When Life Gets in the Way

Funny how LIFE can just sneak up and get in your way! I don't really mean day to day life either.  We all have day to day life, cooking, laundry, making sure kids are not injuring each other as they display wonderful characteristics of sibling love. (yes, I'm being SARCASTIC! on the kid thing).  It's the other things though.  The extra things that swoop in and steal your time.  The truth of it is that they aren't always bad things, just things none the less.

I was crusing along through the first week of summer vacation.  Fridge, Freezers, closets...etc were cleaned out.  A small pile began to appear on the hockey table of things that we as a family do not need anymore.  When a friend who might need them came over I passed them on. Things were going along at a great speed.  I was feeling good about the fact that each morning I was spending time with God, getting a bit of exercise each day and spending some quality time with the kiddos that didn't involve raising my voice.  Then this week came along.  Sports Camp week!  Now, Sports Camp is one of those things that I choose to help out with.  It was not neccessary for me to function, but it was a bit neccessary for the outreach ministry to function for me to volunteer.  Could they have made it without me.  ABSOLUTELY! Just the same when the church asks you to consider giving up some time, that is a good thing.  How you do it though, is what I mean by "When Life Gets in the Way".

When things in Life come up, when extras start to fill your time, how are you reacting?  I could be sitting at my desk right now completely stressed out about the fact that my daughter's room is still not finished being reorganized (and trust me...it still needs it!), or that the family room really could stand a deep cleaning.  I could be stressed about the fact that this week, due to the heat from being outside everyday, my workouts have consisted of walking the dog and walking kids to and from first aid and the bathroom OR I can make another choice.
In Phillipians, 4:6 it says. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

My request this week is that I would see the benefit of helping out and giving of my time.  That I would get done what needs to get done at the house and feel the freedom to let the things that I would like to get done, but don't HAVE to get done wait. That I would find moments to relax and unwind even though the house is not what I would like it to be. Has it happened?  Have I not stressed out about the other things, I'm happy to say it has.  I decided to join up with some other Moms on a reorganize the house mission this summer.  Each day there is a suggestion for what we should clean or do.  Last week, no problem got it done and then some.  This week I have felt the FREEDOM to read the suggestions and think those sound like great ideas when I have the time to do them.  I don't feel guilty that the other  moms are getting them done and I'm not, I don't feel that I've let them down. It's not a competition, it's a way to help us all move forward.  Twice this week our family has shared meals with friends.  Does the floor need vacuumed, yes, is there stuff to do, yes.  Just the same I relized that this was a good week to kick back and rest and relax some because being out in the 90+ degree heat is draining, and that my family needs to use summer to reconnect with people not just reclaim the house.

Life will continue to happen.  Next week kids are at camp and the love of my life and I get to spend time together without them.  Good time to deep clean the family room huh?  NO WAY!  He and I need quality time, and that involves talking, and walking not vacuuming.  I'm not saying that I won't do my weekly cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping and other weekly must do chores. I'm just saying that the Moms in the reoganize group will have to continue to move on without me, because my relationship with my husband is far more important than whether or not the baseboards have been dusted recently.  Will the baseboards get cleaned this summer, will those extra jobs that never get done be accomplished.  I hope so.  I plan to become a little more like Martha with each passing day, getting a little extra done and done right.  I just don't want to turn my back on Mary and realize that I missed what was really important when I get down the road further in this life.

May you too find your priorities this summer and learn to accept where you are on the journey.  Making it better as you go, without stressing yourself out as you move forward.  Time to go grab the comforter out of the washing machine!  Kids both have friends sleeping over, so getting a few extras done as they sleep then it's off to SPORTS camp for the last day!