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Saturday, June 12, 2010
The Balancing Act
Josie with sleepy eyes, empty tummy, on a mission to make us some pancakes for breakfast!(I really do not sound this country in real life...hahaha)
My mom and I have laughed many times about how well she had me believing that she knew EXACTLY what she was doing while raising me. There was never a time that I can remember that I thought " she has no idea what she is doing with this whole Mommy thing". After Grace (my 14 year old was about three, I looked at my mom and said " I am just flying by the seat of my pants"(a southern phrase for you northerners...it means I have NO IDEA what I am doing!)....and you use to fly by the seat of your pants too...didn't you?!?! and she said "I sure did!" with a grin.
There is really NO WAY to prepare for parenthood. You can read all of the "self help" books and really have a firm grip on that first child that comes along. Even the second child, and maybe even the third....and then the Lord decides that it is time for you to start depending on Him....on your knees! (haha) Each child is so uniquely and wonderfully made that as soon as you think that you have somewhat of a hold on this "parenting thing" you better DUCK because here comes a curve ball!! I will NEVER claim to have parenting mastered.(Although, I am pretty good at diagnosing a rash or illnesses) It actually is just one more reason on my list to live moment to moment and not plan ahead. This way, I do not feel defeated.
I LOVE parenting. I enjoy studying each child and trying to figure out what makes each one tick, what their love language is, and learning what their gifts are so that I can encourage them in them. It is the MOST wonderful blessing and pleasure on earth. I HAVE found that parenting can be exhausting. But one area in which I try to focus is BALANCE. There are three areas that I feel are vital for me to feel balanced. All three involve EXERCISE...the DREADED word!
1)Exercise my body
2) Exercise my mind
3) Exercise my heart
1)I have received several emails the past few weeks from people stating that they have seen me out running. The next question is "how in the world do you find time?" Well, honestly, I have found that if I can sweat for a bit, then I have more patience, grace, and energy with my children. Mike exercises also, so we make it a priority to tag team and MAKE the time for it. I ACTUALLY have it on my calendar for 3 days a week...if it is not on the calendar with time marked out specifically for "workout" then it DOES NOT happen.
2)I open my eyeballs, swagger to the coffee pot, mix in my yummy hazelnut creamer, grab my Jesus Calling and Bible and head to my back porch. Josie and Caleb on my heels. I go outside because its so early, there are birds, rabbits, and deer in my backyard and it keeps my little ones distracted for awhile. They have learned to whisper so we do not scare the critters away. they count the golden finches, bluebirds and cardinals...this is my morning ritual. I try to bring Christ to the forefront of my mind, and pray for my sweet husband to guard his heart (before I throw him to the wolves) before I even start the day....which leads to my heart exercise.
3)Here on earth, Mike holds my heart in the palm of his hands. If I do not keep Mike second in line after Christ EVERYTHING is thrown off. We have to make alone time for us. We go out to eat if not once a week, once every other week. How do we have time for date nights? How do we have help for date nights? How do we NOT? If you have trouble finding someone to watch your kids so that you can find time away, pray that the Lord will send you someone special. The Lord has provided a sitter every time and their credentials are MUCH more than I could have EVER imagined! It is the BIGGEST investment that we make here on earth. Our children have to KNOW that Mike and I are a priority to each other...there is NO OTHER option. If we do not spend time to know each other then how can we be a team? Everyday is teamwork at the Mayernick house.
After these three things are a priority, everything else just seems to fall into place. SOMEHOW, there is enough time in the day for each child, 147 Million Orphans, eating, baths, books,etc....NOW, I don't answer the phone much, and I HARDLY EVER have on make up or nice clothes. (I save those two things for my date nights and church) Most days, I look the same when Mike gets home in the afternoon as I did when he left for work that morning.
So, that's my word for the week....BALANCE.
Do you have it?
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About Me
- suzanne
- I am a lover of Jesus. I have the most fabulous husband that anyone woman could ask for. The Lord has blessed us with 7 beautiful children. I started this blog so that friends and family could follow our trip to Uganda to visit Katie Davis. I have decided to keep blogging to help bring orphan awareness to the world around me.
14 comments:
It's refreshing & challenging in a good way to hear how someone else "actually" does it. Thank you for sharing the priorities and the reality of how it plays out. Thanks, Mandi www.johnsonfamily-outoftheboat.blogspot.com
Sounds a lot like our life! Praising God for balance and keeping it in His hands!
Love and hugs,
Jill
What great advice. I'm a California girl, raised by a Texas Mama. We love to laugh about how she would be in her bathrobe when my Dad came home from work. But we kids didn't know she was "flyin' by the seat of her pants," because we were loved. What has been life changing for me is jumping out of bed when the Lord wakes me up in the morning. He says, "If you don't get up right now, you are not going to have those precious moments along with me and your coffee." It has been LIFE CHANGING! Now, I've started righting a response blog. Thank you for your loving and encouraging words. I've got to go and get my "Exercise" on! No really, I'm running a race this morning (literally)=). We are on the road to our first adoption. www.beskfamily.blogspot.com
Good words Suzanne, and timely too. I think you nailed me right where I needed it...it's an "ouch and amen" sort of post and I thank you for it.
Great practical advice for all moms, no matter the number of kids she has! Thanks!
Great post! I need to be reminding of these three important things, because I so easily get overwhelmed and concerned about things that are not important. The minute I start trying to make my life balanced in my own strength is the minute things get out of balance. Thanks for this encouragement of how to do it all! I like the way you said "It all falls into place!"
i LOVED this post...the video was precious and the post you wrote was wonderful, encouraging and full of information! Once we adopt our baby my husband and I plan on making a date night once a week too and sticking with it and we already have lots of friends and family and church family who want to help babysit! :0)
wow, this is good stuff. thank you.
Nope! Don't have it...but I'm trying!
So thankful for you!
Love the video! Josie is such a beauty!
Praise God!
Needed that reminder about balance and making time for hubby. We are working on this! It's so easy to allow everyone else to take up our time, but MAKING time a priority is key. Love the video! The cuteness is almost too much!!:)
Although I have wondered many times how you get it all done in any given day, I have always known at the heart of it all is your priorities...Your balancing act is a great reminder to me to keep my priorities straight. Thank You Dear Sister whom I WILL meet one day!
Thanks for your discipleship to me.
Jill Schenk
Great post!
We have always made our marriage a priority, no matter how hard. Our kids KNOW that mama and papa need time alone ... for weekly date nights and for annual weekends away. For our weekends away, we used to have to beg 6 or 7 friends to take 1 or 2 kids each. (We have no involved extended family.) It took a LOT of planning. But ... it was worth it. It was a priority. Now, we just beg a few of the young adult children to hang out with the young ones for a couple of days ... or we divide the young ones up between the older ones. :)
Exercise? That's another thing. I cannot get out of the house to exercise, without taking all the little ones on a walk with me. (Not the best exercise, but at least it gets me out of the house.) So needing exercise. So don't know how to make it happen. (Hubby has been working out of town for the past 3 months ... mama is worn out and TIRED of the single-mama thing while homeschooling 6 young ones.)
Laurel :)
AHHH...loved this post! Thank you for your heart and these sweet reminders! Your family is beautiful!
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