 |
| Grand Prize Basket. Read the previous posts to enter! |
Yesterday was just such a day for me.
It started brilliantly, as most Wednesdays do since I get to enjoy the weekly company of my women's Bible study group. We're working through Beth Moore's James study and it's inspiring...as all of them are!
But Wednesday's are also the day I work in my kindergarteners class for the afternoon. Which means I literally run from Bible study to school with no time to breathe...let alone grab lunch. Thanks to McD's (which I'm trying to eliminate from my diet) I multi-tasked. :)
Once school gets out, we only have time for a quick snack before jetting my son off to karate. Then home again for dinner and homework. Only yesterday, had to be more complicated. My youngest has a field trip today and my fridge looked pretty bare for lunch packing. Laundry was burying my floor and I couldn't find a window in which to accomplish anything. I was frustrated!
To add to my stress, I work in my son's class all morning today, I was supposed to film a vlog for this post and my son's timed math test is looming. The cherry on top?? My husband and I got in the most ridiculous fight so our treasured Survivor TV watching night appeared spoiled.
I literally wanted to pull out my hair.
When it occurred to me...that I must be doing something right and good. See, I believe that Satan doesn't waste his time messing with people that are already ignoring God. I think those of us that are trying...really trying...to get things right by being the best wife we can be, the most attentive mother we can be, giving our whole effort as if to glorify God in all our tasks...have his full attention. He likes to muddy the water. He likes to make us doubt ourselves and our efforts.
But I refuse to be one of his victims, so I prioritized my to-do list. Gave myself some grace where the vlog and the laundry were concerned. Focused on the homework and enjoyed the evening with my husband.
Praise God for new mornings filled with new possibilities! I know I've come to rely on them greatly! :)
As part of Thursday's "new possibilities", I'm giving away THREE prizes today!
- A decorative teacup
- A Bride's Portrait by Erica Vetsch
- Stars in Her Eyes by Erica Vetsch
- Erica's favorite reading treat: peanut M&M's
- A $10 gift card to Erica's favorite store: Amazon
- Three titles by Julie Jarnigan
- Julie's favorite reading treat: gummy bears
- A $10 gift card to Julie's favorite store: Target
The daily prize pack includes:
- A Stripped keepsake box
- Love Finds you in Mackinac Island by Melanie Dobson
- Wish You Were Here by Beth Vogt
- The Maid of Fairbourne Hall by Julie Klassen
- Ghirardelli Milk and Hazelnut chocolate
- Stationary set
- Fall scented candle
- $10 gift card to Starbucks
 |
| Photo used with permission by Glorious Treats! |
The Cookie Basket includes:
- 6 beautiful fall cookies by Glory of Glorious Treats!
- A Bride's Portrait by Erica Vetsch
- Stars in Her Eyes by Erica Vetsch
- An autographed copy of Apollyon by Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye
To be entered to win one of these 3 prizes, leave me a comment telling me what YOU struggle with most, how you find balance, or what derails your day the fastest.
Oh and before I forget...just kidding, I can't forget this part...I get to announce yesterday's winner!!!!!
Congratulations, to Becky Doughty!!!! You are the winner of my "sunny basket". :)
(email me your mailing address at lacie0430@comcast.net)
Hi Lacie!
ReplyDeleteI found your blog via Keli Gwyn´s blog. :)
It´s sometimes really hard to sort what comes first. I don´t have a husband and don´t have kids yet, but still a day can get quite full.
I tend to get an upset stomach when I´m rushing too much from A to B. Not a very good stress-person. I need to know the what-how-when beforehand, then everything is fine. So I tend to really plan my day through if there seems to be too much in it.
And skipping something and saving it for another day is a thing I do too. Sorting priorities ;).
Katrin
Hi Kaewink! I love Keli Gwyn and I'm so glad you came to see me today! I agree...days get full regardless of kids or husbands or stage of life. That's one thing I've seen clearly in today's comments. Sorting priorities is how I survive! Glad you're with me on that one! :)
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI find that I struggle most with being patient. I'm ten steps ahead in my mind, but the task at hand still needs to be tended to. I think women are good at multitasking because we have to be.
:) Isn't that the truth? "women are good at multitasking because we have to be." Love it!
DeleteGood Morning Lacie!
