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| Done with the express |
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When we relocated back to Maryland (from California), my morning commute to work was about 40 minutes, if I left early enough. A late departure resulted in commute times in excess of an hour, as traffic really clogs up fast around here. So initially my mornings were a daily race to get out the door to work.
Not long after we returned, I resolved to spend time studying God's word each morning. It was kinda tough at first, given that it was a new habit, and I love my sleep! It was also tough because of the whole traffic/commute thing. I either needed to get up really early to read the Bible, or if I overslept a little, I'd have to cut my time with God short so I could get out the door before traffic got bad.
Well, not long after I started doing morning Bible study, I found myself thinking less and less about the commute. It didn't matter so much if I sat in traffic, I so enjoyed my time with God and his word! Devotion times started out at 15-20 minutes in length, and gradually grew to 45 minutes or more, each morning.
Then I started taking the commuter bus. I could still race out the door, then do my quiet time on the bus, while I commuted! My morning quiet times on the bus were about 35 minutes long, and continued to be a very deep time with God. But a longer time would still be nicer.
A couple years later, I got my wish! We moved again, farther from my job! I couldn't believe it, I was actually excited about a longer commute, LOL! I began taking the "express" commuter bus, a 45-50 minute ride/time with God. The new purpose of the daily race to get out the door was to make the express bus. This lasted a couple more years.
But lately, I've noticed myself yearning for even more time with God.....and missing the express bus. The "local" busses take about an hour and fifteen minutes to get me to work. But that's one heckuva substantial time with God each morning!!
I realize all this talk of commuting, and busses, is not very exciting. But hey, it's where I'm at right now. Giving in to cravings, Godly ones that is, lol. This spring has been one of the most difficult in my life. But God is still with me, and I'm not complaining. Instead, I'm thoroughly enjoyin' my morning commute. |
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| To add a comment to "Done with the express" |
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| May 14, 2009 |
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Heyyyyy...how are you? I love this. I also use my comute time to spend with God. Traffic jams and red lights are my favorite. I turned ofF my radio for three months and just talked to God all the way to work and when I ran out of stuff to say, I listened to him. That time with God...PRICELESS. |
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| May 14, 2009 |
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Mike I wish I could say the same bro but I find myself less and less these days! God bless you mate! Love Stu |
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| May 14, 2009 |
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Mike, I so understand this. I used to drive 180 mi a day working.....wow, talk about God time!!!! It was awesome! |
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| May 14, 2009 |
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| May 14, 2009 |
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| May 14, 2009 |
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| May 14, 2009 |
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Wow great blog Mike. Very good thoughts. (Glad to have had some time to pop on and read this, something I needed to read) |
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| May 14, 2009 |
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Mike, wonderful picture of love. My mind wonders, how many people each day would look at you there, Mike... reading Gods' word, and thought about their own relationship with God. God works that way, you know. Thanks again Mike. |
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| May 14, 2009 |
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That alone with God time is awesome. It's almost worth getting a job for ;o) |
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| May 14, 2009 |
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| May 14, 2009 |
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| May 14, 2009 |
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I have a full hour to an hour and fifteen in traffic. I sing to the Lord sometimes holding the wheel with my left hand and right hand raised as I get so excited. I weep at some songs and laugh at others. I listen to Greg Laurie some mornings and sometimes I call a friend and we talk about the Lord. I have done like Terry and just turn off everything and talk to God.When I walk into work, they often wonder why I am smiling and happy, but I feel super blessed. I bought the bible on CD for my car as well. Plain old dollar tree ones but it is a way to get it in my spirit. The cool thing is that you can't do much else when commuting so it is easier to stay disciplined in the time and the rewards ....whoa nellie! |
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| May 14, 2009 |
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hehe... let the good times roll!! |
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| May 14, 2009 |
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WOW!!!!! Mike my brother in Christ Jesus, You are in the wrong profession. You should be out there preaching God's word by the way you are doing with it hear. very good and very will put . Keep up the good work. God bless you and yours.
