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We are almost to the end of the school year, so the last thing my kids want to talk about is math! However, the kind of addition and subtraction I have been thinking about lately has very little to do with school.

After spending over a year of living extremely differently, I am finding that I have some math equations to ponder. Now that I have a choice to rejoin the world, what do I want to add back in to my life? What are some things that I have not missed that were subtracted out of my life? I have been surprised to be confronted by these questions. I have also found that I am not alone.

Before this year, I always considered myself to be an extrovert. I would feel energized being around people. I have written several blogs about interacting with others at the grocery store. However, after having A LOT of alone time this year, I find that I do not miss the constant social interaction. Surprise! This next revelation may have more to do with my age, but I also do not miss being out late several nights a week. I am now quite content to be home with my family most evenings.

I have enjoyed the extra time with my kids and my husband. It is nice to not have to rush off in the morning or slide in sideways late in the evening. Our relationships have had a chance to deepen and grow. I have also enjoyed the extra time with God that this year has afforded me. Obviously, as for a lot of us, this time with God has included many “why” questions and much soul-searching, but He has been so faithful in the comfort He has provided.

I was not expecting to feel this way. I had really thought that after losing so many freedoms and being cooped up at home, I would be ready to burst out of the door, accepting any and all invitations or events that came my way. But, like I said, I have discovered that I am not the only person who feels like this. Many friends have shared these same thoughts. They are using this opportunity to evaluate their lives and make conscious choices and decisions about how they want to live. More than one person has called it a “reset.” Most of us agree that our world, at least in this country, had been moving way too fast and we were feeling caught up in the whirlwind.

This year has brought many, many negatives with it, but maybe it also brought this gift of re-evaluation. In the Bible there is a verse that asks God to, “teach us to number our days, that we might gain wisdom.” Maybe this is one of those times for us to pray that prayer so that we might wisely re-enter our world, in a thoughtful way. Maybe this is a time to add in what is good, subtract what is not, so that our strength will equal our days!*

“Teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12

*This is from a blessing to the tribe of Asher from Moses in Deuteronomy 33:25: “…and your strength will equal your days.”

I have some bad news.

This is for those of you who have just had your first baby. I know you can probably hardly read this because the words keep blurring on the page due to lack of sleep, but it is going to get worse…

Right now that sweet little baby does actually take naps. They can’t speak yet, I know they cry, but they don’t talk back, or tell you how stupid you are, (in not so many words so that they get themselves in trouble) however, they roll their eyes at the same time so that you understand, that they understand, that you do not have two working brain cells in your entire head! Oops, getting a little ahead of myself.

Back to your baby, who probably does go to bed by about 8:00 in the evening. I know they get up by 6:00 am, but that is still TEN whole hours that you have. Here is the bad news, at least for those of you who end up with either several children or children spread out in ages: when they become teenagers they come alive at night even though you have been up early with your younger children.

You will literally spend all day trying to drag the older ones through whatever it is they need to accomplish, from getting up on time in the morning to schoolwork to chores. Then, when you are worn out in the evening from still being up early with your younger children and from dragging the teenagers through the day…voila! They wake up like giggling, nonsensical vampires ready to suck the last of the energy out of your exhausted body.

And of course, because you are a good, loving parent who realizes by now that time with your kids is short and that in just a few years these kids will be leaving home, you stay up and listen to them. When my children were all still small, I thought that was the time that I really needed to rely on God’s strength. Now I know that that was nothing and that the only thing keeping me going some days is the fact that my Father is always ready and available to listen to me no matter what time it is.

God has encouraged me over and over again in my parenting journey. If I begin to worry about my children’s education, He will remind me of the verse that says that all of my children will be taught by Him and great will be their peace. If I worry that they are not really paying attention to the Bible, I remember that He promises that none of His words will fall to the ground. And above all, when I feel like I am failing as a parent, I remember that He loves my kids more than I ever could and that He is ultimately their good, good Father. Like I said, these days are short…and I can always catch up on sleep when they all eventually leave the house!

“Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them–not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be.” I Peter 5:2

As we were flying to Texas the other day to check out some colleges with my second oldest, I overheard a woman describing the town she was from. She said it is tucked away in a little corner of the North East. I could hear the warmth for her home in her voice as she was speaking. She talked about how the trees were not huge, but there were very beautiful forested areas. What struck me the most was when she said that the nature there was not the “wow” that you might see in many other areas of the country, but it was quietly beautiful. I knew exactly what she meant.

I have had the privilege of seeing some amazing sights in our country. I have seen the giant stone mountains of Yosemite. I have been in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and made my way to the top of Pike’s Peak. I have lived in California my whole life and have stood where the land and the ocean meet many times. I have gazed up at the giant redwood trees in the coastal forests.

However, I too live in a place of quiet beauty. The oak trees out my windows don’t make a flashy show of color in the Fall, but they subtly change throughout the year in a steady way. The little bluebirds may not be as brightly colored as some of their feathered friends, but they too are consistently busy adding cheer to the world just outside.

There is a difference in how we experience these two types of nature. The “wow” type can inspire awe in us for our Creator. I know when I saw the mountains in Yosemite, it really sunk in just how big our God must be. These types of experiences make me think of our “mountain top” times with God, the spiritual highs. The other, quieter type of nature makes me think of our day-to-day lives or the times when we need to “soak” with God, the times when we just need to lean on our Heavenly Father.

