I'm a Basket Case

This is my view today...

I'm on vacation with my family this week. In an attempt to be less of a basket case, I'm spending most of this week offline. But today you can find me at keepingitpersonal.com where I'm sharing how God's Word has to be more than a basket case for me. Curious? Click over and get encouraged... http://keepingitpersonal.com/2012/10/more-than-a-basket-case/

Additional Capacity

It's been seven years.

Seven years of repairmen, loads that took five cycles to dry and rusted appliances.

It's been 2,555 days.

Two thousand five hundred fifty five days of near daily laundry.

When Scott and I combined our households in 2004, I brought a circa 1993 washer/dryer set and he brought 1996. By virtue of age alone his pair won. The next year our family blossomed from 4 to 5. Soon there after it expanded to 6. 

Clara brought an extraordinary supply of excitement and joy to our family but somehow her tiny little body managed to send me over the laundry edge. My several day a week job became daily. Our nearly two decade old washer and dryer just couldn't keep up. It tried for 7 years but recently our dryer's ninth life expired. It was time to send our set to appliance heaven (our church's appliance ministry refurbishes them for use by inner city residents).

My new set isn't just shiny, new and a oh-so-soothing hue of blue. They have mind-blowing capacity. A job I used to do daily now only requires a few hours a couple days a week. Their expanded capacity has given my life additional capacity.

Capacity. I crave it. I long for additional time, energy and strength.

Capacity gives us the freedom to say no to additional commitments and yes to our families.

Capacity gives us the strength to say no to striving and yes to rest.

Capacity gives us the fortitude to say no to lesser things and yes to Jesus.

Do you ever find yourself begging God for capacity? I do and He rarely honors my request. I think it's because He knows I'd squander the gift. A few years ago I realized I didn't need more capacity, I needed more of Him.

Time with Him gave me the freedom, strength and fortitude to live an upside-down life - one which naturally creates capacity.

Is your life stuck on spin cycle? Let time with Him wash over your day and give your life additional capacity.