Restless heart

Summer is winding down and I get to go school supplies shopping for the first time ever for Gavin. I have no clue why I am so excited about this, but I just am. I guess being easily amused has its perks. I had some time yesterday to go over the small supplies list, after all he is just going to pre-school but it felt good to just sit down and only have that be on my mind. Our family has had a wonderful but very busy schedule these past two weeks. Within all the business I have found a lack of joy and desire to do some of the everyday things I normally do such as reading my daily devotional or praying. When I sink into these times of desolation it's most likely because A.) I have gotten so busy with life I have not made time for God or B.) I have made time for everything else and have not made God the priority.

When things get busy I usually unwind by going for a walk or just vegging out when the kids go to bed and putting on Netflix or even immersing myself in some kind of (small) DIY project. Even though these things can be good and everyone needs something that helps them unwind after a busy day our hearts will still be restless if we don't put God first. St. Augustine has a wonderful yet simple quote that says it all, “Thou hast made us for thyself, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in thee.” -Augustine, Confessions. I love this quote and often go back to it when I find myself a little restless. When I've watched my movie, read my book, done a painting or went for a walk and I still feel "off", I look back to this quote as a reminder we will always feel restless until we rest in God first. You would think this would be easy to do but I must have short term memory because I often forget that keeping myself busy with things that I enjoy might make me feel better for a short while but that feeling wears off quickly and I just needed to spend some time with God in the first place.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church opens with the following: "The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself. Only in God will he find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for"(Number 27.) I feel like I need to spend some more time with the Catechism...good stuff! "The desire for God is written in the human heart", so beautiful. It's funny how we all have this natural desire for good things, we all want to feel happy and yet at times we constantly fill our time with things to keep ourselves busy to fill this sort of void we have been feeling when truly all along that desire we have is God's voice calling us to be with Him.

This is my favorite devotional to read!

So, for the rest of the week I know what I am going to be working on, filling that "void" with prayers and getting back on track with my daily devotional. My plan may not be earth shattering, but as I said before it's the small things and I'm easily amused.

Hope you all have a good week and find rest in the Lord!