle to be kind doesn't seem like a strong enough statement. On the first morning of our marriage, I told Brian that he needed to leave me alone and give me time to wake up. As each new child has entered our family, I've made sure that they understood as well. I'm sure that my family has many embarrassing stories of how awful I am to deal with in the mornings. I go about my work grumbling to myself about how much I wish I could just wake up in peace, without anyone asking me to do anything. Recently, the Lord has been revealing to me just how selfish my attitude has been. I am asking six other people to adjust everything they do for me! Jesus tells us in the Bible that we are to die to ourselves DAILY, and that he didn't come to be served, but to serve. So, I decided that it was time for a change. It was time for me to start adjusting to the needs of my family. This week I've been getting up earlier to give myself some time to prepare my heart to serve my family. I've been cooking breakfast for Brian and my children and trying to greet them in a way that people you love should be greeted. Starting this way has helped to get me off on the right foot to keep me focused for the work that needs to be done each day. I don't want to just do the work, I want to do it with a heart that is focused on the Lord. Don't misunderstand me, there are no bright beams of glorious sunlight shining through our house, while gentle woodland creatures come to feast on scraps of food and soft music plays in the background. This is a daily (sometimes hourly) decision for me to die to my selfish desires and focus on others. Colossians 3:23-24 says, "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ." This has been my motto this week that I keep repeating in my head, "as to the Lord". I haven't done it perfectly, but I've tried to quickly get back on the path when I've stepped off. So, as I go about my day cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, wiping noses (as well as other places) and tending to the needs of my family, I'm striving to do it as to the Lord.