Your friends in Christ Jesus, Bob and Patti |
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| May 14, 2009 |
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| Mike, Sounds like you are truely an AM Person. wish I wuz too. Jesus needed and enjoyed the time he spent with his Father....I need to be more like thee....Pastor Chuck |
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| May 14, 2009 |
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| AW, Pastor Chuck... First, I'm definitely not a morning person. But God has made me one, at least enough to enjoy HIM in the morning. Second, you don't want to be more like me. You have such a sweet spirit, I wanna be more like YOU! |
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| May 14, 2009 |
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| Bob and Patti, you guys are so nice!! And I am sooooo humbled, that God could use MY words to bless you! I'm so glad!! (And man, if only you knew me back in high school youth group! I was a terror!) |
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| May 14, 2009 |
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Yes Bubbles they are! (awesome pun, lady!!)
Juanita, you bless my heart! You know, when I started spending time w/God in the mornings habitually/daily, I also gave up the radio in the car. (I had been listening to "Christian rock".) I began driving in SILENCE. I discovered it can be so PEACEFUL! It can be so PRAYERFUL! And I noticed something else. Once I permanently switched off the radio, the distance between my car and the cars in front of me actually GREW!! You see, with the rock n roll radio ON, I was subconsciously anxious and impatient, in a hurry to get where I was going, driving up close to the ppl in front of me. But once I turned the radio OFF, I found myself using the time to pray, to think about God and what I had read in his read that morning, and I was no longer in such a hurry anymore! Patience now rules!! |
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| May 14, 2009 |
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Jade - thanks sis!! I pray for you daily!
Jules, right on!!
Preston, all you ever see is love!! (I love YOU!)
Liz, thanks! I hope you are doing well lil sister!! Sherlock really likes you, ;) |
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| May 14, 2009 |
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Thanks Craig, Margie, Maureen! (You ARE appreciated!!!)
Ah Cindy. Yes that alone time is awesome! Did you listen to the bible like Juanita? |
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| May 14, 2009 |
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Stu, message me. Lets find out what's keeping you from enjoying similar times. :)
Love you man! |
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| May 14, 2009 |
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| Terry, I'm ok. Thanks for asking. Life is funny these days, it's like a balancing act. There is so much to be sad about, yet so much to be joyful about too. I feel like a schizophrenic!!!!! So glad you're you!! |
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| May 14, 2009 |
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| Terry...you too turned OFF the radio....awesome!!! Ain't it great? LOL!! |
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| May 14, 2009 |
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My commute to the hospital is five minutes, max. I really miss the "windshield time" that I had with my previous job, sometimes driving 200 miles for a half-hour service call and then turning around again for the 200 miles home. Whenever I traveled for work, the first 30 - 60 minutes of the drive would always be in silence or talking with God. After that, I'd turn on a worship CD, praising God and singing. (The trick was remembering to turn down the CD player once I stopped. Otherwise it would about blast me out of my seat when I started the car again!) If I had the extra money to blow on gas, I'd take a road trip just to have some more of that windshield time with God. I don't like listening to the radio anytime I'm in the car. My hubby is very sweet about leaving it off when both of us are driving somewhere together, even though he likes to have it on. I get up two hours before I go to work so that I have that sweet quiet time with God first thing. Lucky for me, I am a morning person and am able to wake up without an alarm. :-) |
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| May 15, 2009 |
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| Awesome Mike and like you I am not a morning person. |
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| May 15, 2009 |
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| May 15, 2009 |
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w/o an alarm??? oh Jen, you are indeed a morning person, I admit that I'm envious!! and as for "windshield" time...lol, what a great term you've coined! I've mistaken playing Christian rock in the car for "windshield time" w/God, when in reality I was just becoming self absorbed (at least looking back that's how I see it now, that I am focused on God during that time and see the difference) Meghan, wouldn't it be great to be a morning person? To wake up before the sun, pop out of bed on the first try, bounce around the house fully aware, eyes wide and alert, celebrating the new day! (I never celebrate the new day like this, it's always a slow, sort of sluggish process for me, lol!) |
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| May 15, 2009 |
