I have been trying to keep God a part of my day, throughout my day. This is a challenge for me when I have so much else going on... and so many thoughts clouding my brain. It's not that I forget Him completely. I (finally!) remember to bless my food, and I'll have other moments where I stop and thank Him for something or say a quick prayer for strength. But these can be hours apart and sometimes after much complaining, wandering or just dwelling in discontent.

Before we left for Spring Training this February, a friend gave me a wonderful book called One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. I read it slowly, soaking in each nourishing chapter. It was life changing, and it's still changing me. Slow, slow changing. Because of this book I started a list of "gifts" from God... little things that make me smile or let me know He is with me, big things that I had prayed about or am so very thankful for. I neglect it more than I'd like, adding only a few here and there. But mentally the list is longer... my physical list is not always at hand. This helps me remember God through the day, but not so much as I should. My thanks and thoughts are half-hearted, half felt. I'm too busy going on to the next thing.

I just started a devotional book titled Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. The baseball chaplain gave it to me as a gift before we left Maine. I was a little skeptical at first. Us Orthodox don't really use devotionals and this one is written like Jesus speaking to you, which seemed a little weird to me. BUT, I tried it and I have to say I love it. It has a simple, comforting idea that I can remember throughout the day. At least, my goal is to do so. Here are a few that have touched me:

• Come to Me continually.
• Trust Me in the depths of your being.
• Nothing can separate you from My love.
• Watch your words diligently.

These are the first lines. It expounds about that and there are three Bible verses that correlate to the message. For example, "Come to Me continually." talks about God being the anchor of our soul, the fact that our mind will wander, but how far will we let it? It urges to keep the rope short so we are continually coming back to Him. This was great imagery for me, and probably the one I remember most and think about the most. That day I prayed God would help me remember him more, to gently tug me back to Him. And He did. In little ways that only I would understand. How wonderful that we have a loving and personal (and patient!) God! It's hard to comprehend, and, really, accept, knowing the fact that He is also the awesome, all powerful Creator of the universe. Thank you Lord, for loving little, insignificant me. Help me to remember you more and more each day so that I am always living in You and for You.