A Week in the Life

I woke up today thinking about all the things I should have done. I had thoughts on blogging. I missed posting something on Thanksgiving blessings, Black Friday materialism, Cyber Monday continued materialism, and Giving Tuesday.

I also felt my smallness this morning. Lying in bed, staring at the dark ceiling. Who am I, God, that you are mindful of me? One man in one bedroom in one apartment in one apartment building in one apartment complex on one street in one city... I could picture the Google map image above our home. How many people are even right here, in the same apartment complex. Why am I not so overjoyed with the gospel that I just have to share everything that I learn at church? Probably because I'm self-conscious, thinking too much about how I look and not enough about what God has done for me.

This last week was very relaxing in a "busy doing things I like" sort of way. I took off from work the week of Thanksgiving. I decided to go deer hunting this year, so I wanted to take off from work to make sure we had enough family time during the week. I spent more time hunting than I had originally planned, but the Lord blessed us with 2 deer for our freezer (something that has not happened in a while). All day Thanksgiving was spent building relationships with hunting buddies that I haven't seen in a while. Then, I made it back in time to go Black Friday shopping with my wife and her sister. More for sister bonding time rather than finding really great deals on Christmas presents. Slept a little bit Friday morning and visited with my wife's family. Saturday was recovery day with in-home bible study/social in the evening. Later that evening, we went over to the home of  some church friends, who not only invited me to go hunting with them this year (which I did), but also helped me get a deer and processed it for me. They had a box of meat waiting for us that evening!

Sunday was great as usual. I love going to church, learning God's word along side a bunch of fellow sinners. People that are forgiven by God's grace and want to live better lives according to God's will, not so they can look better, but so they can serve their God better.

My wife and her mother attended an Advent by Candlelight service that evening, while me and her dad watched the kids (and the football game).

The week was full of blessings. Not just blessings to be thankful for, but tools to serve God. I wish we would start using the word "tools" instead of "blessings." We tend to keep blessings for ourselves, but we always use tools to accomplish something.

Now, after a week of exhilarating rejuvenation, I am remembering all the things that I had committed to before that week. I need to catch up on catechism lessons with my oldest daughter, I need to focus on Chairman duties, finish reading about 6 books, look for a house, finish getting Christmas presents, and blog...well, one down and a lifetime to go.

God, thank you for work. Help me work faithfully.