I'm a list maker, a planner, a scheduler. Not that I've always got it all under control, far from. Many times I look at my to do lists and panic because there are so many things I'd like to get done and not enough time. It seems like I strive and strive in an effort to get to it all and many times fall short...or get it done at the expense of my sanity!
Yesterday was no exception. I got off work at 3 with my list of errands to run and the time I thought it would take on each one. Yes I did - I gave myself time frames so I could make sure I was staying on track because we had a lot of errands to do and limited time. My plan was to pick the boys up from school at 3:40, go get eggs from my friend's chicken coop (she is out of town), stop by the house and grab my son's shoes that needed to be returned, go to the greenhouse and get plants that I wanted to get planted before my husband gets home tomorrow, go to the sporting goods store to exchange the shoes and get my husband a birthday gift, grab dinner somewhere and then hit the grocery store. If all went as planned we would be home by 8-8:30.
But when I was on my way to get the boys I thought, "This is ridiculous! Yes, I'd love to get all of those things done but we're tired. We've had a long week with activities and homework and visitors and late or sleepless nights at times so let's just chill out and have some peace." I would have loved to get groceries so I wouldn't have errands to run in town later this weekend, but really they can wait. I decided to just do the things that would give us some fun things to do Saturday and cut the groceries. So we went and got chicken eggs, perused the shelves of the plant nursery and picked out flowers and a couple pepper and tomato plants, and then we went to the sporting goods store and returned my sons shoes and had a good time picking out a gift for my husband. Then we grabbed some burgers to go and headed home. We were here by 6:30 and we watch the 80s version of "The Paret Trap" and ate our burgers and relaxed, my little one in lap for the end of the movie.
The movie lasted until 10 and then the kids were off to bed. The evening was so much more peaceful and relaxed. We laughed and talked and watched the movie together. We still got several things done but did not push it to the point of stress and tiredness as would have happened if I would have dragged them through the grocery store at 7.
Then, when the kids went to bed I still had a couple things I wanted to get done before my husband got home. I contemplated cleaning the house - mopping, dusting, etc. I also thought about making his favorite chocolate chip cookies to welcome him home. But again, I thought about how much more relaxed I was when I didn't frantically push us to mark everything off our list, so I decided to make the cookies and I'd mop in the morning. I wouldn't be able to get the flower beds done before he got home, but I would have all afternoon Saturday and Sunday. I got the cookies made, read my book for a while and then went to bed. So nice!!
Now I'm up this morning and it's cold and windy outside. I wouldn't be working in the flower beds this morning even if I had gotten the house done last night! So the kids and I slept late and are having a relaxed morning. I will vacuum and mop now and then we will probably run to the grocery store before we pick my husband up at the airport around lunchtime.
The difference in our usual errand running days and this one has been amazing! We all had a good time, I was so much more patient with the kids, we got to browse and enjoy shopping instead of being focused on hurrying up and just getting in and out. I actually enjoyed it and so did they!
I hope I can continue to see that things will still get done and I can enjoy life, even the errands, and make it more fun and relaxed for me and my kids if I will quit trying to do things in such unreasonable time frames. We're busy and I bet you are too. I thought this might resonate with someone today. Life is too meaningful to live in a panic, constantly overloading our to do lists, ourselves, and our loved ones. I know sometimes chaos is inevitable and there may be things we simply cannot put off, and I am in no way promoting laziness! But, I do know that in this stage of my life I am more times than not in a rush to get more things done than will reasonably fit in the time I have. Some restructuring is definitely in order! I'd like to point out that the only thing I won't get done before my hubby gets back that I had planned to is the flower beds, and I couldn't work on them this morning anyway due to the weather, so had I pushed to get it all done my striving would have been for nothing! I'm so glad for the time I had with my kids yesterday and the peace I felt. I pray I continue on this path of less striving and more living!! It was fun and so worth it!
Ecc 2:22-26 What has a man from all the toil and striving of heart with which he toils beneath the sun? 23For all his days are full of sorrow, and his work is a vexation. Even in the night his heart does not rest. This also is vanity. 24 There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God, 25 for apart from him who can eat or who can have enjoyment? 26 For to the one who pleases him God has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, but to the sinner he has given the business of gathering and collecting,only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Psalm 46:10
American Standard Version (ASV)
10 Be still, and know that I am God...
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