As I sit to write this I convince myself to scan Facebook for any last minute ideas (Yeah right – more like procrastination)! I do have to admit my theme has been inspired by blogs that I follow. It seems everyone I read has the same struggle; finding the time for prayer, Bible study, and worship.

These past few days my family and I have spent in New York City and  I have been struggling to maintain my normal routine of spending time with the Lord. I had envisioned spending even more time with God on this trip. I thought I would pray more, worship more, and even catch up on my reading. In reality, sightseeing and other leisurely activities have filled most of my time this past week.  I’m sure many of you can relate. Our everyday lives are so busy and we think that if we could just have a few days to get away from it all then we could spend so much more time with the Lord. Well I’m here to say that if it’s not part of your normal daily routine it’s definitely not going to be when you “get away”! 

As I have traveled throughout the city the one site that spoke to me the most was a very old cemetery, spanning several city blocks. I read names and dates going back as far as 1867! Their tombstones tell stories of a different day and age and I wonder if their lives were too busy for the things of God?

We only have so much time in this life and we need to be more cautious about what we fill it with. In Psalm 90 Moses asked the Lord to teach us to number our days. I challenge you to reevaluate what fills the moments of your life. Are you caught up in all the excitement of what everyone else is doing and feeling overwhelmed? It may be time to say “No” to what everyone else is doing and “Yes” to what God has called you to do!

This time of year always brings a time of reflection for me. Mother’s Day will be Sunday and I am thankful to be a Mother. I love my kids and grandkids!!! I am blessed with two amazing daughters and a son of whom I could not be more proud. As a mother and grandmother there is no greater joy that to watch and enjoy the delightful process of their lives evolve. I am so sorry to say my own mother did not have that privilege.

My mother passed away when I was 17 and I often wonder what my mom would have said in certain situations and I don’t have the luxury to be able to ask. Prayerfully what she instilled in me has and will be passed to the next generation; imparted into my son, daughters and grand-children through my example. There are a few things that I remember my Mom imbedding into my head and heart that I hope to never forget:

The first being never let your ego get so large you forget all of your talents are gifts from God. Basically leave your ego buried, never flaunt yourself. Don’t get too big for your britches. She didn’t care what my friend’s had or could do. How often I heard….” If your friends jumped off a cliff, would you?” Well, no!

The second value my Mom preached, “No excuses for bad behavior”. Believe in yourself! It is so important to believe in yourself and your abilities. Blame, self-loathing and self-doubt are obstacles that keep us from moving forward. There was no ‘self-pity” in our house. So you lost the Vice President position, which was tied, by a flip of a coin? Well, no problem tomorrow will come..OK! My mother was good at putting things in perspective. Keep your chin up!!! Thanks Mom, I only hope I will continually apply your wisdom.

The third value I remember my Mom chose to be genuine and unpretentious. She had an enormous distain for pretention and seemed to be able to smell a phony a mile away. Her advice was always be yourself, don’t try to impress the neighbors so to speak. It is important to be transparent and authentic in every encounter. Live in truth; don’t pretend to be what you are not.

Fourth and last be sure to always remember the importance of relationships. Family first, stay in touch, others may come and go but family is forever. Be a genuine friend that can be depended upon. Being a friend is a treasure that is hard to find.

When I reflect on my Mom I always miss her. She was a wise lady with amazing character as a 17 year old remembers. I only wish I had the blessing of having her longer.

Legendary Alabama football coach Bear Bryant used to remind his players: “Be sure to call your Mom.” Then he would add wistfully, “I wish I could call mine.”

So do I.

My high school has won ten Illinois State Football Championships, making it the second most successful program in our states history. The primary reason for their success is in their ability to recruit top talent throughout the city of Chicago. As a freshman I decided I would attempt to “walk-on” the team along with thirty other hopeful young men. At our first practice we discovered that the scholarship recipients had already been practicing for over a month and were dressed in full gear. We were allowed to run laps and exercise with the team but were excluded from contact drills due to the fact that we did not have protective equipment. So for about two hours each evening the thirty of us would watch the team practice and were told that we could join them once we “earned” our gear. This was somewhat of a “Catch 22″ because it was impossible to earn our pads without first having them. Day by day guys became discouraged and quit. One week before the teams first game there were only five of us left. Throughout the course of that final week four of us also hung it up. Only a guy named Mike from my neighborhood stuck it out. Mike was among the worst players from my grade school team. He showed up for the game in street clothes and the coaches rewarded his tenacity by granting him his equipment. Mike went on to letter all four years and even played college ball (Proving Pastor John’s theory that persistence overcomes resistance).

The Apostle Paul likens our lives in Christ to that of athletic competition. He wrote that we are in a race and we should run as to win the prize. In Ephesians chapter 6 he wrote that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers in heavenly places. He went on to say that it is imperative that we wear the proper gear (What he calls armor).

Unlike the coaches at my high school, God does not make it difficult for the believer to acquire his/her gear. Yet many walk out onto the spiritual battlefield everyday unprepared for battle. They go out to fight without the breastplate of righteousness, without the shield of faith and without the sword of the Spirit (Which the Bible identifies as the Word of God).

I would encourage you to study Ephesians 6:10-18 and learn how to gird yourself for battle where the field is far more dangerous than that of a football field and the stakes much higher. It’s time to gear up!