I hope you have recovered from eating all that delicious food over the long Thanksgiving weekend. We were among the many people traveling to enjoy the big feast. I hope you were able to find some time to catch up with family and friends. We all lead such busy lives that pull us in so many different directions; I’m glad we have the holidays to pull us back together again.

            Our travels took us to my in-laws’, where a feast fit for a king was prepared. It takes more than one set of hands to put on and clean up such a big dinner. I enjoyed the food and catching up with my in-laws and the family that made it there for the feast.

            I was lucky to get the opportunity to see my sister, too. I almost didn’t get to see her as the family dog had to be rushed to the pet hospital due to an injury. Thankfully, both the pet and family are well. Our family pets mean so much; they help to make our houses…homes.

            My sister and I managed to have a good visit despite our worry about her dog. She had recently moved into a new house just 100 steps from the beach. The beauty of the views from her new house was not marred by the rain during our visit. I am not sure I would ever be inside the house with so many wonderful outside spaces. There were several decks and a beautifully manicured yard. That doesn’t even take into account the beautiful inside of her home. I am so happy for her family and looking forward to this summer when I can walk the beach with her.

           There will be several family gatherings over the next few weeks when I will be able to catch up with other members of my family. I am looking forward to hearing all the news. My nieces and nephews are growing fast and beginning the process of growing their own families. It’s hard to keep track of all of them and the grand nieces and nephews, too.

            It’s hard to keep up with family when we all get so spread out. My sister has children in Oklahoma, Idaho, and Montana. My brother has children in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. My little sister’s oldest daughter is looking at universities…one of which is my old alma mater. Guess where I hope she chooses?

            As life pulls us in so many different directions, it’s hard to keep up on what is happening in everyone’s life. I am grateful for things like Facebook and the holidays to help us stay connected. With the busyness of life, it can also be difficult to keep connected spiritually. Our schedules can become so hectic that finding time to “fit” God in can be a challenge.

            I believe God is watching over our lives. Even when we feel like life is too busy for God, He is right there waiting to spend time with us. He doesn’t want us to spend time with Him out of guilt, but a desire to deepen our connection with Him. The good thing is that we don’t need technology to catch up with God. He is always with us!

            He is with you while you are driving the car. He is with you when you have to rush a family member or pet to the doctor. He is with you when you walk the dog or take out the trash. You can sneak a few moments with Him anytime in your day and not feel guilty about it. He delights with every moment that you turn your face toward heaven.

            It’s a mistake to think that God is only interested in spending large blocks of uninterrupted time with us. Even Jesus had to sneak away to spend time with His Father. I believe the simplest prayers can give us the greatest connections. I believe that God might prefer a few minutes here and there, sprinkled throughout our days, than being relegated to a specific time in our days. He is with you all day, every day, and wants to enjoy every moment of it with you.

            I want to encourage you to consider catching up with God. He is so interested in every aspect of your life. He wants you to draw closer so He can pour out His love upon you. He wants to help you and walk with you through life’s ups and downs. He is more excited and interested in you than any person you know. So look up, your Daddy wants to catch up with you.

Contact Doug at doug@dougcreamer.com