Friday, November 23, 2012

31 Days Intentional - Day 7




From a facebook post from Above Rubies,
"Are you discouraged today with yourself? Are you failing your own personal standards of conduct, and letting yourself down? Well, I have truly great news for you. Today, you are only a shadow of the person you are to become! You are under construction, just as is any building project, and you are making progress every day. In fact, the simple realization that you are unhappy with some of what you see in yourself is proof that you are changing and growing. Is that not great news? Do not give up, as growing to completion takes time, and patience. Recall Phil 1:6, that "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it (carry it on to completion) until the day of Jesus Christ:" Isn't that amazing? We are all under construction, being built up better and better, stronger and stronger, wiser and wiser, with each passing day, month and year. Even a baby takes 9 months to be born, and then begin its dependent life as it matures into self-sufficiency. We are growing more and more into His likeness all the time. This is worth celebrating! Love Michelle+1 (confirmed by ultrasound)"

These words were written for me today...and from the comments on the post, for many other women.
It's a hard job being being a mama and a wife.  When we had our second child it was a hard transition.  The third and fourth children fell right into place.  The fifth... is a bit like the second.

I'm finding myself constantly "trying to catch up."  I am home majority of the time now, working only a few hours a week-a huge change from the full time schedule of the past year.  This is a blessing and answer to prayer!  However, I now find myself looking at the things I've neglected in our home for so long.  This summer hubby had us do a HUGE purge of the house.  Bags upon bags of clothes, toys, books, fabric and "stuff" left our house!  It was wonderful!  But there is still "stuff" here and it is making me a bit crazy.  Right now there are piles in the crib, on the dresser, on a tote next to me, clothes in the hallway and on the couch for sorting and piles of papers for filing.  Does anyone else have piles?  Yes, I confess... I'm a pileler (definition: a habitual pile maker...and yes, I am now making up my own words.  I'm a homeschooler-we can do these things...right? ;) )  But these piles stare at me because I start them and then meals need to be made and stories need to be read and babies need to be fed and laundry needs to be done and math tests need to be checked, and, and...and then the piles are still there but it's bedtime and it's time with my precious husband and those piles are still there...day after day.  Ugh.  Have I stressed you out yet?

Sigh...

So we must pick our battles.  Maybe now is not the time to try and sell unwanted items, but to just donate them.  Maybe now is not the time to have a craft area or to learn how to knit.  Maybe now is not the time to try and be supermom with homemade everything or the perfect blog.

Maybe now is the time for baby steps, like having clean bathrooms and being okay to "just throw it away" instead of saving/salvaging it for that awesome craft etc.

Accepting who I am and loving this precious family.  Making sure my priorities are in order:  quiet time and prayer with the Lord, then hubby, kids, school and home.  But not looking at these things as something to check off a to do list.  I'm constantly trying to get it all done.  Just writing that looks ridiculous! It is time to be in the now and find JOY in the things that need to be done...because the "need to be done" things...are gifts.  Gifts not to be taken advantage of.  These gifts are blessings and not hindrances.  Lord, forgive me for an ungrateful heart.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving.  I have much to be grateful for.  Right here and right now.  The piles of laundry, the dishes, the diapers...they are here for a season but for a lasting purpose and I pray the fruit of my attitude towards all of it would bring glory to my Father.

And the best news...I'm not on my own trying to do this.  "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)  When I lose sight and try and do it on my own is when it all comes crashing down.

Our God is good.

...and would I want to miss this? ;)

Praying for a grateful heart and finding joy in where you're at.

“[Thanksgiving] I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge—” 1 Corinthians 1:4-5 ESV

***posted a couple days late :)

3 comments:

Terri said...

Thank you so much Bree for posting! Such a timely word for me too.

myletterstoemily said...

well, recognizing what you can not do at this
stage is a huge step forward! i lay aside my
love (addiction) to reading for about 10 years,
because i would get so frustrated at the
constant interruptions.

peace followed that decision, and now i can
read all i want.

on the other hand, i had friends who could
not live without their crafting, etc. their
houses were in a constant state of disarray
and chaos.

you will not regret this, i promise. what you
sow into now will bless you later.

Bree said...

Terri-you and me both :) And to Lea-words that bless-so thankful for advice from a seasoned mama <3

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