Overcoming "The Daily's"

     Have you ever gone to bed with your mind still reeling from the busyness of the day and realize you forgot about something important?
     What about waking up and dreading the day because of the "To Do" list that never seems to end?
     Let's not forget about the "Mommy moments" you wish you could do over...

     Can I be humbly honest and say I've experienced each of these, and many more scenarios like them? During this last season, I've been on a journey where I purposely set out to overcome the daily's. You know, those tasks which consume your every waking moment... from dishes, and working a full-time job, Church services, to kids activities, grocery shopping, and Dr. appointments, birthday parties, and ahhhhhh...LAUNDRY! Let me assure you that progress hasn't been overnight, but victory over the daily's happens one day at a time.

     Many of us are familiar with the story of the rocks in the mason jar. The jar representing our time and the rocks represent the things that fill the day.

http://www.appleseeds.org/Big-Rocks_Covey.htm

     I love the visual this story provides with  prioritizing what's important and necessary in each day.
Through this lesson I learned that utilizing my early morning hours was vital, it actually means the difference  between going at the day in my own strength, and trading my wild day for His burden which is light. Matthew 11:30 As I began to get this message in my heart I clung to theses verses:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord, each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly.
Psalm 5:3

The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease, Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin a fresh each morning. Lamentations 3:22-23

 

 
   So be encouraged, though you will still have an opportunity to realize you've taken on too much, and those mommy moments will occasionally still occur; by setting out each day determined not to go it alone, your list of daily's will have to "run the gauntlet" for your time!

     Finally, a good friend once shared with me this picture: As you get up each day, Jesus is waiting for you on the couch. He's there, smiling kindly offering to help relieve anything you haven't given to Him already. You get your cup of coffee and smile back, "just a second Lord". Then you remember your days clothes are in the washer, and as you turn on the dryer, you hear the baby awake. You pass by the couch again, Jesus says, "I have something for you today, will you sit with me a few moments"? "Yes, I'll be right back" you say.  After getting the baby and changing the bedding, the phone rings, and the other kiddos are now asking for breakfast. Each time you pass the couch, Jesus is still there...waiting. "I have something for you today" you hear Him say as you scurry around trying to get everything calm so you can join Him. After each task is complete, another presents itself. Will you leave Jesus on the couch? Or will you refuse to let your day begin as Martin Luther said, " I have so many things to do today, I dare not ignore my time with God".

~Jennifer