September 17, 2008
Summer has flown by and I have not been a very consistent blogger. I shall blame a lovely two week train vacation on Amtrak's Coast Starlight, from Los Angeles, CA to Tacoma, WA and back, and also the start of a new homeschooling year. But really we all know it's just my own lack of organization. There's always an excuse. The truth is, I have to stop on a regular basis and clear out the clutter in my life. I have always been one to try to overachieve, and with that comes the inevitable burnout and lack of achieving anything. I find myself stopping in the middle of doing something these days and asking, "how important is this? Is this just busywork that I've created for myself, or am I in some way contributing toward my livelihood and the work God has for me to do today?"
Which begs the question, "What is the work God has for me to do today?" The best I have been able to come up with is to do what's in front of me with love. Take care of what God has graciously given me - my family, home, animals. Help and share in the community in which I live. Try to attract others to Him by the way I live - there's the rub. Smile, speak in a positive and uplifting way. Dress modestly and behave modestly. Softly admonish the child who is poking along when we're late for an appointment and I really feel like screaming. Don't kick and cuss at the cow who broke through the fence - again. It's a tall order. I can do it for a short while, but as the little frustrations pile up, it gets harder and harder. If I haven't already done so, this is when I need to turn it all over to God. It's His show anyway. I'm just an extra. Hope I can keep doing my part.
