I had a mild breakdown tonight. So much stress. So much to do. So much I want to accomplish, and so little time. So, I went to my knees and cried out to my Father in Heaven. I asked Him to help me, to give me wisdom for what I have to accomplish. I asked to be aware of the things He wanted me to do and to make them a priority.
The information that followed was not new, but it was a good reminder.
“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.” Proverbs 4:7
The key, for me, is to remember to put first things first. Instead of stressing over everything that has to be done and rushing from responsibility to responsibility in a frenzy, I need to slow down. That doesn’t mean drop any responsibilities. Instead, it means to put my Savior first. But not only that, but to do each responsibility peacefully--remembering it is my Savior I am serving, no matter how mundane a task may seem. I can take the time to do them with beauty.
I’m writing this to remind myself and keep myself accountable. I love my Savior and I love my family. I want to serve both of them to the best of my ability.
4 comments:
Hi. I read your blog via an email subscription. This post reminds me of a quote I heard a few years back, "Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. "As I'm thinking about the meaning, all 4 seasons rotate all year long, yet spring doesn't worry about blooming in September and Fall doesn't stress out about dropping leaves in April. And yet all the important stuff gets done somehow. That's helped me a lot when I get very overwhelmed. I try to breathe, write out the immediate goals, long term ones and plot out a daily plan to do the small things that will get me toward the large goals. Like eating an elephant one bite at a time. I'm telling myself this a lot especially with our 6th child due in a month, homeschooling and parenting demands, heavy financial responsibilities, husband in the bishobric, recently moved to a new town with no family support. Yeah. Just want to offer some encouragement your way. You and I may have different worries, in some ways, but we aren't that different. I agree with you, God will help us, we have heavens help to do the things required of us.
I am glad you posted this. I am also glad I am subscribed to your posts. I have read some of your story. I too am a single mom who home-schools. People think I am nuts. Maybe I am. Nuts about my kids..heh.
But anyway, I really liked Sister Reeves talk in the LDS General Conference morning session today. She said, "The only things that really need to be accomplished in the home are daily scripture study and prayer and weekly family home evening." I have wonderful parents who taught me that. I try to live by that rule as if everything depends on it. I believe it does!! But sometimes, the voices of the world are quite loud and it is hard to hear that still small voice, isn't it?
Thanks for sharing. I was sitting in the celestial room of the temple last night and found myself thinking, "It is so CLEAN in here. I wish my home could be this clean." Ha. I DO like cleanliness and organization! But I am slowly learning that those kinds of things will not matter later on. I have to keep being reminded. There are plenty of "good" things to be doing, but sometimes they are not the "best".
God bless you and yours <3
Eve, One of my favorite Evangelical writers was the wife of a missionary who was martyred by the tribe he tried to teach the word of god to. She was a widow and a mother, with many responsibilities. One of the things she taught me through her writing is the phrase, "Do the next thing". I don't have to worry about everything at once, just the next thing.
Anonymous, You and I should connect. We could help lift each other up when we're tempted to cave.
pretty nice blog, following :)
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