Quality Time

Well, I just looked at my blog and realized its been almost 4 months...4 months!!!! Usually I try to post when I've had some sort of spiritual epiphany...but that doesn't always happen. I have had the honor of being asked to help with junior/senior ladies' leadership Bible study, and it is AMAZING!! I really miss challenging women and just living life with them while they are making some of the most important decisions about their lives (men, majors, careers, values, habits, etc). One of the things many of the girls seem to struggle with, as I do as well, is finding time and attitude to be with Jesus. Many of them have been to STP, and have a very strict quiet time schedule. While I agree that this is something crucial to your relationship with God, if we are doing it just because we are supposed to, the point is moot. When Michael and I first joined a couples' group at our church, we studied the 5 Love Languages book. Everyone shows and receives love in 5 basic categories, and we each prefer one or two ways of love. My top two are Acts of Service and Quality Time (why I LOVE doing hair :). Michael's are Quality Time and Words of Affirmation. Other options are Gifts and Physical Touch. Now, we all need all 5 of these, but we each have certain preferences for receiving and showing these types of love. It is extremely interesting to analyze relationships under this lense of the Love Languages. The real kicker, however, is thinking about how we show love to God. Acts of Service to God, for me, are pretty easy, as are Words of Affirmation. Gifts- I guess I could give my time, "give up" my physical possessions and use them for his glory (hellooooo spiritual gift of hospitality). Physical touch? Mehhhhhhhh...not so sure about that one. But Quality time, hmm.. I know if I don't spend at least a few hours a week just sitting on a couch with Michael, we feel disconnected. We don't have to say anything specific, we could just be sitting watching a movie or talking with friends, but if we don't, we feel like we're living in two different worlds. So how do we do that with God? I know Jesus is with me wherever I go, but its not like I FEEL Him with me. I could talk to God, pray continuously, but sometimes that makes me feel like I'm more alone than not talking. Maybe the key is listening? How do we listen to God? Even more, how do we get Him to talk? God speaks to us everyday, through His Word that He gave us hundreds of years ago- The Bible! Have you ever read the Bible just like you were listening to God? Not studying His words, not memorizing them, not feeling like you have to come away with an epiphany or life-changing moment? Just spend some quality time with God. Listen, and enjoy :)