To the wind

Life is SO full for me these days. Moments slip by, to-do lists grow, evenings come too quickly and mornings do too.

It can be very disheartening to want to do so much and not be able to "get" to it by day's end.

A completely homemade Christmas.
Home gathered/created decorations
A Halloween TREAT party, in the works
Schooling
Art projects
Harvesting pumpkins and beets and winter squash
Bills
Library lists to be made, books to be read and returned, more to be found
crafts to do
A sweet little one turning one... too soon
21 chickens to care for
A calf, a dog, a cat
A wood fire to keep burning
Books to read
Diapers to change
Letters to write
Packages to mail
Kisses to deliver
Hugs to warm
Pictures to take
Things to blog
Clothes to put away
Books to write
Floors to sweep.
Bathrooms to clean
A CHURCH to clean
Children to disciple and discipline
Groceries to get
Costumes to make
Lives to mold

But the picture flips and I see:

A completely homemade Christmas :: Never a more meaningful, heartfelt holiday than this.
Strictly home gathered/created decorations:: Never a more contented, artistic way of celebrating
A Halloween TREAT party, in the works:: A time of joy, among friends
Schooling:: The gift of many moments, that would otherwise be stolen from me
Art projects:: Creativity brimming
Harvesting pumpkins and beets and winter squash:: A bountiful harvest, food for the table, winter months with warm bellies
Bills:: Electricity and running water: balms for my soul
Library lists to be made, books to be read and returned, more to be found:: an insatiable desire for learning, living, dreaming, and doing
crafts to do:: sheer pleasure, happy fingers
A sweet little one turning one... too soon:: a darling and a dear, who is healthy and strong
21 chickens to care for:: fresh eggs for breakfast
A calf, a dog, a cat:: our little farm, starting out
A wood fire to keep burning:: Warmth
Books yet to read::Opportunities to look forward to
Diapers to change:: a little one to fill my arms with
Letters to write:: dear friends
Packages to mail:: bits of fun for others to receive
Kisses to deliver, Hugs to warm:: My own pleasures
Pictures to take:: A camera that beckons
Things to blog:: A wonderful camaraderie and remembrance book
Clothes to put away::A reminder that we are more beautiful than the lilies
Books to write::Aspirations
Floors to sweep:: Ownership
Bathrooms to clean:: children who are potty-trained
A CHURCH to clean:: a bit extra cash flow
Children to disciple and discipline:: opportunities for my own obedience
Groceries to get: His provisions
Costumes to make:: another way to wrap my children in love
Lives to mold::my dreams come true

I often think back to those short-lived childless days of marriage, and how busy I thought I was. I chuckle at how much one child busied me to the point of exhaustion and I can hardly fathom how much MORE I do, but still get done.

I don't get done everything *I* want to get done. Not by a very LLLllloooooooooonnnngggg shot. But somehow, by God's grace and His alone, I am given time enough to do the IMPORTANT things.

The life shaping things.

I always, somehow, find time to do those things.

There will come a day when all I will have is those "other things" and I fear I might find my life seeming much more shallow, much less full. Those things that I pine to do now will just be a feeble attempt to replace what once was.

Sometimes, the *LIST* needs to be thrown to the wind. Forgotten, for a time.


Life needs to happen, regardless of what NEEDS to be done. The list will remain for another day and no one will be the wiser. The beets won't care. The sewing machine won't grumble. The fabric won't disappear. The books won't refuse to be written.

So at times, it is good to create a new list that goes something like this:

Be spontaneous
Show your children that they are more important than the toilets or floor or computers or books.
Find something to inspire you.
Find JOY and share it.

The other day, we did just this.

(photo taken by Corynn)

We gathered school books, leaves, cattails and JOY.

We left tired, unenthusiastic and returned radiant and energetic.

The bickering stopped and were replaced by kisses.

The schooling was done in and under a cloudy blue canopy and the park tree that is our own.

Lethargy was replaced with jumping and stretching into the heavens.


And new experiences and memories were made. We found time for those life-shaping things and we were made better by the time we afforded to them.


We can't get everything done, not today, not ever. But if we try, we can ALWAYS find time to do what is most important, most meaningful, and most glorifying to God.


And THAT is true success. In that, I find MY success.


Yes, it is good to throw your never-ending to-do list to the wind every now and again.

But before you do, take a good look at it.

Those things that are burdening you today, every day; those threads left unwoven in your head and heart; those things reveal something to you too.


They reveal the multitude of your days, of His hands, the glory of your LIFE, and the hopes of tomorrow.

If only you choose to see it that way.


Choosing a new perspective this day and realizing gifts #179-#211 were right under my nose all along.

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