ReplyDeleteThe children are all grown so it is just my husband and myself. Where does my time go? I struggle with not being able to say no. I am a book reviewer and some how have just gotten way in over my head. I also do Bible study every Wednesday and volunteer at my church. I must be home to fix my husband his lunch every day because he comes home for his lunch hour. I'm always rushing, rushing, rushing. Meeting deadlines etc. really puts a lot of stress on me. I need to learn to say no more often!
I found your blog through Sarah Forgrave's blog!
Blessings!
Judy
judyjohn2004(at)yahoo(dot)com
Judy! I'm so glad you came to visit today! It seems like the "busyness of life" is haunting us all! Also interesting is that it's not specific to one age group or phase of life, as noted in other comments.
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI found your blog via Sarah Forgrave's blog! I find that I struggle most with finding a balance for all the things I juggle. I need to learn how to delegate more effectively, include my small children more in our day-to-day housekeeping chores, and remember to take time for the most important things like spending time with God and in His Word and taking the time to enjoy my kiddos in the season we are in.
Hi Deborah, Thanks for visiting today. Man, I am just loving all these comments! Each one is my favorite! :) Making time for God should be so easy...so why isn't it? I struggle there too. And you're right...having my kids do more chores around the house definitely would alleviate some of the smaller tasks from my plate. That's really good advice! :)
DeleteStruggles? What struggles?? I am perfect. HAHAHHA!!!
ReplyDeleteOkay, let's bullet them, shall we???
-time with God
-housework
-time FOR friends
-I could stand to lose a good 40 or 50 pounds
-I like chocolate
-learning to be patient
What derails my days?? Procrastination and the interwebs.
Jennifer, I love your humor! Your comment made me smile! I ditto all your struggles...especially the chocolate one! LOL
DeleteRight now my main struggle is time management. I am a college professor, I teach math and science education at a university in Indiana. I am also a doctoral student, I am working towards my PhD in math education. I am also a pastor's wife. I am also trying to start a family and have been going through infertility treatments for the past year and a half. I struggle to be the best instructor, the best student, the best wife, and the best future mom I can be and I'm just so tired.
ReplyDeleteOk, so I'm in awe of you and what your days must look like! Wow! After all of the things on your plate...you have a right to be tired! LOL
Deletei struggle w/ patience...my motto now is 'one day at a time'
ReplyDeletekarenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com
Hi KarenK! I'm so guilty of that too. Patience is not in my skill set. We'll just have to muddle through one day at a time together! :)
DeleteGood morning, Lacie - is it still morning there?
ReplyDeleteI'm loving getting to know you this week. Thanks for a timely post on how the Lord is at work in your life. It's the curse of this generation, I think, that we're so busy and so overwhelmed all the time. I think it's the way the devil works - he has to be subtle nowadays because we're not as superstitious or easily frightened by the idea of him so he has to sneak in the back door and keep us too busy and too unbalanced to pray, to listen to our Shepherd, and to give our busy-ness back to God, thereby making us ineffective believers. And that's me in a nutshell - my daily struggle to keep pace with Christ. I want to charge ahead with my power heels clickin'...or lag behind with a cool cloth on my forehead and my "woe-is-me" music playing loud and clear for all to hear. Sigh. I'm so glad He's patient. And merciful. And has a good sense of humor.
BTW - I'm tickled pink to win yesterday's basket! I had a rough day and more poor friends got to hear me unload (Thanks Jennifer, for being THERE FOR YOUR FRIENDS!) and when I finally broke down and gave it all back to God, He reached out and hugged me a few times. Your basket is one of those hugs - and so is Jennifer.
Blessings,
Becky
Hi Becky, I love what you wrote today!! "Ineffective believers" definitely sums us up when we've got so much on our plate nothing else is noticeable. I love your perspective! Thanks so much for sharing... ;)
DeleteAnd I'm thrilled that my little basket was able to brighten your day. That makes me so happy. I'll be praying for you too!
Aw. Sniff. Thanks Becky, and back at you!!
DeleteMy struggle at the moment is exhaustion. My daughter's been sick for a couple of weeks (ER trip, doctor's office x 2), and it's hard to push through and get things done. Feeling overwhelmed. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Audra, Thanks for sharing your struggle. I can't imagine the worry that comes from those types of doctor's visits. I'll be praying for your little one and your energy level! Sometimes life is just too hard!
DeleteMy struggle lately (I'm fifteen, so I'm just a daughter and a sister--not a wife or a mom yet) has been time management for sure. I am struggling with wanting to spend time doing what I want to do (practice instruments, draw, read, write) and what I know I need to do to have a better relationship with my younger brothers. How do I balance? I don't....yet. Mostly I try to just stop, take a deep breath, and really think about what I must be doing wrong--and what I'm doing right. And then I go play badminton with my brothers. ;-) And lastly, what derails me? Getting stressed, about school, work, or whatever is on my mind.
