There’s something I’ve been working on for a while… a long while.  But I’ve been “getting it” more often lately, and I’m excited about it, so I thought I’d share it with you.

I am a person who loves to make plans and lists and schedules.  I love to accomplish tangible tasks and take on projects and meet deadlines.  All this gives me a wonderful sense of accomplishment.  And don’t get in my way when I’m focused on the task at hand!  Watch out! 

This doesn’t bode well for my husband and sons sometimes, and would occasionally isolate me from the rest of the world as I went about completing whatever project or task or deadline I was working on.  And it created alot of unecessary stress for me, especially when the project or task or deadline wasn’t really that important.   Sometimes I would make stuff up just for that sense of accomplishment.  This was good for getting me through the sometimes boring, mundane days of being a stay-at-home mom. 

But I think I might have been looking at it all wrong, because lately I’ve realized that yes, there are very boring days in life sometimes, but there’s also this whole other world that I was missing in the midst of my lists and schedules.  It’s what happens in the middle of checking off the lists, and in the moments in between the playgroups and grocery shopping and dealing with Laundry Mountain.  It’s the unexpected call from a family member or friend who makes you laugh until you cry.  It’s the spontaneous walk around the neighbourhood and all the discoveries of nature that can bring.  It’s the impromptu conversations with neighbours.  It’s the unplanned game of hide and seek or tickle fights with little ones.  And it’s absolutely the unanticipated prayers and devotional times that happen when the house is quiet for a few minutes!

I still have my lists and my schedules – they keep me grounded, and sane, and help me stay calm when someone says to me “I’m bored” or “I’m hungry”.  But I’m learning, ever so slowly, to let go sometimes.  And I’m trying to remember to keep my eyes wide open and see what the day REALLY brings, not just what I plan it to bring.  I love what I’m looking at so far!