My Plate Is Cracking

What did I find myself saying over and over again this past year? "MY PLATE IS CRACKING" and some days I felt like it had reached the point that it just shattered all over the floor in the smallest of pieces. I was discouraged because I just felt I couldn't get EVERYTHING accomplished in one day that I felt needed to be accomplished (hope you got that little word 'I' -- that I thought needed to be accomplished)

While reading through a study book entitled "Facing Life's Problems" by Martha Tyler, I read this quote:

We need to recognize when we have too much to do. WE must learn to give up doing good things in order to do the best things. Sometimes we strive to do more than God intended for us to do. Learning to prioritize will go a long way in fending off discouragement.

Ladies, I don't know about you but it seemed I really lived the life of DISCOURAGEMENT alot last year. Why? Because I was a MARTHA when I really needed to be a MARY. I guess as a wife, mother, homeschooler, SS teacher, playing piano, practicing songs with the girls, me trying to teach myself to read notes and learn to use less of my ear and site read more music, Scentsy consultant, and the list goes on....my favorite lesson in the Bible is the lesson on Mary and Martha. I think EVERY wife and mother can relate.

Last year, I just couldn't 'conquer the world' as I set out to do each day. So what was my new years resolution for 2011? Well, I actually had a cute little saying I put together that says "SORRY! I no longer own a SUPERWOMAN t-shirt" Yeap, I felt like I was trying to be SUPERWOMAN MANY MANY days last year...and at the end of each of those days I felt discouraged because I hadn't 'conquered the world'. And YET...I wasn't like Mary "...and Mary hath chosen that good part" Luke 10:42. No, I was Martha "But Martha was cumbered about much serving..." Luke 10:40.

I can honestly say this year...even though I know we are only on DAY TEN...this year seems to be one of the best NEW YEARS I've ever experienced. WHY? Because I am determined, with the Lord's help, to keep my focus and my PRIORITIES where they need to be. I am not here to please everyone. If we live our life trying to please everyone, we will be discouraged. We will want to give up. We will say "MY PLATE HAS SHATTERED" BUT if we give up doing good things in order to do the BEST things...I honestly believe we'll have more of the joy of the Lord as we should as Christians.

Where will my priorities be in 2011?

1. To My Lord

Last year I was busy doing MANY things, but I certainly wasn't busy reading my Bible, really taking time to STUDY and MEDITATE on God's Word. Many, MANY days I would tell the girls "Okay, we got up later than usual so just go ahead and start school. We'll do Bible later." Did later ever come...NO! We got TOO BUSY doing good things but we didn't do the BEST things.

THIS YEAR...we do Bible and I always have a thought to share with them BEFORE school starts. WOW! Guess what? 2011 isn't starting out too bad. Putting GOD first in our day really does make a difference.

I have to share this little story. Our girls, though they may seem like perfect angels to some :-), are just normal sisters. They fight. They want what the other one is wearing and it is getting more interesting now that we have a teenage. WOW! I thought parenting was hard but teenage years---watch out! We have one pair of shoes the 2 older girls will fight over daily. Just silly stuff. So this past Monday I did a devotional on how SISTERS CAN BE FRIENDS. (Actually, momma had had enough so this was their FINAL warning) Yesterday, Sunday, our four year old was wanting to lay with one of her sisters while watching a movie. Of coarse, the older sister didn't want her laying next to her so she got a little hateful. Our four year old responded by saying "I can be your friend" Where did she get that? She got it when I thought she wasn't listening. Kids take in more than we think and they also take note of our priorities. So I am determined THIS YEAR and from here on out...GOD WILL BE FIRST!

I love spending quality devotional time with our girls before school. They all come into the living room with their Bible, their notebook, their pen and take notes while I'm talking. So encouraging to a mom!

2. To My Husband

Now, my husband is a VERY picky person. I think he gets pickier as he gets older. I use to be one that would get up and get the vacuum out (when we had carpet---so glad those days are over--no more carpet for me) and put the lines in the carpet. Everything had to be 'perfect'. But then I realized...dust will always fall, dirt will always show up from somewhere, dishes will always pile up, laundry will keep growing...and in the midst of all of that something else is happening---THE GIRLS ARE GROWING UP TOO! I can spend everyday, 24/7, cleaning and there will still be messes to clean, dirt to clean up, laundry to catch up (mainly ironing for me--I dispise ironing) but there has to be a balance.

So during the day while school is going on, toys are out everywhere, the dining room table looks like a craft bazaar, papers are here there and yonder...it's OKAY! Why? Because we LIVE here. BUT then there comes a time we have to sing the song "Clean up, Clean up, everybody do their share." (I am NOT a fan of Barney but like the cute little song) When my husband comes home from work after working around ladies that complain and gripe (I tell him I am glad they do cause when he comes home, he'll appreciate me more, right? :-), then I want to make sure he has a HAVEN OF REST he can come too. Thirty minutes before daddy arrives...it's clean up time. When he walks through that door, I don't want him tripping over everything. No, I honestly try to have everything in it's place, soft music playing, dinner on (I like the 'trick' also of having the table set so he thinks dinner is about to be served even if it's a 30 minute wait...time goes faster when the table is set lol).

We can be so BUSY doing GOOD things, that we forget to do the BEST things and a lot of times the ones we LOVE the most or should LOVE the most are neglected. So THIS YEAR and from here on out, I desire to please my husband in ALL areas. Yes, I've had to give up some of the good things in order to do the BEST things but when you and I do...our home will be filled with peace, joy, love, happiness instead of frustration and discouragement.

3. To Our Children

WOW...how time flies. Just the other day, I mean like yesterday, we were living in Germany. I went and walked around the same crazy circle of the hospital to try to get myself into full labor so I could have our first precious baby. (the wonderful Army kept calling wanting my husband back in Hungary--they let him come home for the birth and once he got home they kept calling wanting to know if I'd had the baby and for me to hurry up. Okay Commander, you tell me how to tell a baby to hurry up. Just gotta love the military! :-) ) Then the moment arrived when I looked at my mom with tears streaming down my face and said "I am never having another baby" and she so calmly said "It's okay. You don't have to." (well, for the record I had 3 more after that one so you do forget the pain as they always say---Glad God made us that way or we'd stop at the first one, right ladies?)

Well, now that little bundle of joy is THIRTEEN! What? Am I really old enough to have a THIRTEEN year old? Am I ready for these teenage years? And to be reminded that in FIVE years I'll be going to college? and she already has an idea where she wants to go to college? WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please STOP THE CLOCK!

No, there is no stopping the clock BUT I have decided to STOP a few things and learn to say "NO" (the hardest thing for me to do) in order to put my priorities where they need to be in this phase of my life. Our girls will one day grow up, be out of the house, have a family of their own (if it be the Lord's Will). I am sure there will come a day when I'll get to serve more in ministries, make myself available to more things OUTSIDE the home but for right now my priority is INSIDE my home. I've had to learn to give up doing GOOD things (nothing wrong with what I wanted to do or was doing) but it took time away from the BEST things.

So I am looking forward to keeping my focus where it needs to be and I honestly believe I'll end less and less days feeling discouraged, feeling like I didn't 'conquer the world' with the many task that loads our plate of life -- some good things but they take away from doing the BEST things! I desire to keep the BEST THINGS first---time alone with my Saviour who will give me a renewed strength each day; time to focus on my marriage; time to focus on the needs of our children -- not only physically, emotionally but spiritually. And then when all that is accomplished...then all the other GOOD THINGS can fall into place BUT I want my focus to be on the BEST THINGS for 2011 and then on.