The Flow of Things

Sometimes, just sometimes, I have a day like I had today when I begin to wonder if my "job" as a stay-at-home wife and mother might be able to be summed up rather simply. I manage the flow of things. The flow of laundry. The flow of dishes. The flow of food. The flow of attitudes and perspectives. The flow of ENDLESS papers and piles of junk mail and information from school. I'm just a flow manager. And sometimes, on days such as today, I wonder... If my only job description is to manage how things flow around here, then WHY does this job seem so hard?! Really! I feel like I may never get caught up. I just have to pick a thing to focus on and do my best to get that done. Then move on to a new task. Get that done. Move on.

There is a sense of something looming in the shadows when I know I'm behind. When I know I'm not keeping up with the things that are flowing in so quickly. But there is a also sense of satisfaction and a sort of peace that comes from feeling like I have cleared out the clutter that has found its way in.... and things are flowing as they should.

I have found... well, I've known for some time, but have recently rediscovered... that my entire day flows best when I MAKE time to read, pray, and/or study. If I allow my to-do list to dictate whether or not I spend time with God, I may NEVER get around to it. But, on days like today, when I have intentionally chosen to give Him my time and attention, the mass quantities of incoming information, moods, attitudes, and whatever else, somehow seem much more manageable. And that is where true peace finds its rightful place in our home and in our lives. I like that.