Sometimes taking time for ourselves is when all is quiet, be it late or early in the day - feels like a luxury. There are always those days, weeks, and maybe even seasons of our lives when we just have to take care of business in the midst of chaos. When everyone is awake. When little ones aren't feeling well. And perhaps when your house is a mess.
That is where I have been this week.
Sweet boy was home Monday and Tuesday and thankfully, he is feeling better and is back at school (with a really rough cough). Monday was his 6th birthday! It was still a special day, even if he was in his pajamas most of the time. We played, watched Star Wars and ate tomato soup. He asked when Big Sister would be home about 15 times. It was a lovely day.
As I type this, I can see loads of laundry spilling onto the floor in the next room. My desk is a mess, as is our den. And so is our bedroom, since I have all Sweet Boy's birthday party plans and items laid out on the floor. Oh, and our closet is out of sorts. And we need groceries. And I need to bake a birthday cake. (The kitchen is amazing because of my very clean husband. He gets all the props here.) But these are all things I have accepted as part of the beautiful chaos of motherhood and life. To these, I say yes. And thank you.
And yet, I still write. I am still here, doing my part to contribute my tiny portion of art and insight to the world. I'm still here, wanting to give words to mamas who need it, who are trying desperately to get to know themselves again. Mamas who cherish being mamas - but who need to make a difference in other realms, too. This is where I'm supposed to be for now. For these few hours.
We can’t wait to pursue our creative passions + work outside of mamahood (or in conjunction with) if we wait until all conditions are perfect – when the laundry is
done and put away, the toys organized, everything dusted, the litter box scooped. We don't need to put our work and passions on the backburner. We just need to be able to set them to the side sometimes, so they're just right there. Mamas, we need a balance.
Otherwise, we forget our passions - the other gifts we are meant to use, in addition to our roles as mamas, and we become victim to the "tyranny of the urgent," as writer Charles Hummel calls it in his book "Tyranny of the Urgent." Let's keep our focus and say yes to the important things: our children, our families, and our other paths God is calling us to.
One thing today: Even if you house is a mess, put on your "blinders" - a tip from Kat Lee at Inpsired to Action. Keep on workin' until your work is done. Then, tackle everything you had to temporarily ignore. If little tiny tasks keep popping into your head and distracting you, keep writing them down. You can think about them later.
Interview with Lysa Terkeurst on the Inspired to Action podcast: Say Your Best Yes
Tomato Timer - Pomodoro timer = blinders we sometimes need.
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