On the way to church, we discussed what we would do if we could do anything for a week.
“Eat candy and read books,” said one of my kids.
“Walk in Mars dust,” said my husband, at which Mr. 16 exclaimed that that was what he was going to say.
And I, what would I do with a free week? To my husband’s bemusement, I said I’d take the time to figure out how to balance my life so I would know what I was supposed to do and be able to do it. “You’d take a week to figure out what you wanted to do!?!” Um, yes. And his surprise surprised me.
You know how we sometimes lose perspective and get ourselves all tied up in knots? Well, that, obviously, was me. God spoke to me in many ways and on many topics on Sunday, but I woke up this morning with the whole question of balance, priorities, and activities still burning in my heart.
Then I received Heart and Soul Homeschool Mama by Gena Suarez as a freebie with a purchase, and a few minutes spent reading it pointed out the obvious thing I had forgotten:
Don’t do it all—just do the important things with gusto.
With 6 kids and one massive home business, Gena’s whirlwind style is breathless and busy as she shares her heart and what she has learned over the years. Some of the articles are fluff (good fluff) but there’s enough substance to cheer a bewildered homeschooling mommy and point her back to her God. In short articles ranging from finances and teaching multiple grades to husbands, curriculum, balance, movies, and high school she keeps coming back to the one main point: Just do the important things. With gusto.
So I’m asking myself again, what would I do if I could do anything for a week? I’d do the important things joyfully and with enthusiasm. And that’s just what I will do this week, Lord willing, and throughout the holiday season, and into the new year.
May the Lord bless you as you discern, once again, what is truly important: the Lord, your family, others around you, the world.
I love this! I know I am going to need to read this over and over in the weeks to come! 🙂 Thank you for the important reminder to all of us moms– that we cannot and should not “do it all,” but what we do accomplish should be done with a spirit of generosity, love and to give glory to the Lord.
Many blessings,
Lisa
I couldn’t agree with you more. I read this article and that it had some interesting thoughts in it, http://tolovehonorandvacuum.com/2010/06/maybe-balance-isnt-all-its-cracked-up/
I hope that you find what the Lord has for you and that you do it with gusto. 🙂
Ha! I can relate. I’m forever re-balancing my life. In fact, I wanted to post about that today. Amen though. I like this quote – “Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” – Francis Chan, Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God. 🙂 Be blessed – hopping in from Hip Homeschool….
Cass @ The Unplugged Family
I’m so guilty of trying to do it all. I just brought my laptop back to the living room as I was sewing and trying to still do things on the internet at the same time. Now I’m going to be on here (my attempts to make money) while I read out loud to my daughter.
I’ve been battling morning sickness for many weeks now, so mostly life has been more about survival and less about getting it all done (because THAT is impossible.) Today I was feeling better briefly, and I felt a familiar frustrated guilt about whether I was spending my time as God wanted me to. It is a never ending prayer of mine that I will do what God wants me to do among all the possible “good things” to do. Still haven’t figured it out. Hope I’ll make progress figuring it out before I die :-).
What a great question!!! Here from the Hop.
What good insight. This is really true, but hard to remember in the daily grind. It gives me something to think about as we choose activities for this holiday season.