are you a list person? i am. i make daily to do lists. i have ongoing to do lists. i make grocery lists. packing lists. project lists. you name it, i've got a list for it. hence, the LITTLE things lists. admittedly, my lists often show the same items for weeks. sometimes my lists make me wonder if i am doing the right things with my life. does this happen to you?
i started a proverbs 31 ministries online bible study this week. it's called taming the to do list, by glynnis whitwer. as i read, i find myself motivated to do my best work in a day. this week, i started waking up before the sun.
not a morning person.
i've read mom blogs that suggest waking before your children. you can accomplish a few tasks, drink your coffee in peace, and take a few deep breaths before the crazy hits. i always wanted to be one of those moms. i am so totally not a morning person. for the past year, i've attempted this early wake up. this bible study actually has me looking forward to it.
this morning, i woke up in the in the quiet, dark, calm. i stepped outside for a walk and it was like a whole new world. usually, i workout on daily walks with my kids. this was entirely different. the moon was out. a blanket of fog covered the grass, and it was cool. did i mention it was quiet? soooooo quiet.
not a runner.
kind of like how i am not a morning person, i am also not a runner. i want to be a runner. i see people running, in their cute running clothes with their earbuds in. i think to myself "i am going to make a plan to run." the next day i start running and i remember how much i hate it. this morning, after three or four walking laps {i can handle walking}, i ran a block. i didn't feel like i was going to die so i ran another. what is it about this book?
taming my to do list.
raising our kids is my most important job. occasionally, i also edit for a local company, and my creative energy is spent on the blog. i am always looking for affirmation that these are the right "to do's" for our family. maybe you share in this struggle.
as i walked this morning, my kids were home asleep in their beds. i watched teenagers get on the bus. parents loaded younger children into the car. as i walked and observed, i was incredibly grateful i was walking home to a day with my kiddos. today, on my dark, quiet walk by myself, i got the affirmation i needed. the to do of staying home is right for my family and me right now. need some affirmation? maybe this book could provide you perspective as well.
my best work.
at costco, an older gentleman commented on the cute kids. he reminded me that they will grow up fast. he suggested i hold on to these moments and he asked me if i stayed at home. he told me that's what his wife did, and that they never regretted that decision.
God is working in my life through this bible study. it is affording me time by myself and with my children. taming the to do list is about so much more than managing your average to do list. it's about doing your best work.
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