Redeeming The Days..

 

In just a few days our sweet little Maezy girl will be three. It really has me thinking. How can it be so. Three years since we brought her home from the hospital, taking in every last moment. Time seems to fly by. Where did three years go? I can't wrap my mind around how day after day time marches so steadily. Each day follows the rhythm of all the days before it.

Wake up.
Spend less time than I care to admit reading and praying.
Get ready for the day.
Make breakfast.
Serve breakfast.
Clean up breakfast mess.
Load dishwasher.
Dress the kids.
Shuffle the laundry.
Straighten the house.
Do school with the kids.
Make lunch.
Finish school.
Shuffle the laundry.
Straighten the house (again).
Start dinner.
Unload and reload dishwasher.
Make dinner.
Serve dinner.
Enjoy dinner with my family.
Clear dinner dishes.
Shuffle the laundry (yet again).
Depending on the night, run teenager to piano, youth group or to serve at church.
Fold, hang and put away at least three loads of laundry.
Lay Greysen and Maezy down.
Read to the older four, or chat, or have a Nerf war, or watch a Nerf war.
Lay Bella and Hudsyn down.
Watch a movie or TV series on DVD with the Kaitlynne and Tristin.
Fall into bed.
Pillow talk with my guy, pass out chatting.
Wake up and do it all over again.

My kids are with me all day long. I see them running around chasing each other, laughing, creating, sharing dreams, giggling at secrets. I laugh and talk and enjoy their company. As the days tick steadily away I wonder, how much do I miss because of the busyness. Is there a way to streamline my day? To delegate tasks more efficiently? To really take in all the gloriousness that is this life that God has gifted me with. To watch my babies grow before my eyes, not to measure it by pictures.

I can't help but be reminded of Ephesians 5:16. We are charged to make the most of every opportunity because the days are evil. I have to recover my time from waste. There are things I can do to lessen my load, yet I choose to continue with my already established patterns. The days are evil, things I let into my day can become gods if I choose to let them. Routines I follow because it's what works. I can't function when my house isn't cleaned up. Is that really true? I don't know, it's what I have allowed myself to believe. I do know nothing can throw off a school day quicker than a messy kitchen or carpet that needs to be vacuumed. Neither of those areas do I even need to use to do school. I have believed that I live my days surrendered to God. That I allow him to orchestrate the flow. In all actuality, I can't remember the last time I petitioned God to direct every step of every day. I naively believe that I know how my time is best spent.

I wonder how many moments I could have "rescued" from waste. How many moments I could have poured into my children, poured into a friend, been filled up by the word of God. I wonder how and where God would have directed me, had I truly been fully submitted. One thing I know for sure. I will be asking for the Holy Spirit to guide our days as I always have, but this time I will make sure I truly listen. With a thankful heart I will follow His steps.