That's Not a Diaper, It's Toilet Paper

As for the title of this post, please be patient, it'll all be clear soon enough.

Many days, I feel rushed. I feel like so many things are happening in our home that my brain just needs a time out. I'm frequently standing, rarely sitting(reserved for nap time when all 4 littles rest together).

Typically, I am doing 2 things at any moment, and have to always be prepared to switch to 2 ENTIRELY different tasks in the blink of a tiny eyelash.

I'm sure no one else on the planet feels the same way. :.)

Right?

Honestly, we moms have one word that we typically use to sum up the strand of days that can seem to flow together.

Busy.

In one way, or another, we are all busy.

Our days become filled, things(or children) come up missing, we do the best we can, and assume that busy is just that daunting way of life that God has for us right now.

Although I rarely leave home, because I have become a PROUD homebody, I can frequently be caught thinking, Ay Carumba Batman, this is insane! Honestly, I am SO entirely occupied during my days that I find myself doing totally random things that make ZERO sense.

Here's your list of examples:

-Backing into my hubby's PARKED car as I removed our van from the garage.
-Leaving our van door wide open at the park or in the garage after unloading the one child I was responsible for.
-Leaving the bathroom with a roll of toilet paper only to find myself thinking, That is not a diaper, it's a roll of toilet paper. Not as effective at holding in baby waste.
-Finding the piece of bread I was eating for breakfast that I sat down on my way to change the laundry a good 20 minutes before.
-Spotting the dryer door, wide open, reminding me that I had neglected the load in the washer that I was supposed to switch over, but got distracted from.

You see, we ALL get soo busy in our "dailies" that sometimes, it just feels chaotic.

I once posted on my Facebook that my days are not defined by the absence of chaos, but they are defined by the power of His presence.

Chaos, in my home, is inevitable. Four children under 5 with a pregnant mama, we ride the Crazay Trainnn, every 10 minutes.

It makes life interesting, BUT I recently had one of those, "Jesus, if you know and have experienced everything we ever will encounter, why do I feel like you could NEVER comprehend the busy-ness of my days?" moments.

Ever been there?

What He reminded me of in His Love Letter to us is Jesus' story if ministry. You can find it in all 4 Gospels. You often find Jesus busy. He's ALWAYS surrounded by people who need something from Him, they all require His attention, and He rarely finds a recluse. Sure, He gets away briefly to nap or whisper a few words to the One who sent Him, but often, we read of Him giving of Himself.

Jesus was busy. I bet His flesh grew tired. I bet He felt ALWAYS NEEDED by those seeking healing, a word of encouragement, a dinner at the tax collector's place, a prostitute desperately desiring to be cleansed, and the list goes on and on.

So, Jesus does know. Not only does He see our battle with busy, He has felt it. He later died to free us from the burden of feeling too busy to function. He died so that, in the busy days, we can still live abundantly.

Since that reminder, I have aimed to remember that He understands my busy, always moving from one thing to the next, state of life because that is how He lived His. He was, and still is, always needed.

So am I. And now, I'm elated by that.

How about you?

Busy?
Pulled in a million directions?
Frazzled because all the activity?

Remember Him. He lived it too.

Peanut Butter Jelly Time

I was crafting, intently crafting, when our 4-year-old woke up from nap. Of course, he was hungry. Usually, this means that mommy drops everything and quickly crafts a three-course mea... I mean, a simple as can be, hurry up and eat it, sammie.

That day, I decided I would put his culinary skills to the test.

"Make your pb & j," I told him, fingers still hooked to my glue gun and beautiful ornament masterpiece-in-progress.

He was floored. Mind you, with very little instruction, both he and our 3-year-old daughter can effectively do a good number of household chores.

However... Spreading gooey substances was not a task I had chosen to instill in them...

Until that day.

He asked what he was supposed to do and I coached him from the chair, focusing mainly on my glue gun. I knew he was capable.

After about 5 minutes of listening to his squealing delight, I checked his progress and was amazed to see half a jar of peanut butter on one slice.

"Momma, can you open this," he asked, handing me the jelly jar.

I just HAD to giggle. Really, son...there's not a drop of jelly on that sandwhich yet? I suppose I had thought he had placed teensy amounts of jelly under his layer of peanut butter grout.

Nope.

I watched him spread jelly and squeal some more as he learned a bit more independence.

It was a beautiful moment to observe.

He can make a "peanut buttah jelly time..."

As a mom of 4 under 5, with baby #5 growing in my womb, THIS IS HUGE!!! GIGANTIC, really.

Dare I say, E.P.I.C.

So, my encouragement to all mom's of littles who feel like you are ALWAYS doing it all... Teach them something new today. Expect them to grasp the concept of the task. Keep those precious babes near you all day and talk them through each thing you do! If she's a 1 year-old who can walk, chances are, she'll be carrying laundry with you in 3 short months. At 2, she'll be sorting the laundry. At 3, she'll be throwing it in the machine, taking it out of the dryer, AND folding towels.

And you've read what happens at 4! Be excited, mommas, be excited.

Need resources or further encouragement on training those littles... Or bigs, even ... To be diligent helpers, let me know. I'll e-mail you my faves!