I passed by the local junior high school and saw their marquee emblazoned with the words
Celebrate Differences
Create Balance
Strengthen Community
When I read them, I immediately changed the words and thereby changed the meaning:
Celebrate Differences
Create Balance
Strengthen Family
Within our family, we have many different personalities. But would I trade one of them for another? Sure, some make life easier but others make life fun, beautiful, exciting, tender…the list goes on and on. I can’t trade one personality without losing something amazing in the process. So I agree: Celebrate Differences.
I also believe in finding a BALANCE in our families. It is easy to become busy with nothing, overwhelmed with the unimportant, focused either on ourselves or so outward that our family gets lost in the middle. We can be so busy, we don’t have time to eat together, to play together, to pray together. But I believe that we can choose our busyness and choose our priorities, and then work to balance them. I agree: Create Balance.
And finally, as we celebrate the differences within our own family, focusing on what each member has to offer, and work to create a balance where our family is first and everything else supports it, we WILL strengthen our families.
I appreciated the gentle reminder on my way home.
photo by Chicago’s North Shore Conventions & Visitors Bureau
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Cheri said:
Wow, Molly. Those are tough questions. First, I believe firmly that the Lord will sustain us and strengthen us in our abilities to carry out the work he calls us to do. Taking care of our family and serving in our callings would be two of those things. Whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies. Seminary is an extremely demanding calling. I can’t imagine having two tiny boys and working AND teaching seminary, but the Lord is asking you to right now. Have you ever gotten into the rut of feeling frustrated at the things you HAVE to do and therefore resent them and the time they require? I’ve found that when I’m frustrated at the responsibility I have, whatever it is, it becomes harder, bigger, and more consuming than it is when I’m able to embrace it as what is part of my current “season” and learn to find joy in the learning experience. This probably isn’t helpful, Molly, and I’m sorry. I guess all I’m trying to say is that if you’re frustrated at having to work or teach seminary, both will naturally become harder, not easier. And they will feel more like what is taking your time, rather than enriching it. I’d pray for the Lord to expand your abilities, lengthen your hours, give you the peace and ability to do what is required while still being able to fully enjoy your family at this stage of life.
[Comment imported from blog at 2:34 pm on March 9, 2013
Cheri said:
Wow, Molly. Those are tough questions. First, I believe firmly that the Lord will sustain us and strengthen us in our abilities to carry out the work he calls us to do. Taking care of our family and serving in our callings would be two of those things. Whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies. Seminary is an extremely demanding calling. I can’t imagine having two tiny boys and working AND teaching seminary, but the Lord is asking you to right now. Have you ever gotten into the rut of feeling frustrated at the things you HAVE to do and therefore resent them and the time they require? I’ve found that when I’m frustrated at the responsibility I have, whatever it is, it becomes harder, bigger, and more consuming than it is when I’m able to embrace it as what is part of my current “season” and learn to find joy in the learning experience. This probably isn’t helpful, Molly, and I’m sorry. I guess all I’m trying to say is that if you’re frustrated at having to work or teach seminary, both will naturally become harder, not easier. And they will feel more like what is taking your time, rather than enriching it. I’d pray for the Lord to expand your abilities, lengthen your hours, give you the peace and ability to do what is required while still being able to fully enjoy your family at this stage of life.
[Comment imported from blog at 2:34 pm on March 9, 2013
Molly said:
I like this post. I have to admit–I haven’t had much time to read this blog lately. (Speaking of being busy.) I have been trying hard to choose my priorities. To choose to let go of things that are getting in the way of being calm and spending time with family. But I keep coming back to the same question: What happens when the things making you busy are work and teaching seminary? I have to work so our family can pay rent and buy groceries. We teach seminary because it is our calling. What do you do when the things that are making you super busy aren’t things you just say no to? Is that when you just default (albeit begrudgingly) to the “choose to be happy in your situation” moral of the story?
PS–I love that idea of celebrating the differences of the people in our families and creating a balance with those differences.
[Comment imported from blog]
Molly said:
I like this post. I have to admit–I haven’t had much time to read this blog lately. (Speaking of being busy.) I have been trying hard to choose my priorities. To choose to let go of things that are getting in the way of being calm and spending time with family. But I keep coming back to the same question: What happens when the things making you busy are work and teaching seminary? I have to work so our family can pay rent and buy groceries. We teach seminary because it is our calling. What do you do when the things that are making you super busy aren’t things you just say no to? Is that when you just default (albeit begrudgingly) to the “choose to be happy in your situation” moral of the story?
PS–I love that idea of celebrating the differences of the people in our families and creating a balance with those differences.
[Comment imported from blog]
I like this post. I have to admit–I haven’t had much time to read this blog lately. (Speaking of being busy.) I have been trying hard to choose my priorities. To choose to let go of things that are getting in the way of being calm and spending time with family. But I keep coming back to the same question: What happens when the things making you busy are work and teaching seminary? I have to work so our family can pay rent and buy groceries. We teach seminary because it is our calling. What do you do when the things that are making you super busy aren’t things you just say no to? Is that when you just default (albeit begrudgingly) to the “choose to be happy in your situation” moral of the story?
PS–I love that idea of celebrating the differences of the people in our families and creating a balance with those differences.
Wow, Molly. Those are tough questions. First, I believe firmly that the Lord will sustain us and strengthen us in our abilities to carry out the work he calls us to do. Taking care of our family and serving in our callings would be two of those things. Whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies. Seminary is an extremely demanding calling. I can’t imagine having two tiny boys and working AND teaching seminary, but the Lord is asking you to right now. Have you ever gotten into the rut of feeling frustrated at the things you HAVE to do and therefore resent them and the time they require? I’ve found that when I’m frustrated at the responsibility I have, whatever it is, it becomes harder, bigger, and more consuming than it is when I’m able to embrace it as what is part of my current “season” and learn to find joy in the learning experience. This probably isn’t helpful, Molly, and I’m sorry. I guess all I’m trying to say is that if you’re frustrated at having to work or teach seminary, both will naturally become harder, not easier. And they will feel more like what is taking your time, rather than enriching it. I’d pray for the Lord to expand your abilities, lengthen your hours, give you the peace and ability to do what is required while still being able to fully enjoy your family at this stage of life.