Running On Empty

Being a mom is tough.... Being a wife and mother is tougher.... Being a wife, mother, and business owner is the toughest... at least for me.... I have so many balls flying in the air that I don't have time to pick up a ball or two that has dropped.... I am thankful that my girls are old enough to clean up after themselves.... old enough to help with the household chores..... and wise enough not to complain when I am having a stressed out day....

This has been one of those weeks... Going 50 miles an hour and starting to run on empty... School has started which means much earlier mornings.... take the kids to school at 7:45 am.... think about hitting the gym as I pass it by... maybe tomorrow? Put a roast in the crock pot - clean the kitchen... Start my day job by 9:00 am - If I start work earlier which is usually the case.. the roast gets forgotten, the dishes remain in the sink... The beds stay unmade... the house remains a mess from the morning rush madness.....

Today at Sunday school I was thinking about all the things I am doing... all the things I have to do.. and I was in the biggest feel sorry for me mood... Then I looked at my friend Linda.. She is in the mortgage industry as well..... She had to stop working and go on workman's compensation because of severe carpal tunnel and other joint pains.... Now she is suppose to go back to work and her previous job can no longer hire her - she can't find a job... she is still in pain... and the money has stopped coming in.. Her husband just lost his job too... So here I have two people.. two very sweet people... who have nothing coming in.... and I am sure they are looking at me complaining and wishing they could trade places with me... It is sometimes hard to see the blessings surrounding you until you see the hardships of others.... I will not complain again..... My life is truly full....

Church service came after Sunday school and I am pretty sure that God was not done convicting me..... He just wanted me to be sure I was getting it.... I was listening.... I was paying attention... One of the first things that was said..... "My daddy always told me that if you think you got it tough... I can guarantee that someone has got it tougher..." seriously.... now I am thinking okay, Father - I hear you.....

Then the next thing I hear is, "Seize your moments...." That really finalized it for me... Here I was making plans for what "I" need to do... What "I" want to do... My thoughts were all about me on a Sunday morning... I glanced over at my two beautiful girls and realized that I was not seizing the moments when I could spend time with them... I was not seizing the hugs that are given so freely by Kara... and I was not seizing the moments when my teenager daughter wants to talk about something.... I was not taking in those blessings when I could... I was too busy thinking about me.. and I was too busy running on empty when God kept giving me chances to be fulfilled...