...My 2/5ths of a second...

Life, and all it involves, is ironic to me many times. Maybe ironic isn't the word...perhaps just, funny. Last night prior to drifting off to sleep (waaay to late) I set my alarm for 6:45am. I was hoping to start getting up early for some quiet time and just prepare for my day. I've been over the top cranky lately and I know for a fact that I can pinpoint it to not getting my heart ready prior to the family being around me. :) Not that they are bad or hard to live with...not at all actually, but, I'm just full of myself and NEED time with God. So I set the alarm and fell asleep. At 6:42 this morning my daughter woke up SCREAMING in pain. She's teething {molars} and so this has been a common thing in the middle of the night lately, all night long. But then she's been sleeping in till 8ish most days - and, I just sleep in right along with her. But I just absolutely could not believe that she slept all through the night without so much as a peep...and THEN woke up minutes before my alarm was to go off. It is ironic! She was burning hot with fever {lovely} and covered in all kinds of snot and who knows what else... geeeross! Needless to say, my attempt at rising early to seek the Lord didn't happen. But I did sneak in James 4 and a Psalm while she was eating breakfast...


Francis Chan, in his book, Crazy Love, uses the phrase "your 2/5ths of a second" - talking about how short our life is on earth and our part in this story of life. I've been thinking about it over and over again - which is a good thing, a humbling, almost scary thing. Chan says, -

"We only have our two-fifths-of-a-second-long scene to live. I don't know about you, but I want my two-fifths of a second to be about my making much of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." That is what each of our 2/5ths seconds is about."

My life is by no means glamorous...but, these are my seconds to glorify God. And this morning, though rudely awakened and derailed from MY plan - God was good to show me some other things to remind me of Him and how I can bring Him glory. How I care lovingly for a whiny, snotty 14 month old. How I kiss my husband good morning rather then snapping at him out of grumpiness, and usually about nothing. {ever done that?!} I bring glory to God by loving my family, respecting my husband...

If you'll allow me... I have re-written James 4 {temporarily} ...

"Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will rise early, make a pot of coffee and stare longingly at the word of God with highlighter and journal at arms reach. We will have a quiet home, everything tidy, perfect for focus and time with the Lord. Babies will be sleeping and husbands readying themselves in another part of the home." , but, you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time (2/5ths of a second) and then vanishes away." -mandi's uninspired translation, not to be followed-

What are you doing with your two-fifths of a second today?