Ordering Our Life
Part 2
Purpose
In the first part of Ordering Our Life discussed our limits of time: we each get the same 24 hours in a day and 7 days in a week. Now, what are we to do with them? I asked a group of stay at home moms to share with me what they do with their time. Here’s a snippet:
*activities
*Bible time
*Breakfast with kids
*Family correspondence (birthday cards, calling grandma once in a while, etc)
*Garage sale for supplies
*Homeschool, lesson plan, plan fun activities and outings,
*I read lots of books to the kids. Books and books and books!
*I try to start my day with Bible reading and personal quiet time
*Keep all the doctor appointments dentist appts, specialists
*Pick up toys
*Read books together
*Research and sign up for kids classes and events at the library, community center, field trips, etc.
*Research curriculum
*Take walks
*Take care of myself and the kids
*Thrift for household supplies
*baking
*balancing checkbook
*bathe the kids
*being a referee
*bottles
*breakfast, lunch & dinner,
*breastfeeding
*budget.
*call my husband to see how his day is going at work
*call service providers or Drs for appts, or account questions (may include long hold times)
*chores
*church
*clean
*clean up messes made while you were on the phone,
*co-op
*cook
*crocheting (or some other hobby when I have free time)
*dance
*diaper changes
*dishes
*driving my children to weekly activities
*entertain two kids
*evening activities
*extra curricular for kids
*feeding animals
*field trips
*go to the zoo or science museum almost weekly,
*grading
*grocery planning
*grocery shop
*grocery store,
*helping family out during the day
*homeschool lessons
*horseback riding
*household chores
*housework
*keep the car cleaned & working
*keep the littles from fighting
*keeping order in the house.
*keeping track of hubs military schedule
*laundry
*library
*look for stuff on Pinterest, check my favorite freebie worksheet sites.
*lunch
*make breakfast
*meals
*menu planning,
*occupational therapy
*oh my gosh I can’t even list it all. Lol
*one on one time with each of my girls
*organize everything.
*pack hubby’s lunch
*paying bills
*photography
*piano and guitar lessons
*picking up toys or directing kids
*planning our cross country move
*planning our days/weeks
*potty training
*praying
*private art lessons
*provide support(baking/council) others
*running errands
*running my etsy shop
*school
*schoolwork
*sewing
*sleeping
*soccer
*speech therapy
*spend quality time with the kids
*spending time with hubby in the evening
*supper
*sweep & vacuum…
*take kids to the park or movie
*take online courses for myself
*taking lots of pictures of these cuties at home
*taking the dog for walks
*talk to the Lord
*teach children to clean up their own messes
*teach kids to do chores
*teach siblings to get along
*teaching each of my kids
*Therapy
*vacations
*vacuum
*visiting family
*work in the yard
A couple of moms echoed many others:
“I don’t know how moms keep up with everything and still have time for other stuff!”
“I feel like I’m in the kitchen for half the day lol…when I’m not doing that I’m (doing school with kids), chasing toddler around, straightening up, or taking kids to activities.”
Please, for the love of -of anything at all- do not turn this into any sort of moms vs moms, because it is nothing of the sort. I have done it all in terms of mothering and working: stay at home mom, full time teacher & mom, homeschooling mom, part-time working mom, working from home mom and self-employed mom. If you want, as bonus, add in the mix of it all a 12 year stint of full time, live-in caretaker, daughter/mom.
