This week for our Greater topic I chose to write about what I can do to become greater. Chapter six is all about using what we have to further the mission of God. Don’t have a million bucks? Donate that $10 in your pocket that you’re just going to waste on a Starbucks! Don’t have time to go on a mission trip? Go volunteer at a local charity.

I’m always saying to myself – once my husband and I pay off some bills and we have extra money – then maybe I can go on a mission trip, or give more.  My focus has always been money – because that’s what everyone is always asking for. Not only are things tight in our household because we’d like to be completely debt free, but also my husband is agnostic – so the thought of giving 10% of our income to church or charity- probably isn’t in the realm of possibilities in the near future.

But my time is a possibility. See, my husband is extremely supportive of my walk with Christ, and interestingly enough often encourages me! (“hon wake up, time for church”). I’m raising our daughter in the Christian faith, and he 100% backs it. Though its not for him [yet] – he doesn’t want to ‘ruin’ that for our daughter. I thank him with all of my heart for this!

He doesn’t mind- or think its odd when I want to serve at church, or volunteer at Feed My Starving Children etc, and if I make [side job] money and want to donate that – he doesn’t mind. So what do I have? I definitely have time.

I realized just a few months/weeks ago that my pursuit of my nursing career (i’m taking generals at the moment) needs to be put on hold. It wasn’t just a “chemistry is super hard” but a real nudge from only what I could say was God that said “put this on hold”.   Not only because this is precious time that I am spending away from my daughter, but I have a job I truly love, and co-workers I adore.

I have a bachelors degree in Health Education, and I really am content! Sometimes the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, and although my background [from time in the Navy] was in the medical field – being now 8+ years out of it I may find that I’m only remembering the good points. I feel God is leading me away from this path; at least for now.

So – what to do with all of my new free time starting this Saturday the 15th? (my final is Saturday morning)…. VOLUNTEER & Raise money and awareness! I have a heart for serving others, and my daughter does as well. I recently [last October] did a photo fundraiser for Feed My Starving Children. I’m an amateur portrait photographer, so I set up this “one day – and one location swing by this ‘said’ park and 60% of the proceeds will go towards FMSC. ”

Just last weekend (i’m so behind on things sometimes due to college) I finally swung by FMSC with my daughter right as they were ready to do a pack with a bunch of volunteers. They asked if we wanted to stay to help pack, and I asked how old kiddos had to be to volunteer, and she said 5. Interestingly enough my daughter just turned five, so I said, well we have a few hours to spare- why not.

Guess what? My daughter absolutely LOVED it! So what can I give? Time and resources. God blessed me with taking photos, and I’m not trying to make money off it (well a living I should say) so I can use that tallent to give to an organization that does so much with so little. Its truly a loves and fishes organization! So I feel God is leading me towards making my photography “company” a non-profit! I’ll start out small, and see where it takes me, and in the mean time – I can spend time with my daughter doing something we both love, and something that chases after Gods heart!

I’m so embarrassed to share this, and say this out loud, but I think I have an addiction. The Merriam Webster dictionary defines addiction as follows:

My husband is constantly telling me that I’m on it too much, and I can tell that while i’m out in the kitchen catching up on mere acquaintanceship with Facebook, [we] are missing out on something greater in our relationship.

He even once had me watch a Dateline NBC special about how the internet interferes with peoples daily lives, and relationships and while I sat there watching, thinking this isn’t me… they’re really bad, and while we agree that i’m truthfully not full out addicted to it, its not interfering with my parenting, or daily living… Facebooking, and Pinteresting, and the tweeting is is making my husband feel like he is competing for my time.

And that is not ok. We can have a greater relationship, and a stronger relationship if I put in as much time and devotion to us then my old high school/navy friends that if i’m honest with myself aren’t worth as much time as I’m giving them.

If you asked me what my top 5 things/people in life I would instantly tell you:

* My relationship with God
* My Husband
* My daughter
* My work
* My fitness

But if you looked at how I spent my time, I’d ashamedly have to admit “fostering relationships with acquaintances” and  “trying to impress/get many followers on Twitter to be popular” would be right up towards the top.

It finally REALLY hit me when reading Chapter 4 last night. This is something I need to burn – or at a bare minimum take out to the woods and start on fire. While I’m not really ready to completely torch my social networks (delete my accounts) I plan to severely limit myself to checking them out.

I’m changing my password to something very weird, and jibbery so that it’d be impossible to remember off the top of my head.

I think my relationships that I listed as the most important above have such the potential to be greater with this small step!

Here’s to burning my plows.

“For Jesus’ disciples, burning the plows meant leaving their fishing nets and boats {Matthew 4:18-22}. 

1 Kings 19:21″So Elisha returned to his oxen and slaughtered them. He used the wood from the plow to build a fire to roast their flesh. He passed around the meat to the townspeople, and they all ate. Then he went with Elijah as his assistant.”

First of all – I’m getting a bit of ADD with my Chronological Reading Plan. I can’t just simply pick up any Bible and read because the order is so bizarre – so its a bit annoying to me.  For now – I’ll keep with it, but I might try to figure out where I’m actually at (in regular order) which is 1 Kings, and read straight through.  So. We’ll see.

But – onto Ecclesiastes. I read this straight through last night. I couldn’t put it down. I highlighted more in this book than I didn’t, and it looks like highlighter threw up over my [iPad] bible [app]. Lately I’ve been obsessed with reading Gods word and find myself reading several days worth at a time.

There is a time for EVERYTHING!