Reminders to Draw Near to God

I just finished reading a great book, Becoming More Than Just a Good Bible Study Girl. There are many, many things I learned from this book, but one thing I read just today was put to the test this evening.

Lysa, the author, says that "most times it's not the big things along my spiritual journey that tempt me to get off track. It's a culmination of small daily aggravations I know God could fix but doesn't" She goes on to say that, "What if instead of seeing aggravations as inconveniences, we see them as reminders to draw near to God."

I loved this when I read it, but an hour or so later I was able to put it to the test. I was starting to get overwhelmed tonight with all of the "Sunday evening get ready for the week" chores. I was cleaning the kitchen for the second time, finishing up laundry, steaming clothes for tomorrow, putting the sheets back on the bed, swiffering the cat hair, cleaning out the litter box (okay I do that daily, not just once a week, eewwww) Haden was tired and so what he does when he is tried is run around like he is a crazy man and be extremely loud. I also had promised him that I would play Candyland before he went to bed, but as 8:00 (bedtime) started approaching I started to get very irritated and overwhelmed. But just then my reading from today crept or actually slammed into my mind. I paused and thanked God for these things:

*I have a child who is healthly and strong and is able to run around and speak and play.
*We both have jobs that we love and are able to get up and go to in the morning.
*We have had plenty of food to eat, and a nice kitchen to eat it in.
*Haden wants to actually spend time with his mom and play a game.
*We have a nice warm bed to sleep in every night.
*It took me a minute to think of being thankful for the cat hair and litter box...... they are nice pets and make Haden happy. ;)

Once I turned this all around and thanked God for all of the things I thought were irritating me, I felt much better. If I can just apply that to the bigger things as well.

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you" James 4:8