Failing Miserably and Having the Best Intentions

“Beep Beep Beep” goes my alarm clock. I roll over and hit the snooze button…probably not once but a few times before I turn on Pandora and start getting ready for my day. After about twenty-thirty minutes, I am dressed, hair curled and ready to walk out the door. I walk every day to work since my house is only a block or so from the church.

As I walk, my mind wanders as I think about the tasks I have set before me today. Today I found myself making a mental checklist of all the things that I need to do to get ready for our church picnic this evening. This morning, I prepped our S’more worship bulletins for tonight and finished making some table tents to put on the tables. At noon, I hopped in my car and drove to Walmart where I purchased some buns and water for tonight. Since it was nearing one pm, I wound my way through the Wendy’s drive through where I picked up a quick lunch. I ate my lunch in the car and finished it sitting at my desk in my office which I dislike doing. I would much rather spend the noon hour at my own house, taking some time to just be!
All the tasks that I have to get done at work are sooo important. Yet when I get done after a busy day and head home, I find it so hard to sit down and write—especially if I have spent the day writing and crafting a sermon– even if an idea is floating through my brain. This summer I HAD THE BEST INTENTIONS to read through the Bible with Wendy Speake, but my friends, I have FAILED MISERABLY!!! I started off really well, but then summer started happening and I couldn’t keep up with it. In June, while enjoying my beloved Rocky Mountains of Colorado, I was determined to get back on track. I spent one afternoon reading like two weeks worth of readings. After that trip, I returned home and ten days later, I left with a group of youth and another adult for our church’s Youth Gathering. Sadly I felt like I was failing miserably yet again!
But what I have come to realize is that I may have stopped reading along, but I was still hearing Scripture. The Youth Gathering was scattered with the gospel of Mark. In all reality, Scripture and God were all around me. I just had to take the time to notice God all around me. (Hint: My Write 31 Days topic is leaning towards something along those lines!)
As I watch for God around me, I am reminded of the importance of finding margin in my life; of finding time to do those things that bring me joy–like my writing. I am going to have to do a better job of scribbling down notes on my phone, on napkins, whatever may be in front of me so that I can write whenever I want and feel like writing!
I may have failed miserably reading along with my blog friends as we try to read the Bible in a year, but God is gracious and allows us to start and restart again and again and again! So my friends instead of hitting that snooze alarm one more time, I am going to try and begin my day in God’s Word—because “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” I can’t think of a better way to ground my own time and space to be able to create a sacred space that reflects God’s Word through my own words. 
Where is your favorite sacred space to write?

6 thoughts on “Failing Miserably and Having the Best Intentions

  1. Oh friend… grace, grace! I fail at almost any Bible reading plan! (I think it's the strict adherence to rules! LOL!?) 😉 Honestly – I love the Word and I am in it often, and I really do love a routine… the If:Equip is great because it's a small couple of verses and if I miss a day or two, I don't feel too guilty about it! I know as I pray – I write and in that time, He puts Scripture on my heart and that is my favorite way to spend time in the Word… you know, WITH The Word! xoxo

    • Thanks for the reminder that there is grace, friend! I am going to have to check out IF:Equip. I love the idea of having just a few short verses each day. Yep spending time in the Word WITH the Word is my absolute favorite too!

  2. I loved this post Tara! "I just had to take time to notice God all around me." I so often fail at noticing God all around me. I also often get distracted by the must do's, and I need to remember to make time for things that bring me joy. I hope you have a wonderful day!

  3. Cheers! I fail miserably too from time to time. That is reality of human-ness. I have not exercised this week, but I did get to write. Don't tell that I'm behind on my household chores as well! As for writing and arranging…I did get to do that yesterday, but I also left for work with no makeup (did that at stop lights), and a wet head. So it goes. We can only do so much, and in that we are human. Jenn

    • Jenn, glad to know I am not alone at failing miserably from time to time. You are so right. It is the reality of our human-ness. I didn't exercise last week at all either. You are so right…we can only do so much.

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