My help comes from the Lord

I woke up this morning with a looong TO DO list rambling through my head. I hadn't even opened my eyes before the TO DO munchkins started squeeling for my attention. My TO DO list had so many items on it that I had to separate them into categories with sub-categories.

TO DO for our adoption
TO DO around the house
TO DO in running errands
TO DO for kids
TO DO for JJ
TO DO for P31
TO DO for Radio
TO DO for speaking events
TO DO for book proposal

The bad thing is that I didn't have them all written down. They were doing the TO DO dance in my head like little children begging for breakfast at my bedside. It was not a good way to wake up and start a new week. I didn't want to give in to their whining so I decided to ignore them until they could talk to me in a calm and peaceful voice (which would require a good cup of coffee and some Jesus time).

So, instead of jumping out of bed in a flurry and writing down my list with sub-lists, I decided to turn over and start a new conversation with someone who would talk to me in a calm and pleasant voice.

"Good morning Jesus. How are you today?" I whispered. Then I laid there and smiled as His sweet peace came over me.

Why don't I do this every morning?! I thought.

It was such a different way to start my morning, talking to Jesus before my eyes even opened. Instead of praying for His help to get it all done, I soaked up the gift of being able to talk to my Lord. I took my anxious heart and tenderly placed my hope in Him. I tried to hear His thoughts before I tackled mine. Of course, I acknowledged that there was no way I could get all my TO DOs done but I knew He'd be ok with that, and if He'd be ok with it, then I could be ok with it.

Well, I've had my coffee and my Jesus now. And though I did have to get out of bed eventually, I am continuing to rest in Him even as I do laundry, clean house, cook breakfast and lunch, make calls, check emails, and plan our week. But instead of praying for help, today I am reminding my self of where my help comes from.

Psalm 121

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?

2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;

4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;

8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

I would love to hear how you manage your TO DO list! Please do tell.

PS. JJ should get the results on his biopsy early this week. I'll post something as soon as we hear back. Also, I added the recipe's to my July 4th post if you were one of the friends asking for them.