A 100 Things A Day!

When I was in my early twenties, I could go to events nearly every day. I had Bible Studies, College Groups, and volunteer work I did weekly. I had three or four things every week that I would go to. I sometimes even spent an entire day out and about with no down time at all. I would go to work, then shop around town knowing I had something in the evening, and then to my group in the evening, getting home late. 

Then, I had kids...

You probably know what I'm going to say next: I don't do that anymore. I can't do that anymore. I would be a nervous wreck and a complete crazy women if I lived at the speed that I did before kids, before a family. Now, a good amount of "scheduled things" for me is one per week, not counting church. Sounds very different than my no-kids lifestyle.

But here's the thing that I learned in early motherhood. I went from just me to having two young daughters. I couldn't understand why I was SO EXHAUSTED! Then I put two and two together. I had just gone from being responsible for one person (myself) to THREE people (myself and my kids)! That means everything I did now took three times the effort, sometimes three times the amount of time to complete, and so on.

Photo Credit: washingtonpost.com

I may only do "one extra thing per week" normally but that's because EVERY DAY I am doing a hundred plus tasks and chores. I have responsibilities that are nothing like they were before kids. I'm now responsible for three other people's safety, well being, for their food, clothing, shelter, you name it. There's a great and honorable responsibility and it's one I take seriously sooo... If I want to do justice to all the little tasks of my day that helps invest into the people my children are going to become. I have to focus my time and attention there. If I commit too heavily in other areas in this season of life I will neglect what I hold most dear.

Now, in sharing this, I want to always keep in mind that we are all different. I know mom with more kids than I have, that do way more activities and events through their week. We are all different, but I want you to remember, and count, what you are doing every day, all the hundreds of little things per day, because it's those things you change your children's lives, days, and worlds.

Much love,
-Joy