Life As It Is: 1 Day at a Time!

I know I posted this morning...and 2 posts in 1 day is unheard of for me (Really 2 posts in 1 year is rare! Ha ha ha)...Anyway, here I am, in the apple store at 9 at night waiting for my hubbie to download his photos from his old iPad (which went kaput) to his computer. He is asking lots of questions which I am sure will help us tremendously in the future, but Iam falling asleep! Since my bed is no where near the iPhone or iPad display, I guess I'll write my next rambling in "Life As It Is"!

This morning at work my last patient did not need treatment so I got to leave early and make it to music time at my little guys' co-op (http://christianfamilycoop.info). Watching them dance around and seeing their smiles, as they realized I was there, was priceless. But as I left work I couldn't help but think, "It's great that I am getting to leave early, but how will I pay bills?" God is good...He has always provided, and I wish I could trust him 100% of the time and not worry, but I'm not that good, yet (hopefully, when I reach heaven I'll be there! ;). 

Living in the day is so hard for me. As a mom, business owner, boss, doctor, wife, home school teacher, house organizer, cook, house cleaner, grocery shopper, and adopting parent, I am ALWAYS planning ahead. It's the only way I can accomplish what I need to get done. It can be hard, though, to enjoy the day...live in the moment...be present for my kids and hubbie...find relaxation for me. This is what God is teaching me right now: "LIVE FOR ME TODAY!" Matthew 6:31 says "Don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough troubles of its own." This has become my theme verse! Each day I have to focus on what I can do, what I have to do, and what I DON'T have to do! Seriously, giving up things that don't HAVE to be done (like making sure the kitchen cabinets are cleaned every other month like I originally planned out-HA HA HA...yeah, right!) is so hard for me because they "are already on my 'to-do' list". Knowing that God won't give me more than I can handle is one thing, believing it is another.

I pray, daily, that I can die to myself, and live 100% for God; treating others as Christ would, and giving of myself to fully serve my hubbie, children, patients, staff, and others I interact with. When I take this perspective it makes my overwhelming 'To-Do' list a little more manageable. It's exciting to see how much God can accomplish through me when I submit to His will and follow his leading. 

Life As It Is: The Truth Behind The Smile

It's been a long time since I have written anything. I feel like I am only now starting to surface. For months I have been going non-stop. We had a chance to take a family vacation 2 weeks ago...even then I had to work throughout the vacation. I have been smiling (or at least trying) through the last 6 months, but it's been really hard & very tiring at times.

I have decided to start blogging again, though, because I hope it will be an encouragement to working moms out there, who may be struggling with the same things I struggle with. Rather than just posting about homeschooling, random outings or fun family times (which I will still put up when I can), I want to post about how God helps me live each day to the fullest (not just survive!!). 

God is so good. My life is proof of that. 

Here is a shot of my calendar from this last week:

The open spot on Wednesday afternoon...was supposed to be a chiropractor's appointment (smithchiroandrehab.com), but Kris needed it more than me, so I had some "free time" (if that's what you really call it when the 'To-Do' List is longer than humanly possible for a lifetime!). Otherwise, this is pretty much what my schedule looks like ALL the time. 

My free time: 4:00am until 7:15am... How I LOVE this time. The house is quiet, and I get a chance to journal, read my bible, and pray. I also get to work out, shower (by myself!), and prepare for the day. If I am diligent in getting up and using this time wisely (AKA: MAKING SURE I MEET WITH GOD & HAVE MY QUIET TIMES, NO MATTER WHAT ELSE I HAVE GOING ON, AND NO MATTER HOW MANY THINGS ARE ON MY TO-DO LIST), the whole rest of the day runs much more smoothly. I have found so MANY times that when I think I don't have time to meet with God (read his word and spend time praying) that that's when I need it the most. Funny, too, is when I put Him first, he always provides the time I need to "get stuff done". 

Weirdly, and it doesn't make sense at all, but taking an hour in the morning, provides so much more time the rest of the day.