ABIDE

My word for the year this year is ABIDE.  I was reminded of that pretty strongly this morning after a week of being out of routine: We were snowed in Monday and M had Friday off school, so the middle three days I drove her to school, went to work then picked her up.  I didn't have one day last week that was normal in the sense that I saw Sean off to work and M off to school and then had me time to sit by the window with my Bible, to just be quiet and pray.  Honestly, some days the Bible doesn't even get opened; some days I even just fall asleep.  But that little bit of quiet, and the sense that I am taking time to relax with God is like vegetables.  I need it to be healthy.  It's also like chocolate - so sweet and something I enjoy.  Hm... chocolate vegetables.  Not sure about that.  The best of both worlds, maybe.

Anyway, I was pretty low and this morning just sat wrapped up in the warm blanket by the one sunny window in the back of the house.  I wrote in my journal, thought about someone other than me, read my Bible, and remembered that the reason I chose abide to be my word was because I need it.  I need the time to just BE with God.  My TNIV translates it "remain in me."  I also chose it because of the lack of doing - it's not something to add to a to do list, it's not a task; it's simply to be aware of God, to talk to him, to be with him.  To remember that he is right there and to be aware of that.  To be more aware of him.

John 15:1-5 - "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, so that it will be even more fruitful... Remain in me as I also remain in you.   No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.  I am the vine; you are the branches.  If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."