Life has us so busy now that we all accept this as "normal", but yet this normal has us stressed out, weary, and often times just tapped out of the love and happiness we need to have for our spouses and our children.
While I am here on the topic of children, they are also maxed out on overload. Between co~ops, homework, school work, soccor practices, gymnastics, piano lessons and church activities, we wonder why our family has lost it's happiness, love, and patience for each other. How many of you wonder why our kids are grouchy disrespectful, uncooperative, and tired? This might be the answer. The problem lies with how do we say no to some the activities above? The kids need these activities because it is good for them, but I have to ask at what cost? What cost is all of this good for them? Then how about you? Are you able to be happy and show your children and spouse the love you have for them when you are so busy because you have to run out the door several times in a given day to go here and there and every where? By the time you get home you have just enough time to throw the laundry in the washing machine or throw the frozen dinner into the oven because you don't have the time to make a home made supper for them, or is supper on a regular basis the stop at the local fast food chain? God doesn't want this "busy" for us. He wants us to enjoy a slower life. He can't bless you or your family to His fullest if we aren't willing to be obedient to Him by slowing down. As parents we need to set the tone for our children. They learn from us. What are we teaching them?
We found encouragement through Duck's bible lesson in school today by finding out that it is okay to not be this "busy". The bible commands us to not be "busy" in 1 Thes 4:11 -12. God is trying to teach us, "to aspire to lead a quiet life...that we may lack for nothing." Do you think God instructed us to do this because He knew we weren't made to keep up with these busy lives? God created us to live life to the fullest, but this isn't possible when our lives are so busy that we forget to lead them.
God wants us to slow down in this crazy world we live in. As moms and teachers what are we teaching our kids if we let busy run our lives? Let's take this week together and slow down long enough to "smell the roses" around us. Let's slow down this week so we can fill our children's love banks back up again with the love and happiness God created each of us to have. In doing this we might find the happiness in ourselves, our children and our spouses. When that happiness comes back remember to thank God for His command, "to aspire to lead a quiet life" and cherish His blessings for it.
_____________________________________________________________________
This is an after thought for all of you. When I wrote this post I wrote it from my God inspired heart. I wrote it from a weary and worn out heart of living this very busy life I described above. I am writing this as I am trying to recuperate from an insanely busy 4 month time period. I know first hand how tiring this life style can be and it breaks my heart for those of you who are still in this season.
I completely understand that many of you may be here now with no way out due to having small children, taking care of children and elderly parents, multiple special needs children and so forth. Those are areas in life that make for a busy schedule. The reason for this post are for those of us who have the means to control this schedule even if it is difficult to start. This is difficult to start because it is going to begin with setting some boundaries with every member of your family. Boundaries aren't always pleasent, but is a necessity if you are going to aquire a quieter life.
It is my full intention to not hurt anyone who has a busy life. God inspired me to write this to tell others what I am "learning" myself. I say learning because I haven't completely figured out how to slow down to God's standard, but I am working on it. It is my desire that God will touch your heart if this is meant for you and that He will work with you as He is working with me. I am not sure where this post came from honestly because I didn't set out to write anything today, but God gave me the words for someone whom He is trying to reach. If this is you, take this situation to God and allow Him to bless you with the life He has for you.
Life has us so busy now that we all accept this as "normal", but yet this normal has us stressed out, weary, and often times just tapped out of the love and happiness we need to have for our spouses and our children.
While I am here on the topic of children, they are also maxed out on overload. Between co~ops, homework, school work, soccor practices, gymnastics, piano lessons and church activities, we wonder why our family has lost it's happiness, love, and patience for each other. How many of you wonder why our kids are grouchy disrespectful, uncooperative, and tired? This might be the answer. The problem lies with how do we say no to some the activities above? The kids need these activities because it is good for them, but I have to ask at what cost? What cost is all of this good for them? Then how about you? Are you able to be happy and show your children and spouse the love you have for them when you are so busy because you have to run out the door several times in a given day to go here and there and every where? By the time you get home you have just enough time to throw the laundry in the washing machine or throw the frozen dinner into the oven because you don't have the time to make a home made supper for them, or is supper on a regular basis the stop at the local fast food chain? God doesn't want this "busy" for us. He wants us to enjoy a slower life. He can't bless you or your family to His fullest if we aren't willing to be obedient to Him by slowing down. As parents we need to set the tone for our children. They learn from us. What are we teaching them?
We found encouragement through Duck's bible lesson in school today by finding out that it is okay to not be this "busy". The bible commands us to not be "busy" in 1 Thes 4:11 -12. God is trying to teach us, "to aspire to lead a quiet life...that we may lack for nothing." Do you think God instructed us to do this because He knew we weren't made to keep up with these busy lives? God created us to live life to the fullest, but this isn't possible when our lives are so busy that we forget to lead them.
God wants us to slow down in this crazy world we live in. As moms and teachers what are we teaching our kids if we let busy run our lives? Let's take this week together and slow down long enough to "smell the roses" around us. Let's slow down this week so we can fill our children's love banks back up again with the love and happiness God created each of us to have. In doing this we might find the happiness in ourselves, our children and our spouses. When that happiness comes back remember to thank God for His command, "to aspire to lead a quiet life" and cherish His blessings for it.
_____________________________________________________________________
This is an after thought for all of you. When I wrote this post I wrote it from my God inspired heart. I wrote it from a weary and worn out heart of living this very busy life I described above. I am writing this as I am trying to recuperate from an insanely busy 4 month time period. I know first hand how tiring this life style can be and it breaks my heart for those of you who are still in this season.
I completely understand that many of you may be here now with no way out due to having small children, taking care of children and elderly parents, multiple special needs children and so forth. Those are areas in life that make for a busy schedule. The reason for this post are for those of us who have the means to control this schedule even if it is difficult to start. This is difficult to start because it is going to begin with setting some boundaries with every member of your family. Boundaries aren't always pleasent, but is a necessity if you are going to aquire a quieter life.
It is my full intention to not hurt anyone who has a busy life. God inspired me to write this to tell others what I am "learning" myself. I say learning because I haven't completely figured out how to slow down to God's standard, but I am working on it. It is my desire that God will touch your heart if this is meant for you and that He will work with you as He is working with me. I am not sure where this post came from honestly because I didn't set out to write anything today, but God gave me the words for someone whom He is trying to reach. If this is you, take this situation to God and allow Him to bless you with the life He has for you.
This is something that I have been trying to learn also so don't feel bad.
ReplyDeleteI think you said it just fine.
Thanks bunches Stefanie. I didn't think anything about what I wrote because I figured God had His reason. Then the more I thought about it, I thought of some peope I know and they can't escape their busy because it is out of their control. Then I felt bad and prayed I didn't hurt their feelings. I decided to go back in and attach what I wrote to the bottom and left feeling better.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you responded back saying you too are trying to do this as well. Atleast I know I am not alone here. :)