Moldable

I took a personality test a while ago.  It told me I was a peacemaker.  I do everything I can to create peace.  I read the description of the personality with tears in my eyes.  It couldn't have described me better. 

I am so good at making peace that I will neglect myself.  I will deprive myself of my own joy and my own peace to create a peaceful environment.  It's okay.  I learned that's how I tick.  It was helpful to discover these truths.  I was free to live in them and I didn't need to try to change.  I know my weaknesses and do all I can to turn them to strengths, but in the meantime I accept who I am.

I'll go where you want to eat, do what you want to do.  I may even take on your hobbies.  When asked what I like to do, I often answer with hobbies that the people around me like to do.  I do most things now because my husband started doing them and I joined in.  He started surfing, I joined him.  He started skateboarding, I joined him.  He got me drinking coffee.  I used to camp and ride motorcycles because that is what my family did.  I love puzzles!  I love them because I love them.  Sometimes I love them alone. 

I don't know your personality type.  I don't know how you survive the trails and trials.

You are unique.  You are wonderful.  Each day you get to walk in your shoes.  You get to travel your special path with the flowers, the rocks, the hills, the valleys, the mountains, the streams, and the views. You get to shine.  You get to win battles.  You get to discover new strengths.  You get to overcome weaknesses.  You get to love.  You get to have compassion.  You get to make room for those that are traveling their journey along side you.

I pray you find hope, peace and joy on your journey while you continue to be you. 

Why wasn't God at church today?

I went to church the other day.  I went to be with people.  I went to participate in another's traditions. 

I was sad.

I was sad to say hello to half a dozen people who seemed anxious to shake my hand and move onto the next person.

I was sad when I saw the shallow hope in their eyes that I was here to stay, that I would begin to be a part of their group.  They never understood or cared to know I didn't even live in their town.

I was sad to see everyone seemingly listening, but I knew many would go home taking nothing with them and changing nothing in their lives.  They would continue to argue and fight and their actions would never reveal they professed to love Jesus.

I was sad that my presence there and my behavior there was more important then who I was, what I thought or the story I might have to tell.  They counted me as a number in a seat.  I made them look good to the person keeping score.

Many people greeted each other and asked, "How are you?"  They didn't want the real answer, their eyes had already moved on.  There were no conversations that lasted more than a few seconds.

No one answered honestly.  No one talked about a rough week or an amazing week.  They all said, "Fine." They all moved on.

The preacher thought he was reminding people not to get disappointed when they expect things from God and it doesn't seem like He delivers.  He forgot to tell them to love and trust God.

God doesn't owe us anything.  He isn't required to take away our pain and to make the mountains flat.  It isn't His job to make our life more palatable or easy. 

He already did everything for us.

He already showed us how much He loved us.  He already made it possible for us to hang out with Him whenever we want.  He already made it possible to choose to ignore Him if we want.  He already made it possible to trust, hope and lean on Him for everything.

I don't expect Him to fix my life.  I expect Him to walk with me.

I don't expect Him to make things easier or better.  I expect Him to make me strong enough to take on the challenges. 

He didn't take away cancer, but He gave me the strength to survive the treatments that would.  He didn't take away MS, but He gave me the wisdom to change my lifestyle so my body could still thrive.  He didn't take away my nerve pain, but he gave me the determination to work hard after back surgery to become as strong as I could.

I do a disservice to my students if I make their assignments easier.  I won't be preparing them for the next grade.  Instead, I come sit by them and help them understand.  I give them tools to succeed.  I encourage them not to give up.  If I take away the difficulty, I only make the future more difficult for them.

I grieved in that church.  I grieved the loss of the awareness that God is already with us, helping us and loving us along our journey. 

They sang and pleaded that Jesus would come.  I could hear Him sigh as He wanted to tell them He was already there.  They need only stop their schedule of events designed to impress people and sit and listen. 

They needed to turn off the spotlights and the cameras and simply understand that God isn't impressed by your technology or your music or your pre-planned words.  He only wants YOU.  He only wants to be a part of your life and let Him be a part of yours. 