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| Hi Mike. I'm a morning person, and that's when I get most of my inspiration from when I write stuff - where my head is de-cluttered if you get my meaning. Call it my time with God. Mind you, I'm not a "night" person (he-he). The other night whilst lying on my sofa, I thought I'd close my eyes just for a while and just listen to the TV. Next minute - it was 2:30 in the morning, and that's when I went to bed. But I still got up at 5:30. By the way, I like Jen's remark. I too forgot to switch my CD off in the car once. So when I started my car up again, it blasted me out me seat! And as for music I listen to? Try out the CD "Send Me" recorded live by the Abundant Life Church in Bradford. |
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| May 15, 2009 |
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| Stevie, Laura does that to me quite frequently. I turn the car on (after she drove it), and the stereo blasts me through the back of my seat! "Send Me" sounds nice, like a reverential, musical invitation to worship. I'll look for it. And yes, my mind is able to focus better in the morning too .... some of my best inspirations come during morning shower time. It's just that I have to get to the shower first, lol |
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| May 15, 2009 |
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My commute is only about 40 minutes to work but during that time my car is filled with music for our Lord. I read mostly at night because I have more time and I am really not a TV person. The time spent with God is breathtaking... He takes away all of your worries and fills you with such understanding,love, guidance. There is no better time spent than with Him...... |
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| May 15, 2009 |
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The More I seek you, the more I find you, the more I find you the more I love you.
look it up Mike on youtube called the more I seek you by gateway worship.
That is where you are.....a beautiful place. |
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| May 15, 2009 |
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| Mike: I actually did alot of different things! I had cards with scripture.....I'd work on one a week....I was able to place it where it didn't take my eyes off the road. I had church everyday in my car...a pastor on the radio, Jesus, and me. I had worship music. I had no cell phone, so no interruptions :) I was in home health and hospice..and Jesus and my car kept me from falling apart more times than not. I was able to leave a place where my heart was hurting from illness and death and pray, sing, and mainly listen. It was in that car that the Lord taught me that death is not bad, not scary, not to be feared. |
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| May 15, 2009 |
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Wow, it's awesome how once you put God in His place at the center of your thoughts, everything else just sort of falls in behind Him. Like, before you resolved to make morning devotions a priority, it was always a mad race to be on time... but after you relaxed and let God handle things, it didn't seem like such a big deal anymore. COOL!! :) |
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| May 15, 2009 |
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I am a morning person, however, it takes a couple of hours to fully wake up. LOL During that time, I sit quietly, listen to the birds (when they are chirping), watch the squirrels run up & down the beautiful Oak trees & just commune with God. Then it is on to reading His Word & then usually I get onto MyChurch, ready to go. Of course, when I get my part time job to supplement my Social Security, there will be a different schedule. I will still arise early however for my time with the Lord. Mike, you a truly a blessing. |
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| May 16, 2009 |
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Mike, you really inspire me to be a better person. Thank you for sharing part of yourself with us. It means alot to me. |
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| May 17, 2009 |
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Mike I to have a commute I drive Sunday-Thursday 1 hr. 15 minutes one way. I rarely use my radio I drive in silence. I have time with God...Lord what do you want me to do today? Listening to the voice of God before I get to work is so needed. Once I reach work I am so ready to face whatever comes my way. My commute home I process the day and am ready to wind down and have family time. Blessings
Chaplain Wright |
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| May 17, 2009 |
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Sounds like a rewarding time, Chaplain Wright! Certainly moreso than if you merely cranked the stereo while driving to beat the traffic. Joey, you're good for the soul! |
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| May 17, 2009 |
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this is just simply awesome.... The freshness of genuine relationship and pursuit is infectious!!! |
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| May 17, 2009 |
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| Benjamin, AWESOME comment bro! I sure HOPE it's infectious. To know that my sharing has purpose and benefits others fills me with joy! |
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| May 19, 2009 |
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I rode the express bus today :( but yesterday I missed it! lol |
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| May 21, 2009 |
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| Missed the express again today. And finished writing a blog, AFTER quiet time! |
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