Reflections by a mother in a hurry.

I really love blogging. Really. A long absence from the keyboard is more an indication of life's imbalance than a dwindling interest in blogging. Blogging is not the only pasttime that has taken a backseat to the mundane, though. I'd like to consider myself a reader. And yet, the sad irony is that I've had two books sitting atop my nightstand collecting dust for the past two months, one of which is entitled, Mitten Strings for God: Reflections for Mothers in a Hurry. Ha!

I sat down to sing and play the piano on Sunday but only allotted myself a mere ten minutes to belt out a few tunes - there was work to be done - mouths to feed, dinner to be prepped, meetings to attend, lessons to read, and so on and so on... And it was Sunday! Yes, the day of rest.

Not to sound like a total downer, I'm actually keeping somewhat on top of things - at least my house isn't a complete disaster yet. But my garage, oh, my garage. That's a post for another day. Anyway, I think what I need to come to terms with is that this is the new "normal". I will continue to make an effort to minimize the craziness of each day by simplifying as best I can. But, in the meantime, I will choose to recognize that, though I have little time for what I would call leisure, I actually enjoy much of what is pressing in life.

For instance, I like cooking. I don't enjoy that dinner is an obligation to which I am bound every single stinkin' day of my life. But I'm going to focus on the fact that it's been a good dinner week so far - Grilled Pesto Pizza, Perfect Pot Roast, Ravioli Bake, and Lamb Korma. Nevermind that it took hours out of my busy schedule. Our family has eaten yummy meals every day this week and that makes me happy.

I love gardening. I've got tomato plants to pull, a lawn to mow, and bulbs to plant. Yes, they're chores that I tick off the to-do list when I finally get to them. But I like doing them.

I love being a mom. There are kids to shuttle to and fro, books to read aloud, one-on-one time to squeeze in, Joy School to teach, homework that needs assistance, and school volunteer hours to dedicate but you know what? I like doing those things - they make me happy.

It's easy as a homemaker to feel as though you've lost a bit of yourself - to feel frazzled that, at the end of the day, there's no time left to take that well-deserved bath, dive into that page-turner, or express the thoughts of the day on paper. I'm sure there's much I could do to prioritize more effectively so that I can fit in some of those things. But in the meantime, I'm going to appreciate the fact that what I do find time for is meaningful to me, that the hours I spend creating a happy home, serving in my church calling, yes, even doing laundry, are scoring points for me up in heaven. And on earth. And most of what being a homemaker entails is stuff I enjoy in the first place. So there. I have plenty of years left to pine for a soak in the tub.