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This morning I started my day with a huge list. And I mean huge. Five loads of laundry. Taming the chaos all over the house. Cleaning both bathrooms. Cleaning the kitchen. Making bread. Making granola. And a myriad of other nagging little things that just had to be done!
Needless to say, I was overwhelmed. And not just a little bit, either. Oh, and did I mention school? We had an unexpected need to take care of some errands yesterday, so school was cancelled. Normally that wouldn’t have been a big deal because Thursdays are lighter days anyway, and we can easily fold any of that leftover work into the next week. But, this week was different. We hadn’t had school on Monday. We were already down a day and had to have school today.
So, as I was looking forward to the day with that feeling of anxiety, I did what any sane and industrious person would do. I jumped right in and got to work diligently. I sat down to look through Facebook statuses. Yes, I’m brilliant.
It was just a quick gander, though, and it was worth every minute. While I sat there, I saw several statuses from friends who also had long lists – but couldn’t do any of it. Sickness. Injury. Unexpected demand on the day. Total and complete interruption.
As I read the statuses, a reminder sank into my brain. It’s not about the housework or the to-do list. It’s about glorifying God in every detail of the day. And, unlike my friends, I had a choice about my list. I could frantically attack it and continue to be overwhelmed or I could surrender it to the Lord and let Him guide the day His way. I chose surrender. With that choice came a perspective shift and an overwhelming sense of calm – just as overwhelming as the anxiety had been before.
That calm has carried me through the day. And, it has been a good and productive day. Not everything on the list has been accomplished, but a fresh and prayerful look at the list reduced the importance of some things and added a few other things. Meanwhile, school was great. The afternoon has been smooth. The kids have been helpful. And (obviously) I’ve even gotten to blog!
How many times have I written about doing things for God’s glory instead of my own accomplishment? How many times have I been bogged down in the to-do list instead of focusing on how God wanted me to spend my day? How many times has He had to re-direct and remind me?
Apparently one more time. And I’m sure it will happen again. And I’m sure I’ll write about it again! But for today I am thankful for another reminder and the resulting smooth day. And I pray that tomorrow I’ll remember today’s reminder and live yet another day in the calm of knowing that it’s all for His glory.
Not Quite Ordinary 