Sunday, October 20, 2013

Slowing Down...

I am happy to say for the last couple of weeks we have been slow here at the Fortner house and it makes me happy.  Don't get me wrong, I love to be busy but things change when you have a family.  God has really been speaking to my heart to slow down and rest.  Rest in his presence, rest from activities and rest from the outside world.  

So many times I get caught up with what my friends and family are doing and the more I get caught up in their lives the more I get my feelings hurt.  Hurt that I'm not the one their hanging out with anymore.  But I know God has brought me to this season for a reason and I beginning to really see it now, and to tell you the truth it's exciting! 

I'm reading this book/bible study The Home Experience by Devi Titus.  It talks about the importance of home and the dinner table.  My parents always taught me that our home never belonged to us...it belongs to God.  Our home was always open to anyone who needed it.  There were always youth gatherings like game night or bible study at our house.  My parents had guests over for meals and those are some of my most precious moments I have has a child.  In this book it talks about your home being a safe place.  A place where people are welcome and feel the Spirit of the Lord, they feel peace, joy and comfort.  She talks about your home being a gathering place for your family and how important it is to have your meals at your dinner table.  We have always ate at the dinner table but was convicted....we have the TV on or we're on our cell phones.  James and I talked about it and now the TV is off and the cell phones aren't allowed the table.  If you call us or text us we will not answer til dinner is over.  

The last month I have learned to slow down for Farrah.  She has a fairly busy schedule but James and I prayed about any activities we put her in before we do it and have Farrah's best interest at heart.  She does KDO two days a week, she plays soccer, gymnastics and tap and ballet.  There are four days where Farrah and I are home all day...those days are my favorite.  It's truly a day where I get caught up on laundry and house stuff and Farrah can move at her own pace.  I turn on music and we dance a lot, we play outside, we go and feed the ducks and have some really interesting conversations.  Farrah is asking some really great questions about Jesus and how her friends say things and react to things....such great lessons being learned.   To be honest I'm very selfish with these days...I cherish these days at home.  

I've had to learn one little word that has always been hard for me to say....No.  And can I tell you it's so freeing!  Of course I love saying yes to everything but deep down all it does is make make tired.  The hardest thing for me my whole life and you can ask my mom, is being left out.  But during this season I must put my family first.  Farrah starts school next year and I know it will start to fly by so fast.  We will have more family time and start a tradition my parents did for us....Friday night is family night.  

We loved Friday nights at our house growing up!  That was the one night we would just do what we wanted to as a family.  Dad would take our orders and go get what we wanted...Mom usually wanted a hamburger from Burger Kitchen, Lance usually wanted Sonic, Shawna usually wanted McDonalds and I wanted Mac and Cheese....haha!  We would either play a board game/card game or rent a movie.  Having three kids we rotated on who would choose the movie.  The older we got we would invite friends over.  Mom and dad knew that it was important to keep a house that our friends would come over.  That way my parents knew the decisions were being made were good decisions.  

I'm excited to see this next season holds for my family and I encourage you to do the same thing.  I promise you won't regret it!  

Our family night was a trip to the Pumpkin Trail...so much fun!!




Then we came back for a game....Farrah's choice.



No comments: