Stuff to Do

You know, just your average Saturday night thoughts... We had a 'situation' here yesterday. Before we get to that though, here's something I realised. My children, while they love me, do not respect me. I have wondered at this for so long. Their teachers, their peers, other adults - all get respect. Everyone tells me how amazing my children are. I rarely get to see it. I've been so frustrated by this, until I actually thought: They don't respect me because their whole lives, they have watched me disrespect myself. Ouch. Now that I am developing a healthy level of self-respect, I can say with confidence: I will not allow anyone to hit me, call me names, or hurt those I love. I will not do for my children what they can do for themselves I CAN have boundaries. Which leads me to the second part of this post. Some time ago, I wrote about establishing boundaries- I have learned that without self-respect, and a firm belief that they are necessary, I cannot ...

Here I sit, at my kitchen table, in the stillness. God's word in front of me, coffee mug beside. Thoughts being divinely ordered for the day. Ticking over all the 'to-do', and looking for grace and purpose in it all.  It truly is a wonderful way to start the day, and perhaps the ultimate form of self-care. People always say, you can't fill from an empty cup, but what is my cup filled with? I'm learning that unless I fill my cup first with God's best for me, then the cup will run dry. When I consistently and intentionally start with seeking his will for my life, and seeking to live his way, everything else falls into place. Not perfect, not problem-free, but in its place. When trials and difficulties come, I am equipped to face them because I have his word, the Bible, hidden in my heart. I'm not perfect. I make a lot of mistakes. Just ask my family! But by seeking God's wisdom, I can see those mistakes. By the torn veil in the sanctuary, I can ask for...