If you know me then you know I am usually running behind - for church, for school, ball games, bed times... just late for life in general. Now, in the past I have been ok with this. No real harm done. But lately things have been sneaking up on me and forcing me to take a good look at my life. If I had to sum up my life in just a few words, they would be "Just getting by." And I am tired of just getting by, just doing the bare minimum. If I want my life to matter, if I want to be a good example to my children, then I need to step up.
So I have decided that I need to be done with the excuses. My spiritual life is not growing because the most attention I give to it is a quick prayer of protection for my children, or a "Lord, help me know which choice to make". My excuse for that is that I don't have any more time in my day to devote to God. What a lie! I know that I am more than capable of cutting out time to spend with Him. All I would need to do is cut out a television show or leave a little earlier for carpool. Why do I put everything that is so mundane before what I know should be #1 in my life? Even when God gives me a gentle reminder I put Him off until the next day because I am just to tired. Now I probably get more sleep than anyone I know. And when the next day comes, I put him off again.
This is the 1st excuse I am getting rid of. There are several more areas of my life that I need to work on, but I feel that this is the most important. If I put my priorities where they need to be, then I think other things will start to fall into place. Things like my home, my disorganization, my laziness and bad habits. I know that God had more planned for me than what I am accomplishing. So, here I go. I am trying to reorganize my life the way God would want it - with Him first. And hopefully, at the day's end I can be proud of what I have accomplished, not be wishing I had done more.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Cooking, Cleaning and Blessings
Today has been a very l o n g day! I feel like all that I have done is cook, clean up, and try to get my kids to clean their rooms. It feels like I haven't stopped today, but when I look around - I can't really tell what I have done. Well, I did get the baby's bed ready. BIG mistake. Layna loves the new bedspread and wants to sleep in the baby bed again. Oops!
But as discouraged as I feel today, there are the little moments that bring a smile to my face when I think about them. Like tonight when I was worrying about finances and my sweet little Layna came and crawled up in my lap, put her hand on my face, and said "Don't worry about it Mama. Don't worry about it." Hmmm.....Could that be God trying to get a message across? Or when Jaycee just came up out of the blue, looked at me and told me she loved my face and my hair today just the way it was - did I mention that I had on no makeup and I am not sure if I even brushed my hair today? And then there was tonight when the girls finally, finally cleaned their room and I made them brownies out of a box for a reward. Keri-lyn told me I made the best desserts in the world. Those little moments make the day well worth it.
I have wanted to talk to my grandmother all day today and have just longed to hear her voice again. For some reason today it seems like she has just recently went to heaven instead of being gone for over a year. I miss her so much. My sister, however, quickly reminded me of Mamaw's favorite saying - "Count Your Blessings". I remember calling Mamaw (who had 6 daughters, lost one as a baby and raised the remaining 5 without the modern day comforts I have in a 2 bedroom house, kept the long hours of a preacher's wife, and gave of herself daily to anyone in need) and complaining about how hard it was for me to make my children mind or keep up with the laundry. How hard this was or that was. In her own special way, she would always let me know that she understood and knew it was difficult, but that I needed to count my blessings. Mamaw was never one to stand around and complain. If something needed doing - she just did it. I hope I can be more like her one day.
So for Mamaw, today I will count a few of my blessings:
1. I am blessed that when my children don't mind, it shows me that they have the brain capacity to think for themselves.
2. I am blessed when my children bring toys out and scatter them all over the house because it means that they are able to use their arms and legs freely.
3. I am blessed when my husband comes in late and tired because that means God has provided a job for our family.
4. I am blessed when I walk into the laundry room and see the mountain of dirty clothes because that means my family and I have clothes to wear and a washing machine to wash them in.
5. I am blessed because I haven't been able to get to the grocery store for a week and my children haven't gone hungry yet.
6. I am blessed when I miss my grandmother because that means I got the chance to know and love her and that she made a lasting impression on my life.
7. I am blessed when I am never able to get my house clean because that means I have a house to live in.
I have many things that make me blessed, I just need to look around and recognize them for what they are. Thanks, Mamaw.
But as discouraged as I feel today, there are the little moments that bring a smile to my face when I think about them. Like tonight when I was worrying about finances and my sweet little Layna came and crawled up in my lap, put her hand on my face, and said "Don't worry about it Mama. Don't worry about it." Hmmm.....Could that be God trying to get a message across? Or when Jaycee just came up out of the blue, looked at me and told me she loved my face and my hair today just the way it was - did I mention that I had on no makeup and I am not sure if I even brushed my hair today? And then there was tonight when the girls finally, finally cleaned their room and I made them brownies out of a box for a reward. Keri-lyn told me I made the best desserts in the world. Those little moments make the day well worth it.
I have wanted to talk to my grandmother all day today and have just longed to hear her voice again. For some reason today it seems like she has just recently went to heaven instead of being gone for over a year. I miss her so much. My sister, however, quickly reminded me of Mamaw's favorite saying - "Count Your Blessings". I remember calling Mamaw (who had 6 daughters, lost one as a baby and raised the remaining 5 without the modern day comforts I have in a 2 bedroom house, kept the long hours of a preacher's wife, and gave of herself daily to anyone in need) and complaining about how hard it was for me to make my children mind or keep up with the laundry. How hard this was or that was. In her own special way, she would always let me know that she understood and knew it was difficult, but that I needed to count my blessings. Mamaw was never one to stand around and complain. If something needed doing - she just did it. I hope I can be more like her one day.
So for Mamaw, today I will count a few of my blessings:
1. I am blessed that when my children don't mind, it shows me that they have the brain capacity to think for themselves.
2. I am blessed when my children bring toys out and scatter them all over the house because it means that they are able to use their arms and legs freely.
3. I am blessed when my husband comes in late and tired because that means God has provided a job for our family.
4. I am blessed when I walk into the laundry room and see the mountain of dirty clothes because that means my family and I have clothes to wear and a washing machine to wash them in.
5. I am blessed because I haven't been able to get to the grocery store for a week and my children haven't gone hungry yet.
6. I am blessed when I miss my grandmother because that means I got the chance to know and love her and that she made a lasting impression on my life.
7. I am blessed when I am never able to get my house clean because that means I have a house to live in.
I have many things that make me blessed, I just need to look around and recognize them for what they are. Thanks, Mamaw.
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