ReplyDeleteHi Hannah! You're so sweet. I think it's interesting that most of the responses I'm seeing today are related to "too many things on our plates". The good thing about stress??? It's a good reminder to talk to God. Sounds silly, but when so much is overwhelming us that we can't find any time for anything, the LAST thing I think about is stopping to pray. Why is that? I'm working on that one! ;)
DeleteHannah Joy, you are not, and never will be "just" anything!! You are a Child of the King, that makes you a Princess. And a very smart one, at that.
DeleteI struggle a lot with self-worth and finding who I am through Christ eyes. I struggle with balance too. I haven't quite figured out the difference between what I need to do and what I want to do.
ReplyDeleteAll those prize baskets look like so much fun!!
~Marissa Marye
Okay, Marissa...I love what you said here too! Self worth...man is that an issue for me too! Am I a good enough mom? Am I good enough and smart enough to be a writer? Do I actually have something (anything) to say that's valuable to other women? The devil haunts me all the time with doubt. I will be praying so hard for you Marissa...cause I know what it feels like...that God will reveal to you just how He plans to use YOU, perfectly, wonderfully made YOU, and your unique talents. At the end of the day, after all my own doubts, I always come back to one truth. He loves me! And He loves YOU! And that's gotta be enough. :)
DeleteThank-you so much Lacie!! I really needed to hear that. And you do have something valuable to say to other women because that was valuable to me.
DeleteMy latest struggle has been time management with school and will power (I could use a lot of work in that department!)
ReplyDeleteecriggs1990(at)aol(dot)com
LOL Hi Liz, I literally laughed out loud when I read your comment about will power. because I am stuffing my face with a donut as I'm reading! :)
DeleteBalance also and I am probably a lot older than most of your Bloggies...Bloggets...um what are we called who do not write blogs, but read blogs? Um...not sure. :) Anyway, I digress. As a grandmother who works from home, wife of a recently retired husband...I still struggle to manage time with grandkids, church, quiet time, housework, my paying job...etc.,but just try to focus on the fact that every day is a new day in the Lord and all my blessings and don't get bogged down in the details.
ReplyDeleteDebbie, what perfect advice for all of us! Remember our blessings and don't get bogged down. I always remind myself that this is not my home. Thank goodness! :)
DeleteHopped over from Sarah Forgrave's blog. Glad I did! :) Thanks for doing the giveaways. The goodies look wonderful.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I struggle with is time management. My three kids are grown but I still wear several hats - bookkeeping for my husband's business, writer, etc. Aiming for a good balance and perspective. Thanks for sharing. I agree, tomorrow is another day, a fresh new morning!
Thanks and blessings,
Karen
I've always been one to accept a challenge, accomplishing it by what I thought was my own strength. Now, at 52, a missionary to Central America for 8 years - I should have Phil. 4:13 tattoed to my body as I recite it daily. My husband has the faith & I ride onto his coatails and absorb his. I found out that I can tromp jungles, ride crazy buses, crawl through barbwire - because of HIM!
ReplyDeleteWell, I've lost this comment box twice - must be my aged fingers and this modern lap top. Any way, I face daily challenges to stay on top of my game mentally and physically as I continue in the Christian school workplace at age 73. God has been good and gracious to me through the years with a marriage of 55 years, 5 grown children, 5 daughters/sons-in-law, and 13 grand children, I am retired from parenting. Retired after 25 years as an Executive Secretary at one Christian school. Now working part time at another Christian school managing a website, etc. Isn't God good to me.????
ReplyDeleteI'm reading through the Beth Moore James study too!
ReplyDeleteWhat derails my day...hearing a publisher has said NO on my book (out on submission). I hate waiting and WAITING for answers and closure!
BUT in the meantime, I have some LOVELY online writing friends who keep me grounded and happy as a clam. We're buoying each other up during this ACFW conference, and we're sooo thankful you're lifting our spirits with these lovely giveaways! Thanks so much for reaching out to your fellow writers, Lacie! Keep making Satan mad!
Thanks for this awesome giveaway!
ReplyDeleteMy day gets derailed when I've been up a chunk of the night with aches and pains. Sleep deprivation cuts my productivity in half.
susanjreinhardt AT gmail DOT com