I have a word for the year... or the season, or just one word to focus on until I feel the need to move on. Last year... (or so) my word was surrender. Not submit. There is indeed a difference. In fact,
we use these words to explain some discipline and respect issues to our children.
As children, they must surrender their wills and desires (I want to eat only cookies and cake) to our requests. (That they eat healthier foods too. for example) If they choose not to surrender their own will then we have the responsibility as parents to make them submit. (and can do so with the loss of privilege etc...)
To surrender your will is a choice. In a life of love and service, the chance to surrender comes along quite often. I haven't exactly mastered this completely, but I think I do much better at recognizing when I need to SURRENDER. Surrender in an argument when being right is not really what is important. Surrender my selfish will to stay up all night and read and instead go to bed so I can work in the morning. (okay, if Brian ever chooses to read this... I RECOGNIZE the need to surrender this... not that I always am successful. =P ) We are all called to surrender our own will to God's will. To surrender is not a weakness.... it is a choice and is thereby empowering. Still, it takes practice.
So... I have moved on to my new word. BALANCE. Balance is difficult. Balance is challenging.
Balance is as ever present as SURRENDER. How much is enough and not too much??
The opportunities for balance and the lack there-of....
family time? vs. the mountain of maintenance that owning a home takes
cleaning? vs. every other thing I would rather do... but I MUST get rid of the clutter! I keep thinking that will make things easier.
READING?, time on the Internet? EXERCISE (this I never do... but the mere thought overwhelms me. I can and should do SOMETHING... but I don't have to be a tri-athlete. Have you seen those commercials for P90X??? Somewhere between me and the people on those commercials.. that's my goal .. BALANCE.
Enough extra curricular activities to have my children enriched... but not enough to (literally) drive me crazy and keep us in the car every day.
BALANCE. That is my word to focus on for now. If you have achieved this in your life.. let me know how. I am an unstructured gal who needs structure. I have made every list and chart possible to help me get there. (Just ask Brian. ) They never last long. (Why?? WHY?? I am rebellious I guess. That goes back to SURRENDER though.) Does anyone else struggle with this?
Okay... so, what I can do right now is only what I can do today. Today. Today I can fold laundry and clean out my stamping room. For today that is enough.
I hope that today YOU have balance. Some work, some play and lots of love.
Saturday, June 07, 2008
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3 comments:
Oh, dear Lady, I am right there with you! I can do a few things well at a time: maybe exercise and school...but then the house goes to pot. When I focus too much on the house and organization, then school may take a backseat.
I've also tried schedules, like Managers of Their Homes. Oh, how I like the IDEA of it, but it doesn't last long in practice.
But now--now I am on to something I think. Have you ever read For The Children's Sake. I'm loving it. I love the idea of a ROUTINE vs. a schedule.
There are certain things we must get done, but it can be flexible enough to breathe. And it can be fun. And it can be done outdoors. With lots of books. Now, that is my kind of learning!! And the more time we spend outside, the less the kids mess up the house!
Heh heh. I do teach responsibility and have them do chores, but kids are just messy!!
Sorry, this is getting long. Just wanted to let you know you are not alone. I think we all struggle with balance.
Awww....I see my friend whom I share this same issue with has beat me to the post! LOL Yes, yes, yes to all my sun-kissed friend has said. It seems I just cannot juggle all things at once and do it well. There's something to the saying, "You can chase 2 rabbits but you're only gonna catch one." (A more southern way is, "You can't ride 2 horses with one backside." Yeah...I changed part of that, LOL!)
I have done flylady and the home management thing as well. It seems to work better in the cold months because as long as it's not totally miserable outside, I'm gonna be out in the sunshine! (and totally miserable is solvable by heading to the pool, lake, river, creek, whatever!)
I have mentioned to you before about the book "For the Children's Sake" (as you see I've mentioned it to others as well, LOL!) and I really do strongly encourage it. The SS library has a copy. After that I'm reading "For the Family's Sake" which is by the same author, but more about managing the home/family. Ok...sorry this is so long, but YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!!
Tried to leave comments twice now, and it won't let me do it!!!
Ok---you have 4 kids, and it's a LEARNING process to do this---you don't HAVE to have perfect balance. You will NEVER have it. But it's ok to go for it as long as you take the time to ENJOY.
Enjoy the moment. Take one activity/event/moment at a time, and be THERE---
Read the book your friends reccommended, and let me know what it says! Love YA xoxo
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