That said, as I wrote out the above list tonight I thought to myself, “I did all these things when I was working full time, too.” I’m sure some of you reading this had the same thought. Rightfully so! But…hang on with me here, there is a difference. A big one. At the risk of this being a harsh reality, often times we hear the big difference disguised in the words of every mom’s exclamation in looking forward to school starting at the end of summer…or Christmas break. One of the laws of life reads: Neither you nor I can be in two places at one time…though it would be nice sometimes! For every job listed that absolutely has to be done, someone is hopefully doing it. When MOM is at her job, someone is substituting for her. Before I was a mom, one of my early career jobs was an assistant in a day care. I worked 12 hr days and took care of 8 infants in my nursery. Can you believe the law used to allow a 1-8 ratio for infants?! If you’re like the majority of women, on any give day our to-do lists can turn pages, but when we’re not home (and even if we are sometimes) by default many things go undone-at least for a time. A long time? Many working moms are not in a place to get help with home duties, but some are blessed to be able to hire out some things. (Three cheers for the blessings of lawn service, maid service and/or a personal chef! ) BUT, not everything can wait until we’re present: at minimum babies need changed, fed and rested, children need meals, activity, safety and shelter. We all can agree, when/if I’m at work, someone has to be taking care of the necessities. It’s 
just the way it works.
Truth be told, some moments I long for used to bes. Even a short drive into work alone or a couple unaccompanied minutes to the potty without teeny fingers dancing under the door, or actually being in a little more control at some point of the day (even as mundane as showing up and leaving in a general semi-expected timeframe feels like more control than what is common to a lot of homeschooling moms, specifically) would be kind of nice. There’s more, much more, but if I skip most for most of all, my main pining of leaving for work each day it’s not in leaving at all. Nope. Actually, it’s all in coming back home. It’s not like I maintain a hotel-home always ready for the magazine photographers to pop in and shoot a 2 page spread. No, but vacuuming and leaving the house has its perks and toys don’t really walk around, have tea-parties and plan their escape when left alone.Usually. Letting the kitchen sink dry, the toilet seats stay down and the trash can empty for even 6 hours a day all are harmonious gifts in keeping a house tidy. I admit, I miss it.
And, it can’t go without saying, some mommas who would want to be home in the way I’m going to speak about simply can’t due to no decions of their own. I know amazing single moms whose hearts have been crushed in their young lives. and they do everything they do well and to the best of their ability, some with and others without loving help. The power and grace of God sustains them. You’re amazing! God is for you and I am too. I cheer each of you suddenly single moms on and encourage you through God’s Word: Do not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time you will reap a harvest if you do not give up. Galatians 6:9.
Now the BIG difference I was referring to earlier. I read three words written after one of the moms wrote out her list of things she does every day at home, they stopped me in my tracks. I finished copying the rest of the list, but those three words were embedded in my eyes like a brightly lit and flashing amusement park sign. The difference is in these words:
all
the
time
Most of the list could be written in non-stop mode. Never does it end or begin again, it just goes on and on:
do it again and again and over and over and over and over and over and over and over do it again and again and over and over and over and over and over and over and overdo it again and again and over and over and over and over and over and over and over do it again and again and over and over and over and over and over and over and overdo it again and again and over and over and over and over and over and over and overdo it again and again and over and over and over and over and over and over and overdo it again and again and over and over and over and over and over and over and over do it again and again and over and over and over and over and over and over and over do it again and again and over and over and over and over and over and over and overdo it again and again and over and over and over and over and over and over and overdo it again and again and over and over and over and over and over and over and overdo it again and again and over and over and over and over and over and over and overdo it again and again and over and over and over and over and over and over and over do it again and again and over and over and over and over and over and over and overdo it again and again and over and over and over and over and over and over and over do it again and again and over and over and over and over and over and over and overdo it again and again and over and over and over and over and over and over and overdo it again and again and over and over and over and over and over and over and overdo it again and again and over and
all
the
time
I want to leave a little encouragement for the Momma home with your littles, making the sacrifices financially and doing anything and everything ALL THE TIME: it’s worth it, and it’s pleasing to the Lord.
Suddenly, all the time will give way to memories and leave a legacy of time passed while lovingly, obediently and sacrificially investing in your marriage, your home and your children. There is no greater life, Momma. One day you’ll look back and while you may long for more time between babies and grandbabies, you won’t regret messy houses, fewer ‘things’ or the All The Time days and years you spent with your children. It will be a great moment!
Chin up! You’re doing great.
Proverbs 31: 27-31
She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
“Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
