Date Jesus

As I woke up this morning, there were several things knocking at the door to my Monday. I thought I was ready, but I suddenly wanted to crawl back under the covers and dream. As my family leaves in shifts, I stand before the door with my hand on the knob. I can almost see all the things on the other side that demand more of my attention than I have to give. The little girl in me wants to lock the bolt lock and play all day, but the big girl in me knows better. In my mind and heart, I open the door. The noise is loud and the crowd is thick. In the middle of the chaos, I see Jesus. He is smiling at me. He knows what is ahead and He is still smiling? That is a good sign. As He slowly works his way through the demands, He comes closer. He must feel that I long for His presence and help today. I mean there isn't anything super bad or super hard about this Monday. It is just a busy Monday. He cares.

As I let Him in, I feel Him pull up a stool at the breakfast bar with me. The quiet of the house helps me to hear Him better. I sit in front of my bowl of grits with no cheese and no butter accompanied by my dry toast. It doesn't feel like the breakfast of champions. Jesus turns to look at me with His arm propped up holding His cheek in the palm of His hand. He gently reminds me that I have to get to the grocery store to pick up items for some Thanksgiving baskets for families in need. I am thankful for my grits and toast. I am thankful for a husband that works hard for our family to have food.

As I head to the closet to grab my running shoes, I can almost feel Jesus sitting on the bed beside me as I lace them up. I secretly wish I had new running shoes that weren't stretched out and dingy. I know He heard me. With the same gentle smile and voice, He reminds me to get going because I have shoes in my closet to sort through to donate to Souls 4 Souls at my daughters' school.

I stop at the computer which is nestled between a pile of papers that has been waiting for weeks to be filed. The Monday demands get louder. I once again sense that Jesus is in my office with me sitting in the leather chair across from my desk. He asks me to check my inbox. There are several emails from women I deeply care about. Single moms that are experiencing their first holiday season where they have to share their children and be alone at times. I glance over to look into His eyes and I ask Him what He expects me to say. After all the years of being separated from my girls at Thanksgiving and Christmas, I still can't get used to it. He winks at me and reminds me that He has that taken care of. I explain to Him that I have found a note in the jean's pocket of my youngest, where she is writing to Him. I asked Him if he read the part where she doesn't want to be away from her family and she is afraid to be away. As tears roll down my cheek, Jesus reminds me that all those years of teaching my children to depend on Him are paying off. "After all, she is writing to ME, Lisa."

I head out in the sunshine and feel this incredible wind blowing as I begin to warm up for my run. You guessed it, Jesus is tagging along. I am grateful for the company. With cold muscles and sluggish energy, I get a slow start. He runs ahead of me and coaches me on. He reminds me that I don't need to run from anything. I can do all things with Him because He gives me the strength I need. Jesus is a jokester as He then wants to know if I am up for some Jesus yoga today. He reminded me that He has reached back from before the foundations of the world were laid, and reached ahead all the way to the cross, and reached up all the way to heaven, and reached down to me right there in that moment. Wow!

Just as you would expect a holy gentleman to do, He waits on the couch for me as I get cleaned up and ready for the day. Excitement builds in my heart and butterflies flutter in my stomach. Jesus is taking me out on a date today. He is going with me to run all my errands, have lunch, pick up kids, do homework, cook for my family and all the in betweens. I have a date with Jesus today. I step into the den and look over at the couch where Jesus is waiting. I smiled and said, "Let's go!". I am thankful that He is a patient and loving God. I am thankful that I invited Him into my day......He was waiting.