Ever since having baby #4, I've had this odd feeling that I need to gather the chicks, batten down the hatches, and hunker down--as if a storm were coming.  This week, since returning from vacation has been even worse than usual.  What is it?  Why is it?

I'm not one for premonitions and such, but sometimes the Holy Spirit does nudge you into the place you need to be in order to be ready for a future event.  Is this what I'm experiencing? 

Here are some of the things I am "feeling."

1) Getting my house in order.

I feel as if I need a set routine and place for everything and everything in its place.  I want to have very little extra stuff and I want to streamline the existing stuff.  I want my day to be a continuous, smooth flow (not the jerks and stops it has been).

2) Living more simply.

I want to eat more whole foods, live more energy efficient, reduce, reuse, recycle.  Rely as little as possible on big name chain stores.  This has recently been brought forefront by the AFA announcement that WalMart (my favorite one-stop shop) joined the Gay/Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.  We are no longer shopping there which has forced me to become highly creative!  However, I am VERY excited about shopping w/ some nice mom and pop businesses and other cottage industries!

3) Staying away from Time Wasters

Whether that be my trusty computer or the local homeschool group's field trips (these are not always time wasters--they are just sometimes not the best use of time b/c a group of 30 kids no matter how homeschooled they are, rarely get the most and best out of a field trip).

4)  Having more Family Time

Doing more of the things that I allowed other "programs" to do for me and just spending more time in general w/ my babies doing fun things.

5)  Keeping them from the evil influences of the world until they are prepared better

I need to train and then send, not vice-versa.  I need to be less apathetic--some things really do matter and really do scar for life.

6) Being less concerned w/ "schooling" and more concerned w/ training.

As Michael Pearl says its not about mind-content so much as it is about mind set.  They will learn if I instill a love for learning.  They will grow up to embrace the faith, if I lead by example.

7) Reaching out to others as a family.

What are we doing as a family to win others to Christ?  Am I so concerned w/ me and my world that I have forgotten the Great Commission?  Am I thinking I should have some little ministry that is all my own when really I am not capable of that during this season in life?  God gave me a family--shouldn't we work for the kingdom as a family unit?

8)  Enjoying what God has given us.

So often I am caught up in tomorrow or next week or next year.  I'm racing through life waiting for the next event and missing the beauty of what is right here, right now.

So, here are some of the things that are weighing on my mind right now.  I need to make some decisions.  Where to go from here?  How to bring about some of these changes?  How to gracefully bow out of some things w/o hurting feelings and causing animosity?  How to become a tight-knit family unit who is in the world, but not of the world?  I want balance and order and simplicity. 

We don't need a program for everything!  We need the basics!  We need to be more self-sufficient!  We need to ignore the world's standard and use only God's standard! 

I have been crying out to the Lord to show me, guide me, make me see what it is He wants for us, and then to help us enact the changes that need to be made.