Life isn’t measured by how much we accomplish, but by how well we loved. How closely did we resemble Christ Himself, and how effectively did we bring the love of Christ to others?
While we are not meant to be of this world, we still live IN this world so need to properly navigate our way through it. The skill of productivity is life-changing. If I can properly manage my time so that I can be intentional about building the Kingdom of God around me. I can spend more time with those I love, start a new ministry to evangelize or spend hours in precious Adoration of Our Lord or do whatever unique thing that the Holy Spirit is asking of us, with the gifts we have been given.
Big family life for me presents many life seasons in a very short amount of time. I go from newborn baby phase to crazy toddler, to newborn with 2 in diapers phase every few years. All of these are beautiful states of life, but they all require a recalibration.
I have been thinking a lot about this subject as I look forward to the new school year.
As with most people, ironically, the more irons I have in the fire the better organized I am. In my efficiency, I can accomplish so much more in a much shorter amount of time.
Summer is a literal season in my life where we stay up late, sleep in, and aimlessly stumble through our days. I have been feeling pretty bad about my lazy summer days, so I console myself by counting down the days until the first day of school.
I was really beating myself up about the laundry list of projects that I had wished to accomplish this summer that has done nothing but collect dust. Now that the school year is one week away, my annoying, yet close friend, Anxiety, hisses at me about how ashamed I should be that we let things slide so much.
“How dare you allow your kids to stay up so late?”
“How lazy are you that you ordered pizza for supper on your way home?”
“What kind of mom re-washes the same load of laundry 3 days in a row with heaping baskets of dirty clothes piling up?"
Fortunately for me, I’m a praying woman. I put on the Armor of God and the Peace of Christ gently whispers to me, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Thanks to a very quiet, peaceful August, I feel refreshed and re-energized to tackle the new school year and look forward to the brand-new season ahead of me. Pray for me- this new season involves homeschooling 4 kids, entertaining a 4-year-old and keeping the 2-year-old and 11-month-old alive, not to mention my other motherhood duties like cooking and cleaning, building a house, and getting my first book finalized and published all before Christmas. On January 1, I will be sitting in my brand-new house, and will reflect upon the past few months and once again recalibrate.
Thank you, Jesus for guiding my steps on the right path. I don't know what the future holds for me, but I pray that I am blindly faithful to what you are asking of me right now. Please allow me to manage my time wisely for the Kingdom, to bring You the greatest glory.
Until next time, my dear friends in Christ,
Leah