Pick-me-up in the Afternoon

The first thing I ask myself when I'm in a bad mood is this:  Am I hungry?  For some reason, a lack of food seems to irritate me.  I'm a homeschool mom, so I can be a little on edge anyway, but there's an afternoon hour where I really sense the need to get a cup of coffee and a small handful of anything.  My afternoon snacks range from almonds to a snack sized Snickers...or a cup of yogurt to a piece of cheese.  It really doesn't matter what it is as long as I get something in my stomach.  Then...as if by some strange calming force...the whole world seems to be in balance once again.  That, my friends, is the power of a bite of food.

There are other times, though, when my edginess surfaces.  It seems to be a bit more intense and sharply worded.  I can feel this type of discontent deep in my being, and, for some reason, I seem to be the last person to notice what's going on:  I am spiritually hungry.  Our physical beings line up with our spiritual beings in nearly every way.  If there is an agitation that arises from an empty stomach, you'd better believe that there's an even greater intensity that comes from the agitation of an empty spirit.  And no cup of coffee or piece of chocolate can satisfy the hunger therein.

We must always be in a state of constant infilling.  There may be seasons of physical fasting, but there is never a season where we should back off from God's presence or His Word.  We should be feasting on what God has before us every chance we get.  The end result is precious and sweet and pours from our very beings to the people around us.  In fact, I think it would be impossible to be crabby if we are filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit.

The next time you reach for that afternoon "pick-me-up", don't forget to spend a few moments in fellowship with the Lord, as well.  He is the best cure for the lag in our days.

Favorite afternoon snack: Every morning, Wayne and I make enough coffee to afford us an afternoon cup, as well.  We prepare them to our tastes and put them in the fridge for the part of the day where it is needed!  And we always keep an assortment of nuts on hand to give us a boost until dinner.