Back to Life. Back to Reality

Well, it has been over a week, almost two, since my little sabbatical was over and I have not had a moment to blog. Well, maybe that is not entirely true. I'm learning that what you plan for and make a priority gets your attention and what you don't plan for well, it just doesn't even make it on the radar screen.

So much of my day is reactionary time. Reacting to "life": helping children with math, phone calls, refereeing squabbles, cleaning up spills, changing diapers, making lunch, finding my husband's keys, phone, etc., finding my keys, shoes, phone, etc. The second thing I am learning is to take the free moments (discretionary time) that I do have, to make sure that I am accomplishing the things that are really important. My notebook comes in handy for this. Sometimes my list for the day says: home school, pay bills, basketball practice, dinner, bible study. Other days my list simply says: Kiss all your babies today, tell them that you love them, take Jonathan's lunch to him in his office, tell him that you love him, be sweet, cook dinner by noon, don't complain, be sweet. It is different everyday.

I used to try and make a strict schedule that I followed everyday. You know the daily timer kind where you feel out what you are going to do all day in 30 minute increments. That just does not work for me because as soon as I am 1 hour behind I feel defeated. Instead, when I wake in the morning I ask the Lord what is it today that I should focus on. What is it that I am to accomplish for Him. I make a list and as the day goes by, I check off the things I have finished. At the end of the day, it feels so good to lie down on my pillow and know that I tended to the things that were of the highest priority. The rest will just have to wait for tomorrow's list!

Well, although my time of rest was needed and very much appreciated, I am glad to be back home with my hubby and children. Every night I crawl into bed and my head barely hits the pillow and I am off to La La Land. I am exhausted from the day of mothering, teaching, scrubbing, washing, and loving. I am spent at the end of each day, but it is so worth it to know that I have given all I have for the ones I love the most.