Even Jesus, when He was here on Earth, had these two different types of experiences. He had the moment after Baptism when the Heavens opened up and His Father blessed Him. He went up to the Mount of Transfiguration. Then He also experienced being alone and fasting for 40 days and being tested by Satan. He spent many quiet hours alone praying with God.

We need both of these types of experiences in our spiritual walk. The mountain top times can give us vision, excitement and spur us on, but just like most of us can’t live at Yosemite, we also cannot maintain that type of spiritual high constantly. We are designed to come back down to the quieter, steadier places and live out–sometimes struggle out–those “wow” moments of the mountains.

“Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.  Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.  For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.  The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.” Psalm 95:1-5

When my younger children wake up in the morning, they make a beeline for their Daddy’s lap. There is no passing “Go.” No stopping for a drink of water. Nope, not interested in breakfast yet, just straight for the cuddles. With their hair still tousled from sleep, the youngest still clutching her blanky, they snuggle in safe and secure.

They seem so peaceful. They are not worrying about their upcoming days. They are not thinking about school or chores. They are not concerned about phone calls they need to make, meetings they need to attend or bills they need to pay…oh wait, that’s me.

You see unfortunately, some days I am not as wise as my children. Instead of waking up and immediately cuddling into my Heavenly Father’s waiting arms, I begin the worry wheel in my brain. The things I have to do that day come flooding in. Yes, the first thing I do each day is have a quiet time, supposedly with God, but sometimes my thoughts are anything but quiet and I am not so sure I am really present to my Father.

God gives us such beautiful pictures of His Father-heart in the Bible. He compares Himself to a mother bird sheltering her chicks under her wings. He says He is our rock and strong fortress. He tells us that He is ever-present, always loving and never forsaking. Why would I not want to snuggle into His arms every morning and rest?

The problem comes in the form of my self-reliance. I still, after all this time of walking with my Heavenly Father, have a hard time trusting Him. I start rushing off on my own and only when things get a little tough do I remember to slow down and turn to Him. I love that He is available for me not only in the morning, but at all times of the day or night! He is never the one who forgets about me. Just as my children can find comfort and safety in their earthly father’s arms, I can find peace and love in my Heavenly Father’s arms.

“He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” Psalm 91:4

We are all familiar with seeing this title in the subject lines of our email boxes. This means, in essence, regarding a former communication. It is a prefix that means something is happening again. With this beautiful Spring weather, and all of the green plants and flowers beginning to grow, I really began to think about these two letters.

There are so many words that begin this way: rebirth, redeem, restore, regrow. We even use quite a few of these words to describe what Jesus does in our lives once we receive Him and give ourselves to Him. They tell about the process He begins at our moment of salvation, to turn us from our old, sinful natures into thriving, new creations.

In the same way, that the plants and trees do not stay dead and brown from the winter, but are slowly changed day by day into the dark green of summer, we too are being slowly changed more and more into Christ’s image.

I have seen oak trees, that I was just positive were completely dead, be in lush, beautiful green by summer. In the same way, no matter how “dead” our former lives may have made us feel, Jesus, by His mighty recreating power can raise us from the dead.

If we allow Him to work in our lives He promises to: reinvigorate, restrengthen, rejuvenate, remember, repurpose, rehabilitate, repair, reclaim, and renew us. And all we have to do is re-pent!

“Do not be conformed by this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2

When I began blogging, several years ago now, my first blog was about my son. It described his power for stating the obvious. Unfortunately, this little guy also loves to be in everybody else’s business. He has to be the first to tell any news about anyone. I can’t even get out of the car when I return home before he is talking at me through the windshield, telling me the latest news.

Whenever we turn around there he is, listening intently. He appears to have the power of cloning himself as well, because it seems he is everywhere all at once taking in information that he then disseminates just as quickly!

Now, I have told you before that I am not exactly mother-of-the-year, so please don’t get too upset about what I tell you next. This characteristic of his was getting so intense and rude that I came to a creative solution. I began to call him “Edna.” Now, no offense to any lovely ladies out there with the name Edna. It was a name I thought of to describe the elderly, neighborhood gossip. The lady who just always happens to be outside watering her roses when something interesting is going on in your front yard.

As you can imagine, my 8 year old son did not take too kindly to this nickname…at first. The really surprising thing is that after he stopped being irate about it, he calmed down and realized that he really was Edna! After that, he made a concerted effort to stay out of other people’s business and to stop himself when he began to ask a nosy question. He even began to admonish his sisters that they should not be too inquisitive so they didn’t end up as an “Edna.”

Now, this is a long story to get to my actual point. ANY strength taken too far can become a weakness. My son has amazing powers of observation. He notices details that other people routinely miss. He is extremely interested in people. I know God is going to use all of these talents in a very special way. However, he will probably always have to watch himself that he is not being too nosy or intrusive.

God has given each one of us strengths. These strengths can be wonderful gifts in our lives and in other people’s lives. But, we have to be careful. An organized person can become a “control freak.” An outgoing, friendly person can become obnoxious and overbearing. A person who loves justice and truth can become harsh and legalistic. And on it can go.

In fact, a good way to figure out your own strengths, might be to look at your weaknesses. If there is an area you struggle in, could it be a strength taken too far? I know this has been the case frequently in my life. With God’s grace, I have come a long way. I know He is eager to show you your own special strengths as well and how to reign them in and share them with the world!

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” II Corinthians 12:9a