Time – it’s what we want most but use worst. – William Penn

William Penn lived from 1644 – 1718, per Wikipedia.

How much more applicable may this be today, then when he said it? I can’t imagine what he’d think of the many “timesucks”… social media, video games, TV and movies, etc ….

I’m spending a bit of time creating this blog. I see it as an investment into my future. Why? Because when I put this down “on paper”, if you will, it reinforces what I’ve learned. It’s an investment into my brain.

A huge piece of my journey has been making sure I’m taking accountability for my part of my story, understanding that some things are out of my control and I will feel “wronged”, and I may “wrong” others. But what is in my control now? How can I move forward?

When a situation starts to give me great anxiety I like to think, what’s within my power? What is under my control? In my life, I’ve had seasons where many things felt outside my control… others where I’ve had a false sense of control… and others where control was ripped away from us at the drop of a hat (pandemic anyone?)… but on my average day, I can look at things within my control and release my worry over things that are outside of my control. When I handle what is within my control, and release that which is not, I have peace that I have done my part in any given situation.

Sometimes I want peace but we don’t want to do anything about it. I don’t have the time, the money, the resources whatever they may be, to enact the change I desire. I’ve got to have peace with that. Someone else will step up. There’s not always just one person for a job. And the right person for a job of any sort, not necessarily in an employer employee relationship but in all aspects of life… this person can change over time. It is okay to do something for a season and then step back in the next season. I write all this down to remind myself, as I prepare to give a little more of my time. I love the chapter in Max Lucado’s book “How Happiness Happens” called “Happiness Happens When You Give”. It is so true! When we give with a servant’s heart we are blessed. A job well done feels good. But, saying yes to something always means saying no to something else. If I am saying yes to serving in a position at my church but that means neglecting my child in their time of need, this is not my best yes and I need to shift my priorities.

What are you saying ‘yes’ to today? What are you saying ‘no’ or ‘not right now’ to, so that you can live out your best yes? As I strive to have a kingdom impact on this world, first through my family and children and then through my community and beyond, I am constantly examining and re-examining where my priorities lie. I don’t always get it right. What I’m working on it. I will get there. No, I won’t actually. Why does that come out so automatically? We may never get there. Is there really a place to be achieved? We will keep on keeping on and doing our best but perfection is unattainable. May turn out to be not your best, and that’s okay

So why am I spending my time on this project? I believe we all have something valuable to share. Whoever is reading this, I believe you could teach me something valuable through hearing your stories. I want to start conversations. Let people know they’re not alone. Share my story in hopes that someone else finds a bit of Hope in their own story, through mine. I believe God created us for community and there’s not a ton of parents out there, especially in my area, dealing with a similar thing. But thanks to the internet, we can connect and share our stories and help each other grow. As I read through the Bible for the second year in a row, I find that God used the most broken people. He can use anything for his good and his light can be shown and his faithfulness can be shown through our stories. I hope this becomes a log of some of the ways he’s been faithful in mine.