Food For Thought

I RECENTLY CAME ACROSS THIS QUOTE, "It is true that in our busy lives we can't do everything. BUT we can choose which things we ABSOLUTELY will get done."

(emphasis mine)

IT IS COMMON IN THE NEW YEAR TO SET GOALS, RE-PRIORITIZE, CHANGE DIETS, ATTEMPT TO CEASE ALL BAD HABITS, AND BRAINSTORM NEW WAYS TO IMPROVE OUR DAILY LIVES. I HAVE NOT ALWAYS SET NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS FOR MYSELF, BUT I DO APPRECIATE THE NEW YEAR FOR WHAT IT PROVIDES - FRESH BEGINNINGS. I DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE EVER APPRECIATED THE IDEA OF A CLEAN SLATE MORE THAN I DO NOW AS A MOTHER. I LOVE WAKING UP EACH MORNING KNOWING THAT I HAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THE "RIGHT" CHOICES FOR MY CHILDREN, HUSBAND, HOUSEHOLD AND MYSELF. UNFORTUNATELY, WHAT IS "RIGHT", "PRODUCTIVE", "HELPFUL", "STIMULATING," ETC. IS NOT ALWAYS MY FIRST RESPONSE IN LIFE. FIRST, MY EMOTIONS OFTEN GET IN THE WAY AND SECOND THERE ARE SO MANY (POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE) DISTRACTIONS IN LIFE (I love me some TV).

AS I REFLECTED ON THE ABOVE QUOTE, I FOUND IT NOT ONLY CONVICTING BUT FREEING. AS A MOTHER WHO IS PRIVILEGED TO STAY AT HOME WITH HER LITTLE ONES, I HAVE THE FREEDOM TO MAKE EACH DAY OUR OWN. THERE ARE DAYS WHEN EVERYTHING WILL RUN SMOOTHLY, THE KIDS AND I WILL HAVE ENERGY TO PLAY, CREATE, TAKE GOOD NAPS, EAT GOOD MEALS, AND GREET JEFF WITH BIG SMILES ON OUR FACES AT THE END OF (HIS) VERY LONG DAY. HOWEVER, THERE WILL BE DAYS WHEN THINGS DON'T GO AS PLANNED, WE ARE LOW ON ENERGY, SOMEONE IS SICK, OR THE EMOTIONS OF TWO TODDLERS AND A WEARY MOTHER ARE RUNNING WILD. I'M LEARNING NOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF EITHER SCENARIO. WHILE HAVING ALL OF THE ENERGY TO MAKE AND DECORATE HOME MADE INSTRUMENTS WAS A GREAT THING TO ACCOMPLISH THIS WEEK, IT WAS ALSO A TENDER MOMENT TO SIT (WEARILY WITH THE FLU) ON THE COUCH WITH MY SWEET ONES CUDDLING AND WATCHING A MOVIE. AS I SAT I THOUGHT, "IS IT BAD TO INVEST SO MUCH TIME IN THIS MOVIE RIGHT NOW? WHAT ELSE DO I HAVE THE ENERGY TO DO?" IN THE END, I FREELY ACCEPTED THE MOMENT FOR WHAT IT WAS. TIME SPENT WITH MY CHILDREN. AND, IT WAS PRECIOUS.

MY PRAYER IS THAT I CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON WAYS IN WHICH TO SPEND MY TIME WISELY.

"THERE IS A TIME FOR EVERYTHING, AND A SEASON FOR EVERY ACTIVITY UNDER HEAVEN."

Ecclesiastes 3:1