Zippin' By

I've had a couple of people ask why they don't get my blog posts anymore.  I answered, honestly, that I haven't written any.  I have not had time to sit and do the "head things" much lately.  I tend to put my head down and plow into whatever work is ahead of me, thinking that when it is done I will sit and read or write.  Oddly enough, there is always one more thing to do.

If you are wondering how to pray for me, here it is:  I need to see how God would like me to spend my time.  Right this second I am blogging.  I am not riding my bicycle with my husband, I am not eating lunch, I am not finishing my book for book group, I am not working on my Bible study lesson, and I am not folding laundry.  For every thing I choose to do there is a far longer list of things I am choosing not to do, and that seems to be the rub.  I want to choose the things that God would choose.  I confess that I tend to be a Martha, and I recognize I need to find my Mary side.

When my children were little and I had to "just do the next thing" the next thing was obvious.  I had to keep the child from running in the street, change the diaper that was revolting us all, turn off the burner under the pot that was smoking, explain why it is not okay to push your little sister off the bed...Tedious yes, but obvious also.  Now that the children are not constantly trying to kill themselves the decisions get tougher.  Do I quit doing their laundry and start going to Bible study?  Do I volunteer at school, and for how many hours a week?  Do I make a really yummy meal, or keep it simple and leave time to read before the kids get home?  Do I drive to the cross country meet, or stay home make dinner, and chat with a friend?  Some how my mind gets befuddled.  The other challenge is remembering what I was doing when I keep getting texts from children and spouses about things they need to add to my to do list.  Do I have to address those, or can they really take care of them themselves?  As I read this I think of my friend's gentle exhortation to delegate.  Yes, I do need to delegate more.  That of course is much easier than it sounds, and still requires some time and management.

Life is just not willing to wait for me to get it all done.  I need to choose wisely what to invest in, and what to prune.  There are definitely some things that need to be passed on to the little homemakers in training that zip through the house occasionally.  I need to remember that some of these things NEED to be passed on.  I am not doing them any favors by letting them expect that things will magically take care of themselves if they leave it long enough.  My pride in keeping things running smoothly is going to have to be sacrificed to let them learn to take care of their own business.  I will have to pray about what God really has for me to do.  What are the things that He wants me to see, and to pour my life into?  This silly little blog is my small attempt at stepping off the fast track to try to see the view.  When I am zipping along letting the landscape fly by, I am missing all of the beautiful things God has set right here in front of me.  I don't want to miss the moments that I am in, because I know that they will be gone in a twinkle.

I wish I had all the answers.  I wish I could make it plain for all of you young moms out there slogging through stinky diapers and too short nap times.  All I can say is, throw open the windows from time to time.  Take in a deep breath of fresh air.  These days are long, but the years are short.  Those little hands won't always want to hold yours, at least not in public.  Take a nap with that little one, you will need the rest.  The laundry and the dishes will always pile up, but your husband will be home to help you out eventually.  You are doing the most amazing work in the world, and it makes a world of difference to those little people around your feet.  Be thankful for all of the little messes, soon enough they will be big messes!  Thanks be to God!

#1071-1078

Bible study groups

Women praying together

Grandmas that love to cook

Ibuprofen

Freshly vacuumed floors

Husbands trying to meet needs, and read minds :)

Friends to bear our burdens with

Quiet afternoons