When Life Gets Too Busy...

I will be honest, lately I have been feeling sorry for myself. My husband works out of town, I work full time, I have two children to take care of by myself when my husband is gone, a home to take care of alone when he is gone, my husband and I are both taking college courses... life is hectic. But aren't all of those things I just mentioned blessings? Of course they are!

My husband works out of town and I am constantly running around trying to make things happen at home while working full time myself. But we both have good jobs and we are able to provide for our family. Others can't find work, or chose to not look for work... and often times their family has to struggle through that.

Taking care of children is a big task. But one I am grateful God allowed me to have. Many couples want children and can't have them. Many are struggling through the process of adoption that just doesn't seem to be happening fast enough. My husband and I had our own hard times in the process of having children and I am thankful that with God's help we have come out on the other side. Often times I feel like I am failing at giving my children what they need because I have so much going on, those are the moments where God shows me how I can slow things down and that it is ok to be late for work every once in a while if it means letting my daughter pick me "flowers" (aka weeds) as we go out the door in the morning. The moments when I need it most my son will walk up and hug me for no apparent reason except it being his way to say "thank you mommy, I love you" or my daughter will say "You're the best Mom in the world". I need... we all need... to learn how to embrace those little messages from the Lord saying you're doing just fine. The Lord has given me two beautiful healthy children and for that I am eternally grateful!

Taking care of everything that needs to be done at home alone through the week is daunting. There are always toys in the floor, dishes in the sink, clothes to be washed... the list goes on and on. But we are able to own a home, put food on those dishes and play to get those clothes dirty. When there is a mess it usually means something great occurred to make it that way. Sometimes that is hard to see behind the piles of dirty laundry but I assure you that if you just keep digging you will find that blessing hidden in there.

As for college, Lord help!! What a task it has been. Just one of us going to college would have been hard enough but both of us... we must be crazy. Crazy isn't always bad... because we are in our last semester and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. God has blessed us and helped us every step of the way and I have faith that he will allow us to reap the rewards of our hard work and faith in him.

Maybe I have said all of this just to prove a point to myself... yeah probably so... but behind the stress and struggles of every day life there are blessings that we often times over look. Next time you are stressed and feel like you just want to scream do yourself the favor of reversing that energy and thinking about the good behind the stress. I think that could help us all. And when life seems too busy know that it is ok to slow down, even if it's just a little. You will thank yourself for it.