When "How DOES She Do That?" Bogs You Down

I've been hanging out at the school a lot today. Princess has a noon Easter picnic I'm here for and I decided to give myself a "day off" of sorts and enjoy the Internet in the computer lab for a while. I REALLY look forward to getting my computer back. I was just reading Money Saving Mom and thinking "ahhhh, I really need this resource!"
While there I found a great new blog I want to check out more when I DO get my computer again. It's called The Prudent Homemaker. I like that she tries to live off of what she has more and that her recipes are categorized as well by seasons of the year. I hope to do that more in the future.

However, skipping over to her blog just sent me off an emotional cliff of sorts from building thoughts the last few days.

I've been tired since coming back from the science camp with Princess. It was so fun but I was only away from the cabin of six girls for 45 minutes each day and the second day my 45 minutes were spent coloring the props for their little skit they all get to put on while there. So, I was quite tired.

I arrive home wanting so badly to pick up my projects for spring but having NO energy and somewhat of a head cold. I start feeling this mounting pressure in my mind of all the really great things I want to do. Here are some of mine:

Finish staining the fence

Hoe up the garden

Expand the garden by digging up more ground

Sand the play structure and stain it too

Sand the deck and stain it (replace the two bad boards)

Have the girls plant their personal gardens in the half barrels

Build the steps off the back of the deck

Move the stepping stones to where they now need to be

Put boarders on the grass

Dig up the yard the dog destroyed and re-seed it

Level out under the play structure and prepare it for pebbles or sand

Oh, I won't go on and bore you!

Those are just my outdoor things.

Before I left I spent a week doing outdoor things. The result? My yard looked better, my house looked worse. I was bad about dinner making and exhausted by eight.

Lately I have been feeling the days are shorter and shorter and shorter. How DO some people do so much and categorically document their doings as well? How DO some women cook from scratch, nurse a baby, plant a garden, school their children, sew their clothes and whatever else superhero mom stuff they decide to do? I love gleaning from their ideas but really, HOW?

The Lord speaks to my heart by this time and that is really what I wanted to share. I recall this little song I learned as a kid and I don't know what it is or where it's from but this is the part he brings to mind:

"we all have different talents,

we all have different gifts,

we all were fashioned out to fill

a special little niche" (at least that's how I remember it:)

I remember that the only solution to life is to let the Lord lead you from one thing to the other. It all comes back to simplicity. Asking what He wants of me today. There are so many great things I want to do, learn, accomplish, experience and so on, but there are very few things he has in the day for me to do. That is the reality of it.

I truly believe that this feeling is part of the curse of our stunted lifetimes. I believe we were given a drive born out of the creator himself to do, create, accomplish and experience an eternity of things. All of these involve his creation, ourselves and each other. We are SUPPOSED to want to do so much. Yet, the reality of it is that here on earth, we just won't be able to. Again, I look forward to that in eternity. This is why reaing Randy Alcorn's book changed my life. Somehow I grew up in a Christian home not really understanding what eternity and heaven would really be. When we remember that, we can let so much go and be more focused on God's mission for our alien journey here. I have long since wanted to put a cute sign on my home that says "This is a tent, it's not my home". We are only passing through and with limited resources of many kinds. Our brains cannot learn enough, our money cannot buy enough, our time cannot produce enough. The greatest gift is learning to be okay with that I think. The greatest joy is finding what God has in the midst of it that IS for us, each and every one. Because when it's something GOD has for us here on this earth, we WILL have the knowledge (from Him), we WILL have the strength (from Him), we will have the funds (from Him), and we will have all that we need according to HIS riches and HIS glory.

So, if you are feeling like I have been the last few days and you just feel like you don't have enough or do enough, remember with me to ask for your portion and know that's it's enough because it's from Him who gives fully and who holds more for you down the road.

Tami Rutledge Discipling/Accountability Group

I'm happy to announce that Tami has organized an accountability site for christian women. The Site is called "Abide In Christ". I get to have the fun of the organization and template but she is the one leading us.
This site is for christian women to find encouragement and accountability for any area they feel the need for it. From taking vitamins to doing that one load of laundry, from loving our husbands in a specific way to speaking words of kindness to a certain neighbor.
Please read the introduction from Tami and then there are further instructions following:

I Can't But HE Can!
Philippians 4:13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Ephesians 3: 20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen

1 Corinthians 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God
Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

2 Peter 2:19 ...—for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.

Romans 13: 13Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. 14But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.

Hebrews 12:11No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.12Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13"Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

This means... set yourself up for success. Make your paths level, not full of pot holes that will trip you up.

SO .... for those of you who want to join here are the rules.

1. You must start with one thing - you can add one thing each week. But in an effort to succeed we must set ourselves up to succeed. Start small and work up. It may seem slow going but do you realize that in just 2 months that will mean 8 - 9 new things. Slow and steady wins the race.

2. You must give an account daily if not a couple times a day.

3. You must commit for one month and not back out.

4. with each new thing you are wanting to be held accountable you must have a verse to go with it. For example for this first week I want to be held accountable to drink my vitamin drink twice daily.My verse... Proverbs 14 : 1 The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down. I am sure if we need it there will be more rules but simplicity usually works.

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The HOW-TO:

The site is a private site. Those women interested in taking part are made authors on the site so they can post their thoughts and updates. All you should need is a Google account and password. These are free and easy to sign up for through Google if you don't have one. It may be possible to set up a password anyway with your email. I'll have to look into that. Just email a request to sign up and the invitation will be sent to you!

Requests to join go to : thevineandbranches@yahoo.com

Tami Rutledge will be posting weekly encouragements there at Abide In Christ, but even if you are not part of this group, I highly suggest you visit her regular blog Rejoice regularly for practical, biblical insite on lifes simplest yet most important subjects of the heart.

Please feel free to post here if you have questions or you can send questions to the emial above as well.

Thanks!