living out the vision

the first thing you’ll notice is, the vision is too big to fit into a day. It uplifts and suffocates at the same time… what can this lofty vision have to do with math facts and reminding someone to wipe the kitchen counters for the millionth time?

start from the vision and break it down: 

if the vision is to point the children to Christ, to be the mom who pours out, 

(He breathes out and she breathes in and they are given life)

the first thing you’ll notice is that it starts with Him. 

The breathing-in is essential.

and for the littler jobs, when you were young and fewer people needed you so desperately,

it may have been sufficient to breathe deeply just once a day

but for the trenches of motherhood you will need air far more often

break down the day that is moved by the vision into hours, and highlight breathing time

mind renewal time

time to come in out of the wind and rest, even just for a moment, in what is true.

the next thing you’ll notice is that your hours are limited

the vision doesn’t fit all in one day, 

the service done for each child

the work God is doing in each child

doesn’t fit on a spreadsheet that contains days or weeks or years even

and you can’t always see what is happening even when you zoom way out.

So take your curriculum and your academic goals and pray for each child

and slot your priorities into the hours

but write this part in pencil, or on sticky notes

so you can easily move these (oh so important) agenda items to the next day 

when (not if) life and God and the ever-changing needs of the people

dictate other things for your precious hours

try not to take all this rearranging personally

(it’s for your good, too.)