This Season's Priorities

Yes, it has been quite some time since my last blog post, which is becoming quite normal around here...one of the few things that I would classify as "normal" around here.

At the beginning of this year, I took some time to evaluate my priorities.

I love a new year. I buy a new calendar, new "to do" notepads, fill up my home organizer with cute templates, get really psyched about all the new things I want to do this year, and begin to fill up my daily schedules with these ultra-important tasks.

The closets need to be organized.

The bookshelves need new, bright bins with handmade, adorable labels on them.

I need to have a cleaning routine....oh, and I need to use "green" cleaning products...that I make myself.

I need to blog about all of my fun ideas or interesting days.

I need to exercise.

And I lead a few Bible studies, so I need to have some "quiet" time somewhere in my day to talk to and hear from God.

My kids need to have really cute lunches waiting for them after school.

But I can't sit down and eat with them because I need to organize my meals for the week on my awesome meal board I made myself. 

Here lies the dilemma. 

  

I have tons of creative energy bubbling around inside of me. Pinterest makes me weep with joy. My hands literally shake while I walk around our new house and dream of all the possibilities. I love organization. I love cute.

This is what I want to do. 

But my 4 precious children don't like organization as much. And they can do without cute.

They just want me. 

They want my eye contact. They want my undivided attention and uninterrupted time. They want me to take on the persona of a 2-year-old baby, cashier, or a steam engine.  But I must be able to rapidly return to MOM to get them their juice for the ever loving fifth time this hour.

A few weeks ago, I candidly told my MOPS group that I really didn't enjoy playing with my kids. I don't like playing dollhouse, crawling around on the floor pushing trucks, digging in the dirt, or making hotdogs out of playdoh.

But I do love my kids.

And I love the sparkle in their eye when they know I am completely tuned in to them.

And they know. 

I love the squeals they make as I chase them around the playroom pretending to be a giant or when I serve them up a giant plate of playdoh spaghetti.

Am I saying that you cannot do organization or cute with young kids? Of course not.

I'm just saying that your kids must be great nappers. :)  Mine are not.

My oldest 2 have taken their afternoon naps, wrapped them up real pretty, and thrown them in my face. No more naps for them. (at least not on a regular basis). And the twins think it's hilarious to tag team all day. Put one down to bed, the other wakes up...all day long.

In case you didn't know, mothering requires selflessness.  We are called to put someone else's needs and desires above our own.  These children are God's.  He has given them to us for a season.

Does that mean our needs and desires are never addressed?  Absolutely not.   If I never addressed my true, personal needs, I would end up being tired, short-tempered, depressed and overwhelmed.  (which is why I  have a date tonight with my husband, and a lunch and massage scheduled this week with a sweet friend!)

But I think the point is addressing my true needs, as opposed to my desires and wants.  I really want to spend all day long browsing the internet and coming up with fab ideas for my house and implementing them right now!  Trust me.  It would be fab.  But that's not a true need for me right now.

So, for now, and for me, I am taking some of my personal desires and putting them on the shelf.   For a season.

And that has caused me to condense my priority list for this new year. Here it goes.

1. God 
2. My husband 
3. My children 
4. Home responsibilities: Feeding and clothing my husband and children 
5. Outside responsibilities: MOPS and Bible studies
6. Friendships 

There you go.

Now, I must run.  I am working at Walmart this morning and have a sweet 4-year-old customer with a full cart. Oh, and my hubby just announced:  "Clean up on aisle 4."