I know I do not post often anymore. But, when I do I am always encouraged by 1)just having a safe place to vent and 2)getting your input. Well, as you know, we finally landed our first senior pastorate (besides our church plant which is just a different thing altogether). This is the first functional situation for us. I also went back to school this fall and finished the semester with a 3.5. I am not taking any summer classes with the three girls at home this summer. Just too much to take on. So, this summer will just be regular stuff. Here is my inner turmoil. I am by nature, a procrastinator and am coming to hate this about myself. I am seeing so many areas of my life that are out of control. From my eating to unconsistency with exercise to how i keep my house to not getting dresses til noon, I feel like way far from leadership material. During the school year, what Bible reading habit I did manage to have is gone. So I am trying to get back into that. I have so many areas I need to get a grip on that I feel like the least person to be a pastors wife. I need some practical advice. How do I develop a schedule for chores for me and the kids? How do you, with three little ones, get organized enough to be at church on time and fulfill all the duties there and at home and still have any energy left for the hubby? I am so grateful for this role. Truth is I need to tighten up the ship I am running whether I was a pastors wife or not. But its even more so with being in leadership. I feel like if the ladies really knew how little I have it together they wouldnt respect me...and to be honest how would I blame them. I hate to sound so carnal or superficial. But I am ready to overcome this laziness. Please...advice?
Cassandra, I understand. And I am way too busy to write now because I have some big events going on presently . However, I care about you and want to give you a couple of hints:
Sandra Felton's Messies Anonymous or Fly Laday
There are many great helps out there but I seem to be able to follow Sandra's stuff so I don't delve into all the options out there. I will pray for you.
I do have the article in partnering in all seasons and I'll send it to you under separate cover....
Realize that all of us sometimes feel, "if they only knew" about our lives. None of us has it all together.
This past year at Unstoppable, Jenn Lee did a workshop on this and it was excellent. She said, "it's impossible to balance but you do need to learn to juggle." It's about juggling more than balance.
At any given time I'm juggling several things at once...nothing is really equal or i "balance" -- it is whatever is the priority at the given time, and that changes from time to time. It's so important to flow and be flexible. There's an old saying, "those who are not flexible shall be broken." We have to learn flexibility. Different times call for different things. There is a are times the church is the priority, for instance if someone dies or there is an emergency such as that, the kids know that is where my primary attention is for that moment, but other times the church knows, they are on the burner and the kids are my full attention on that day/time.
One thing that is important no matter what time or season is to keep your personal time with God and a little time for renewing yourself each day because if not you will not be on track for anyone else.
Relax - you're doing much better than you think. Don't compare nor assume that others have it totally together. We are all fellow strugglers on a journey!
I just had the funniest mental picture reading this very encouragin reply to my question/cry for help. So either I have completely lost my mind and you guys will see it and say "Yeah, Cassandra, you've lost it." Or...I may be on to something and God has a funny way of letting me see it. But, I read that and instantly thought of a circus. And you know how the people balancing thing (plates, books, fires) are always real....s-t-i-l-l. They are moving real slow. But, the people juggling things are all over the place. They're riging unicycles and jumping through hoops. So, if I really want "balance" i am gonna have to slow down. Well, one I can't slow down and two I don't want to slow down. I love what we are doing and that our life is full of kingdom things. So, Lord help me juggle. I may feel like a clown, but ministry life is like a circus sometimes anyway. Thanks for the articles Deanna and thank you both for replying.
I heard someone say recently that God did not create "balance." He created ORDER!!! And that we need to keep HIM first.
Easier said than done for us ministry people, ironically - we tend to sometimes act as though the ministry = God. I know I've been guilty a time or two of trying to pass off my sermon prep as my daily time with God :o).
But seriously? I've found that the weeks I've consistenly spent time with God, even if it means cutting my sermon prep a little short in order to do it, He somehow manages to fill in (what I think are!) the gaps.
Of course, I haven't thrown kids into the mix yet, LOL!!!!!
I am a stay home mom, and I work best by using a daily planner with everything I have to do that day. I set off blocks of time, although I am not perfect. I really try to follow it.
One of the best pieces of advice Deanna shared with me years ago about getting to church on time, is to always prepare one day ahead, particularly for Sunday. I prepare for Sunday on Sat. I lay out all clothes, shoes, and accessories. It just takes planning to get into a routine, then it becomes like 2nd nature. It becomes natural, once you've done it so long.
We all are becoming, and have not arrived yet, so do not feel like it is just you.
