It's the little things
Life doesn't stop for minor inconveniences. It doesn't, in fact, stop for anything. As I sit here on a blustery December day, I listen to my children argue in another room. It's too cold to stay out for any appreciable amount of time, and I have too much to do to continuously entertain them inside. I had set them up with a movie, but like anything they soon lost interest in favor of tormenting each other.
But that is a lie. I don't have "too much". I have what every other parent has, of course; dishes, laundry, maybe a quick sweep to set things in order. How is this too much? And the answer is: It's not. But even the lightest of loads can start to feel too heavy when carried day in and day out. Like a five pound weight held at arms length, the weight of life's little problems can start to seem impossibly heavy after a while. That's why it's important to shift that weight sometimes. Have you ever noticed that the same weight held close to your body is much easier to carry than when you hold it out? I want to start treating my life like that, to re-center and shift my priorities. Probably first and foremost, I want to enjoy the moments I have with my kids. I'm not talking about every moment. With three kids, God knows that about two-thirds of my day is spent nagging or refereeing. But to enjoy those moments of sanity when the kids are behaving and listening. Store them away in my heart for the days when nothing goes right, to remind myself that this too shall pass.
The dishes pile in the sink, and the dog hair gathers in the corners, but I will try to play one more game with my kids, build one more Lego house, before starting dinner. In time the dishes will get done and the floor swept, but right now I need the reassurance that my kids can play together amicably, and I'm not too busy to miss out on that.
The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. ~Psalm 28:7
But that is a lie. I don't have "too much". I have what every other parent has, of course; dishes, laundry, maybe a quick sweep to set things in order. How is this too much? And the answer is: It's not. But even the lightest of loads can start to feel too heavy when carried day in and day out. Like a five pound weight held at arms length, the weight of life's little problems can start to seem impossibly heavy after a while. That's why it's important to shift that weight sometimes. Have you ever noticed that the same weight held close to your body is much easier to carry than when you hold it out? I want to start treating my life like that, to re-center and shift my priorities. Probably first and foremost, I want to enjoy the moments I have with my kids. I'm not talking about every moment. With three kids, God knows that about two-thirds of my day is spent nagging or refereeing. But to enjoy those moments of sanity when the kids are behaving and listening. Store them away in my heart for the days when nothing goes right, to remind myself that this too shall pass.
The dishes pile in the sink, and the dog hair gathers in the corners, but I will try to play one more game with my kids, build one more Lego house, before starting dinner. In time the dishes will get done and the floor swept, but right now I need the reassurance that my kids can play together amicably, and I'm not too busy to miss out on that.
The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. ~Psalm 28:7
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