3 things

 *Time goes by so quickly!  Summer 2005, Kevin's parents backyard by the pool.  Corbin was disassembling a pen which exploded all over his pants, right before pictures.  We took about 15 photos, and NONE had all of us looking at the camera at the same time, smiling.  But you know what?  That isn't what I think about when I look at this picture.  My heart is full of lots of love....and little bit of worry.  The last 6 years have gone in the blink of an eye, and I want to make the most of the time yet to come.

I am healthy.  I have 3 healthy kids.  I do not work outside my home.  I have a supportive husband who not only takes care of HIS responsibilities, but helps me with mine.  I have family members that live close by.  Why is it that I still feel so overwhelmed at times?  I feel guilty knowing that so many others have many more challenges than I do, and are still able to hold it together.

With all of my church responsibilities, extra things that we SHOULD be doing every day (journaling, scripture study, etc), visiting teaching, being a good neighbor, taking care of house and car, volunteering in the schools, extra curricular activities, family time, doctor and dentist appts, yard work, gardening, weeds, meals, special occasions, taking care of myself (notice this comes last.  I'm trying to work on this), it's easy for me to become overwhelmed and down on myself. 

I've come up with a solution that is working for me at the moment.  In addition to prayer and scripture study every morning, I pick 3 things that I'm going to do that day, and do them well.  It might be housework, meals, and journaling.  Those three things will be the focus of my day.  I might not get anything else done, but I will have done three things as close to perfect as I can. Tomorrow it will be church responsibilities, yard, and being a good neighbor/friend.  Everything else waits it's turn.  I have noticed that I can get through the day and not feel like I'm drowning because I'm doing 3 things to the very best of my ability.  When the messy house shouts at me, "Look at me!  You're totally dropping the ball because I'm a mess, and you're inadequate!,"  I politely say: "I'm sorry, but you will have to be patient and wait your turn."

Sometimes meals will not be homemade, and sometimes it will be fix your own dinner night.  But, the bathrooms will be sparkly clean, and everyone will have fresh sheets on their beds.  I'm sure you've all heard the saying: "No one can do everything, but everyone can do something."  We beat ourselves up because we cannot keep up with the pace of this life.  I think we compound the problem by trying.  Be still.  Do your best. Pride yourself in your accomplishments, instead of noticing all the things left undone.  When we are consumed with the idea of perfection, we may miss precious moments that will be the summers in our winters.  Sort of reminds me of the saying, "Missing the forest for the trees", if we could just get all these trees out of the way, then we could see the forest.  And, if we could just get all of everything accomplished, then we would could sit down and really have a reason to feel good about ourselves.

When our minds are so full of our own voices telling us that we aren't doing enough, working fast enough, being perfect..enough, it leaves little room for the spirit to tell us,"You are perfect for trying.  You are enough.  You are loved more than you could ever imagine."

My list today:

1.Service (temple with my honey)

2.Time with kids today (yeah for no homework)

3.Laundry

*Waiting List:

1.Weeds (Unless some disobedience occurs, then this gets done by the guilty party. Odds are in my favor.)

2.Bathrooms (SAA)

3.Garage (SAA)

*Always have a back up plan :)