Where I live the electricity can do funny things to your electronics if a person is not careful.  Sometimes we have too much electricity, sometimes just a bit, sometimes none and even sometimes just the right amount.  Our house has a regulator to help the flow stay consistent so that my refrigerator and other electronics don’t get fried by a sudden surge or damaged over time by the constant changes.  For an extra precaution, I will often use the device above.  It has two purposes.  The first purpose is that it lets me charge my kindle and other things because it has different adaptors.  Secondly, it gives me some surge protection.  I especially like to use this at school where there is no regulator.  

I am finding in my life, I am of need of a surge protector/adaptor.  A couple of weeks ago I had a busy week.  I was getting caught up at school after being gone a week and was facing a deadlines for grades, ordering for next year and getting my kids to their various events.  I found it hard to drag myself out of bed each morning.   I kept telling myself that tomorrow I would get up a bit earlier for that God time I had been putting off.  As the week went on, getting up earlier did not happen.  I was feeling more frazzled and ended up sending a kid to the office more so I wouldn’t say things that I shouldn’t than that his behavior was worse than normal.  I had no reserve.  In my case, I needed to totally unplug because one more incident would potentially fry me.  Thankfully I had the next morning off and the house to myself.   With a cup of tea in hand, I found myself writing in my journal all those feelings I had kept bottled up.  As tears fell, I heard God speak to me through his word that He is there.  He wants me to connect with Him.  He wants to hear about my day good or bad.  He knows I messed up.   He knows I can only do life in His strength.  He was always there waiting.  This time was just what the doctor ordered.  

Last week I still didn’t make it up every morning as early as I would have liked but somehow I found time to connect with God at the beginning of my day.  Then miraculously I was aware of Him throughout my day.  My students still acted up.  I still wanted to yell at my students but  I was able to take baby steps in the right direction because I had my surge/protector adaptor.   Those moments when I was plugged into God,  I could see more clearly the situation around me.  Sometimes it helped me relate better but mostly it made me call for help since I had no idea how to respond.  I didn’t get it perfectly but I knew I wasn’t alone.  As I get older I am learning that time with God is not a formula or a checklist item.  It is about connecting with a Father who has a listening ear and wants me to abide in Him.  The thing is I have trouble slowing down.  I get distracted too easily.   Why do I so easily stray?   So I am praying this week that I will stay plugged into the right source because what a difference it makes.