I've been MIA from the blogosphere.  And I feel like my head is about to explode from all the thoughts trapped in there that haven't made it out into print.  Writing is so therapeutic for me!

So, the reason I have been missing is that I was just simply too busy.  Now, with a husband, 4 kids, a house, a job, church activities, extended family, and friends I am always busy.  But for 2 weeks I kicked it into high gear, thinking I could do more than I really could.  The result?  Burnout.  Stress.  A permanent furrow between my eyebrows (I think it's gone now).  I posted this as my facebook status: "i am seriously considering becoming a professional hermit." — feeling anti-social.   

I intended to make people laugh with that status but it was also the truth.  The same day I posted that I skipped girl's night.  If you know me well you know how big of a deal that is.  I didn't have plans.  I just wanted to be home.  

I didn't even want to go to church.  There are so many people there.  So much noise.  I wanted to be under a blanket on my couch with only my husband and kids around.  My energy was utterly depleted.  

I even cried on my way to work one day.  It's very rare for me to cry because of my own life circumstances.  You tell me something that's hard in your life and I'll bawl my eyes out.  But for myself?  Hardly ever.

In the midst of all this I heard my mom say to someone "Yeah, today she's not the super woman you read about on facebook!"  She was just joking around but, ouch!  my ego.  Excuse me while I go repair my pride.  Pride.  That's what it all comes down to.

Pride is my biggest sin, a major stumbling block in my life.  Why was my life so busy for those two weeks?  In my pride I thought I could handle it.  Why was I so stressed?  In my pride I thought I could handle it.  Why did I get burned out?  In my pride I thought I could handle it.  

Did you read anything of Jesus in that last paragraph?  Yeah, me neither.  Where my pride is, there is no room for HIM.  The Bible says "I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me".   What if I would have taken time to pray and ask the Lord for his strength?  I feel certain my busy weeks would have looked vastly different.  And so I repent of my pride knowing Jesus washes away my sin with his blood.  My heart   cries the words of the old hymn "I need thee, oh I need thee.  Every hour I need thee."

Without Jesus, I am a burned out, stressed out, hollow shell of a girl with a permanent furrow between her eyes.  And no one wants that.

*If you don't know the hymn I mentioned above, watch this link.  If you do know the hymn I mentioned above, watch this link.  You won't be sorry!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3wSbLa2uGg