Balance

This is my special group of friends who I "do motherhood" with.  We have been meeting together for about 6 years now on every Friday morning with our children, totaling 18 now!  We often talk about "balance" and how exactly to achieve it- and I thought this would be the perfect picture for the top of this post.  I am so very blessed to learn about balance and what that looks like from these Christian women.  My mothering is so much more focused and my heart more "well-ordered" because of the influence of each of these women.

Now, how did I get here, to title this post, "Balance(d)" of which I am not!

Obviously this took some "balance"...

And this...this is my attempt to begin consigning my maternity clothes so I can raise some extra money for our beach trip...trying to keep our budget "balanced".

This little one likes to stand in the chair...and on the table!  What?  My BOYS never did that!  Guess she has some "balance"...watch out Winter Olympics in 16 years (not sure which roman numeral that would be as I would have to google exactly which Olympics we are watching now)!

She also loves bananas...part of a well "balanced" diet.  :)

I try to expose these little ones to all sorts of crafts and manipulatives so they can develop normally and be well rounded and "balanced".

So why all this talk about being balanced?  Well, I had a really significant encounter with a great book, "Looking for God" by Nancy Ortberg.  "Balance gives the illusion of control.  The comfort of order.  Many are drawn to balance because it promises to relieve the stress of our world, whose priorities are constantly clamoring to get our attention.  As we hurriedly try to attend to all of these priorities, we exhaust ourselves in the process, feeling unfulfilled, unfocused, and tired, and confused by a God who seems to want us to do so much."

She goes on to say, "Children who wake up in the middle of the night crying with a temperature of 103 are not looking for a balanced parent, they are looking for some medicine, a cool washrag and a song, all delivered by a mom or dad who takes the time to hold them chest-to-chest in the rocking chair until they fall asleep again."

So, this struck me, also as she talked about living a life that is "that of a well ordered heart, not ordered in a way like a pie graph, but of an overspilling of every mold, that no life circle can contain.  A life that exudes love, God's love, that allows for mistakes and messes, joys and impacts."

This picture is that overspilling of love...love of an innocent little 1 year old for her big brother.  Her big brother, who peeked into her room to see her with all of her babies and had to stop and come in.  He said, "Now that is cute."  He walked in, leaving whatever it was he was focused on, and lived in this moment with his little sister who adores him.  What a gift and what a wonderful lesson for me.

My children teach me so many lessons every day.  I truly want to have a "well-ordered" heart for Landon, Connor and Lindsay Jane.  I don't want to constantly be striving.  Striving for what?  Balance?  What is that?  Isn't it something that as soon as I "achieve", something else is thrown in and I am off kilter again, yearning for control.  Ah, yes...control.  For me, that is what it is.  I have to let go of control and let God!  One of the first things I remember hearing in junior high youth group...Let go and Let God...I still haven't gotten it!

Thanks for letting me share.  I love my little space.  I love the opportunity to share my little 'ole heart.  I love being a mama and I love that I am learning more every day about how to be a better one. Now, back to tagging for that consignment sale... :)