Who are we accountable to?

Sorry! I have really been trying to post on here once a week, but sometimes, I get too busy and forget...(imagine that)!

So, my friend Meg has got me addicted to several blogs recently and I wanted to share something that I found SO helpful on one of them.

This particular blog is kept by a Stay-At-Home mom of 8 children, all of whom she homeschools classically! BINGO...already a hero in my book! But I digress...

She was finding herself overwhelmed with the daily tasks: cooking, cleaning, teaching, mommying, etc. She was stressed and trying to do WAY too much in WAY too little time. One evening, when she collapsed onto the couch after another hard day's work, her husband very gently reminded her of an important truth:

*You are solely accountable to God and to me!* WOW...isn't that just a freeing statement?!?! Well, for me, it certainly is! Now, don't get me wrong, a mom is certainly responsible for MUCH, but did you catch it...the key word...ACCOUNTABLE?

That statement brought me to a screeching hault and sent me in a frenzy over to my email to begin a note to my husband. In it, I asked him to be completely honest and let me know what his daily expectations of me are. You know...what does he expect me to accomplish in a day's time? What does he need to be finished in order to come home to a pleasant, peaceful aroma?

I have not heard back from him as of yet (well, other than "I'm working on it."), but I'm so excited for what he has to say!

Now, I'm obviously not expecting this to just melt all stress away and by no means am I thinking "well, as long as those expectations are met, I'm home free and can sit down and finish all of those Bon Bons." The daily tasks will still be difficult. But, I will KNOW what my Lord (yes, I called him my Lord...he will appreciate that) is expecting of me and you can be sure, THOSE will be met.

Now, to get alone with my God and know His expectations as well!

Cheers,

Melissa

A New Perspective

Well, as you all know, I am now a full-time SAHM (stay at home mom)! This has taken some adjusting on various levels. It was a steady progression for me into this new role. I was teaching full-time up until Addison was born. I went back to work part-time (2 days a week) when she was 4 months old and stayed in that position until 1 week before Emerson joined us last May (2009). It was then that I became a full-time SAHM!

Now, I would be lying if I told you that it is pure bliss, all day, every day and that I don't miss my job one bit. Truth be told, this is, HANDS DOWN, the hardest job I have ever taken on. Honestly, there are days that I WISH I was leaving the house in the morning to go to school to teach for the day. But, I have come to realize that it's all about perspective.

I am called by the Father to be a wife and mother and manager of my home. That truth means that although the work is hard and often unrewarding, God is pleased with my work and I should find pleasure in the mundane tasks 0f cooking, cleaning, and child rearing. This is no simple feat and I am certainly NO expert...YET!!! But, I'm working on it.

In the beginning of this journey, I found myself feverishly trying to fill our days with fun outings and shopping/eating adventures with the girls. Well, not only did the money run out, but my home suffered greatly. The laundry piled up, the dishes weren't done, the furniture gathered dust and the carpet gathered everything else! It was a mess and so were we! Addison was all out of sorts because there was no routine, no consistent nap, lunch time, play time, etc. Perhaps what I felt most terrible about was what Joe came home to: a messy house, grumpy children and leftovers from wherever we ate out for lunch. UGH...and here he was, working hard all day to provide for our senseless outings.

So, you see, it's all about changing your perspective. This is a season in which my priorities need to be maintaining my home and raising my children. This means sacrificing. I realized that all of those outings were really just for me...my kids didn't care what/where we ate lunch each day. They are much more content to be in their home eating PB&J sandwiches! That doesn't mean we never get out, but we do try to make our outings purposeful. Not just "playdates" that are really for the moms to sit around and gossip about who knows what about who. We work hard on creating a peaceful aroma for Joe to come home to each afternoon.

Yes, there's much to be done...but I have a new perspective!