Avoidance or Preparation?

I threw back the duvet, and rose from my cosy bed just before 630 am, intending to get in a full day of reading & writing. Almost 3.5 hours later, I just sat down.. cracked open my books, (laptop, ipad and notebook)

and decided to blog instead. … Am I avoiding? Or is this part of the process. 🙂

What have I been doing the last 3.5 hours? Well I decided I needed a clear head to study today, so first things first! A quick shower to wake myself up. Then, seeing how lovely it was outside, I plugged in my earbuds, and went for a 1/2 hr walk

– “gotta get the blood flowing so i can study well!”.. While I walked, I listened to a prescribed podcast (from Truth in Love re: Four ways to grow in biblical counselling) Chatted with the neighbour briefly – then prepared a good breakfast to eat outside, enjoying the morning sun, while doing my morning devotions.

I began a new 7 day devotional today.. “Tilling the Soil of your Heart” . If you have Youversion App on your iphone or Ipad.. I personally recommend that you listen along WHILE you’re reading.. it will slow down your reading, and help you to digest.

Well, then hearing about the Sower and His fields… i just had to tend to my garden and water, do a bit of weeding. Then clean up breakfast, the bathrooms, prep the boxes for tomorrow’s food drive pick up… make tea, put my Study Blend in the diffuser.. and so on… cause i can’t have mess and other things to do on my mind to distract me, yanno? 🙂

So am I avoiding Study? Or skillfully preparing.. by starting my day off right… preparing my heart and mind to receive what I’ll be reading today?

Thoughts I was left with during morning devotions were…

“What parts of my heart are hard to God?

Where am I unreceptive to His goodness?

Where do I need to say “Yes”?

I want to live RECEPTIVELY & SURRENDERED. Hearing His voice, and allowing the seed of His word to grow Fruit in me.

One of my main assignments in this first course is to write a one page journal (limiting to ONE page, double spaced will be DIFFICULT for me, I’m far to verbose..) each week about how one of the Fruits of the Spirit is growing in me. That’s an interesting task I have yet to wrap my heart & brain around.

I’m beginning to understand that a large part of this course will be about God counselling ME through His word.. sowing His seeds of Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control in MY life.. so that I can bear fruit and then be a Conduit of His LOVE to others counselling them.

And I’m beginning to also understand how important these last 4 hours were in that process, as I prepared my heart.. tilling the soil.