When You Just Feel Ehhhh....

It's not just me, is it? Tell me I'm not the only one who has days when nothing seems to go right. I know that as women we all have these days (or at least I'm pretty sure we all do).

Today I feel like a crappy mom, a horrible wife, and a really awful friend. I basically feel like I'm not doing anything great today or lately for that matter.

I know why too. I'm completely aware of it.

I'm not getting up to exercise. I haven't been in God's Word the last couple of weeks. And honestly, I have way too much on my plate. I know it. But I have a huge desire to be everything for everyone....hmmm..... sounds like that is someone else's job, huh? It's definitely not our jobs as women to be everything for everyone even though something inside us wants that so desperately.

I don't know why that is. I don't know why we have a huge desire to please everyone and do everything that lands in front of us. I'm sure there is some great scientific or psychological answer out there, but I sure don't have it. Women are just typically "yes" people. We say yes. We don't know how to say no.

So, what's the answer? Let me just say that I do not have the answer, nor will I even begin to pretend that I do. (You will find some helpful ideas below though.)

I am quite sure of what is not the answer though:

• The answer is not fifteen mini Snickers from your kid's Halloween buckets (the calories still count people!).  And I will tell you that I know this is not the answer because I did an experiment for you all today. It really does not make you happy. I tried it. 
• The answer is not finding something else that you think is going to make you happy (like one more Pinterest project).
• The answer is not believing that no one else can do what you do. (Someone else can! And someone else may actually do it better than you. GASP!)
• The answer is not working into the night to attempt to do it all and have it all. (That just makes things worse.) 

The answer may lie in one of the following things though:

• Prayer 
• Getting into God's Word
• Finding time to be outside. Let God speak to you like only He can. 
• Working out (and making it a priority)
• Quality time with my family (for the record, time does not equal quality time)
• Time spent doing something I want to do, not something I have to do. 
• Friend like conversations with my hubby. (This would mean not conversations about our kids or our days, but real conversations.....the truth is, there are too many days when real conversations just don't happen.) 
• Maybe it's just a good cry....I don't know why it works, but sometimes it's necessary. 

I know you must be thrilled to read about my ehhh days. The truth is we all have them. Let's not pretend that we don't. 

I do think that these days of overbearing responsibility and that sense that we have to do it and be it for everyone come when we do too many good things and not enough great things. 

I know I need to step back and reevaluate. What are the really great things I'm doing? 

Some of them are obvious. Being a mommy and a wife are a few of the most important. 

But there are things I know I'm only being good at. And while good works, the reality is someone else could probably do the same thing great. 

A little time with God is definitely in my future. Sometimes we just need to hear from Him. What has He laid out for us to do, and what is simply in the way of us being true stewards of Christ's love? The truth is that I can't help anyone when I myself need help, and neither can you. 

Are your days of being overwhelmed too close together? Are there more and more of those ehhh kind of days? Maybe you're doing too much (or too little). God has great things planned for all of us. Are we asking Him what He'd like us to do with our time? Or are we attempting to please others by doing everything we possibly can for everyone? 

It's not our job to be everything. That job is reserved for God alone. 

By the way, I know this is one of the things He has called me to do (writing every day). I have no doubt about it. He spoke loud and clear about that. Now I will seek out those things in my life that He has not been so clear about so that I truly can serve Him. 

May you be blessed today in all that God has in store for you. And may you be able to know the difference between what He has in store for you and what is mere distraction. 

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11

.....day 81 of a year of writing.....

On a side note: I had planned on writing about getting your Christmas lists together today....maybe that's the reason I'm crazy. : ) Sometimes I just put too much on my plate.