Fast: Don’t argue today. As much as possible give up, give in, give way.
Pray: Ask God to show you how weak and small you are. Open your heart to see it.
Give: When you are tempted to put on kid TV today, pull out a stack of favorite picture books instead. Invite the kids to join you on the couch.
2
I had a perfectly peaceful day yesterday with someone for whom perfectly peaceful days have been in short supply. Small success for both of us; big dash of hope.
3
I took the time to put all Sarah Anne's medicines in a basket, recognizing that I'm very visual and this little slice of pretty would cheer me just a wee bit. Good plan. And thanks again, Jen, for the basket inspiration.
4
I acknowledged that the motto "Sleep: Get it when you can" isn't working for me either and resolved to take the rest of Kirsten's advice, too. She's a wise lady and I'm so sleep deprived that it's nice to have it all spelled out for me. Wish I could share her Florida sunshine.
~
I know that's four; they're really small:-)
What are your successes this week? This is a great exercise in holding ourselves accountable and patting ourselves on the back. Mothering and homemaking don't have built in performance reviews and bonuses. The internet can be a source of support and encouragement. Let's encourage one another in our small successes. Share them at Faith and Family Live!
Fast:Every time a child interrupts you today, stop what you are doing and look into
his eyes as he talks.
Pray: “My
sheep listen to my voice. I know them
and they follow me.
Give: “Kind
words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”
Mother Teresa
Speak kindly all day long.
In prior columns, I’ve explored the ideas of a morning offering andof time set aside to listen and hear God. Now, for the “plan” part of the plan for a peaceful home.
We begin by offering the day to the Lord, opening ourselves to the grace He freely offers and ensuring that even our failures are redemptive. Then, during a time of spiritual reading and meditation, we listen to Him, and we resolve to do whatever He tells us to do that day. Usually, I write this resolution in a little notebook, where I can refer to it and remind myself of it throughout the day. The resolution fits within the context of my daily life, my work in the world, my vocation in the home. And it’s that “daily life” component that needs a clear direction.Read the rest here.
And then c'mon back and tell me your best planning tips in the comment box.
Fourteen years ago, it was conference championship week. Mike was gone. Patrick was a tiny baby and I was home with three little boys. A particularly nasty combination of RSV and reflux made Paddy very sick and very vulnerable. A nice home health nurse came to the house and taught me how to use a nebulizer. As she was leaving, she said, "Just watch him closely; if he stops breathing, call 911." I didn't sleep for weeks.
Since that winter, we've had six more babies. All but one of them have made friends with the nebulizer. All but two of them have had RSV.
Sarah Anne is sick. She's got reflux that is so common to premature babies. And she's got an all too familiar wheeze. The bright side is that she does not have RSV. One of the perks of being a premie is that she qualified for a series of monthly shots that protect her from that very dangerous virus. So, it's "just" reflux and an ordinary virus.
Once again, the nebulizer hums its familiar tune. That trusty nebulizer is just as much a part of March in our house as basketball conference championships are. I think we've gotten our money's worth out of that particular "household appliance."
I'm Elizabeth. I'm a happy wife and the mother of nine children. I grab grace with both hands and write to encourage myself and others to seize and nurture the joy of every day. I blog here with my daughter, Mary Beth, a wholehearted young lady on the brink of adulthood.
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