Thursday, May 26, 2011

Yes I love technology...but not as much as you, you see...still I love technology...

So remember how a couple of days ago I posted more than 100 ideas for summer fun? Well, I'm really excited to do them. I can't wait for school to get out so that I can enjoy the summer with my family. I was talking to my dear friend Allie-Babes last night and I told her that, this summer, I'm having my last baby. I'll never bring another baby home to love and snuggle. I don't want to miss a minute of this special summer with my kids. So Jack and I made a decision. We're going Facebook Free this summer. We're not giving up the ole' net altogether (hence the "still I love technology" part) since I use it for lots of useful things that DON'T suck me in. But I've found that I can waste an entire morning just checking my favorite sites/blogs. No bueno. So we're drastically cutting back Internet time--eliminating Facebook/Blogging/Tweeting for the summer altogether. I'm looking forward to this break. I'll probably check my email once a week so if you need me urgently, call or text me. I'm so looking forward to spending the summer playing with my kids, going on fun family field trips and doing other things that bring me peace. As much as I love technology, it does NOT equal peace for me and therefore needs to be greatly limited. I'm excited to take a bunch of pictures, delve a little bit deeper into art (my newest and most surprising endeavor) and just looooove on my cute kids. Everything else can wait. Which brings me to my next point:

Can I just tell you about some great lessons I've learned lately? I'm learning that it's okay to say no. Now, there's a very fine line here--sometimes when we're really needed we need to suck it up and just do it. (Remember, "do it anyway." Those of you who blatantly refused to come help out in Primary in Sunday are on. my. list.) But I'm slowly learning that it's really okay to put myself first. That it doesn't make me a bad person or a bad housewife or a bad Christian or a bad anything. It makes me smart because then I have more energy to devote to those things later. Like I said, there are absolutely times when it is necessary to just do it whether you want to or not. But I'm learning that doing these things at the risk of neglecting myself, my family and my happiness/peace is not necessary to prove my worth. So prepare yourself for me to say no more often. I won't always be available for you. I won't run for my phone or always answer a text right away. I keep thinking about the scripture in Joshua 24:15 that is probably familiar to most: "..as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." These are my priorities. Me. My house. The Lord. Not necessarily in that order, of course, but those are my priorities and the things that I am so excited to focus on. I feel the need to apologize in advance for not being everything to everyone which I've felt so compelled to do/be my entire life. My whole life I've been the fixer and the go-to girl and it's not only unfair but has also come at a great price to me at times. This--of course--is not to say I will never do anything for anyone again. I love serving and making other people happy and making their lives easier. But if it is going to involve me neglecting one of those three things Joshua mentions, be prepared for me to say no. I'm going to focus my energy on MY faith, MY family and MY peace. Again, this is not selfish (which I've always believed to be true) this is smart. I know that the service I render to others in the future will be so much better because it will come from a place of authenticity, not a place of obligation. It will be more heartfelt and given without resentment.As it turns out, I'm fairly certain the world will still revolve without my assistance. Hmmm..Interesting concept!  What a sweet lesson I've learned. Now let's just hope I can make it happen!!

So those are my two most recent epiphanies. Maybe or maybe not my last blog post for the rest of the summer. (School isn't out until next week). A la prochain!

1 smart remarks:

Mary said...

Always, and forever. You're awesome.