Only by the grace of God!
Only with God’s help!
Not because I have a bucketful of patience (which a lot of people assume I have, but I don’t). Not because I have the perfect curriculum or the perfect schedule (neither of those exist), but because I have God’s grace and He gives me the strength to do what He has called me to do.
If I go about my day with my own agenda and do what I want to do, I’m setting myself up for a day full of frustration, disappointment, and sometimes even misery.
When I surrender my plans and desires to the Lord on a daily basis, I’m able to stay calm when we are thrown off schedule by 3 poopy diapers in a row or a half gallon of maple syrup spilled all over the kitchen floor.
I’m able to handle the tears of a discouraged child struggling with math (instead of crying right along with him).
I’m able to go down the water cycle rabbit trail with my 6-year-old when she asks how it rains, when the schedule says she is supposed be having quiet time and Mommy needs to be working with her older brother.
I happily snuggle with my 8-year-old when I go to kiss him goodnight because he asks, “Can we snuggle?” when my original plan was to write that blog post that has been sitting as a draft for the past week.
And not only am I able to do these things, but I’m able to do them joyfully, because I know that He is in control and that this was His plan for my days.
The Importance of Setting Goals from Abiding Woman
