When Life Gets Busy

The month of May is a rather busy month for us. Spring football practice begins for my son (and continues through the fall with only a few weeks off here and there). The band that my kids are in has their first concert the end of this month, so there are extra practices and the stresses that go along with that. We are taking a 4-5 day trip down to Mexico to work with a group that is coming from Pennsylvania to help out at Hope House (our mission work in San Luis Rio Colorado).

I had a very hard time trying to fit in a few teen homeschooling group activities like roller skating and game night, but we did get a few squeezed in. We are still running full speed with school and will be going until sometime in June or July (we take our breaks in the winter when it is nice outside, rather than during the brutal heat of summer:-).

But, still, I don't like to be "busy". I don't mind having a lot of activities and for my kids to be involved in lots of fun stuff, but I believe "busy" is more an attitude of the mind than a state of your life. I have found that so many homeschool moms are "busy, busy, busy"! Too busy to take time for relationships and relaxing with a friend over a cup of tea. Too busy to plan an evening out with a friend. Too busy to handle the pressures that come with living life.

If my 6 years in Mexico taught me only one thing (and it taught me many), it is that I NEVER want to be "busy". I always want to be flexible enough to take time for a friend. I always want to have time for a cup of tea and a good book. I always want to spend time each week with girlfriends. I always want to be able to have a casual conversation with each of my children when THEY feel like talking. It is true that I don't fill up our schedule needlessly with lots of stuff to do, but even when our calendar and schedule look "busy", I never want to feel "busy". I never want to be too busy to accept an offer of going to yard sales with a friend. I never want to say "I don't have time right now" to a friend in need when she calls. I never want to be too busy to cook from scratch and make healthy foods for my family. Sometimes that means planning ahead and even cooking ahead and freezing some casseroles or dishes, but that is ok. I never want to be too busy to sit down at least once a day with my family at the dinner table to share a meal together. Many times this has to be breakfast since my husband works most evenings, but that is ok.

I want to challenge you, especially those homeschool moms out there, to take time spend with a friend. Make sure you are not "too busy" to be there for someone, especially your family. Even when your schedule and calendar are full, make sure that your attitude is not "too busy" for the things that really matter!