He only wants you to lean on Him, depend on Him and trust that every mountain you must climb, every valley you must trudge through, every river you must swim, every desert you must meander through, every amazing view, every winding trail, every moment of every day He is with you.  He is there, loving you no matter what.  Everything else is a waste of our time and energy. 

Measure Up

The largest weight I lift in a workout now is 10 pounds.  I snatch 10 pound dumbbells.  I press 10 pound dumbbells.  I even clean 10 pound dumbbells.  I am capable of lifting more, but it is more important that I move correctly and quickly than lift a lot of weight. 

I saw a friend lift 10 pounds for the first time in 4 months.  I squealed with excitement for her. She may feel like it isn't enough or that it is no big deal, but I know it is a celebration.

It's all relative.  Our great achievements, our personal records, and our accomplishments are measured by the season of our lives. 

After cancer treatment was over, I was trilled to go on a 5 mile bike ride.  I was proud of my achievement.  Before MS, I was excited when I ran a mile and a half.  Before back surgery, I could do almost anything.  Every day, I accomplish something new.  I used all my sick days and am amazed at how I can survive the long days with no hope of extra rest.

I do something new each day.  I move faster, lift more, survive longer. 

Your accomplishment has nothing to do with the accomplishments of those around you, it is measured by what you have done before.  It is measured by your last achievement. 

I remind my students that their only job is to do better than last time, to grow a bit more than the day before.  They should not be measuring themselves against their peers, but against themselves. 

As you measure your success today.  The only scale you should be using is yesterday. 

Coffee

Coffee is one of my favorite things.  If I were to sing a song about my favorite things, I would always include coffee.  If I see a coffee cup on TV, empty or full, I want some. 

I get up out of bed in the morning slightly more quickly than I normally would because I know there is coffee waiting for me. 

Coffee in my hand, fire in front of me, dog by my feet are things that calm my spirit, prepare me for the day, and can relax me after a long day or a long week. 

I drink it black.  I used to drink it with a lot of sugary creamer.  The question, "Do you want some coffee with that creamer?" wouldn't be out of the question.  I weaned myself from sugary creamer to sugar and cream.  After MS took away dairy, I ventured into the almond milk arena and quickly ended up with black coffee.  I love that I drink it black.  I love that if someone has coffee, I don't ever have to worry about what creamer they have.  I can simply drink the coffee.

I didn't start drinking coffee until after my oldest daughter was born.  I'd only been enjoying it for about a year when I stopped while my youngest daughter was growing inside me.  My husband introduced it to me.  He introduced me to most things I do now that I never did before.  I hope I introduced him to a few new things also.  I don't drink it because it wakes me up, although it probably does.  I drink it because the warm black liquid calms me.  It makes me feel like I am taking a break in the middle of the most hectic day. 

Coffee reminds me of my grandma.  She always had coffee on.  She drank it all day.  She liked sharing it with others.  I can still see her grin as she offers me a cup and is thrilled that I am going to say, "yes."

Coffee is like my glue, band-aid, peace offering, security blanket and dessert.  It isn't liquid in a cup.  It is peace and friends and moments all wrapped up with porcelain.

I discovered coffee later in my life.  I'm thankful for it.  It was the first thing I wanted the morning after my surgery.  I called the hospital cafeteria to order my breakfast and ensured they had coffee.  The eggs and bacon were nice, but the coffee brought me home while sitting in the hospital bed.  It was how I survived each and every day of cancer, coffee and a notebook.  It was one of the tell tale signs that MS had come, the coffee tried to slip out of the side of my mouth.

I'm always looking for those special moments, those special tools that make my days peaceful.  Life is not full of peace.  Life is full of adventures, problems, unexpected disturbances, and surprises.  We have to find peace.  We have to seek it out.  We have to look under rocks, behind curtains and in the tops of the tallest trees.  We need it, but it will always hide.  When we find it, we must wrap both our hands around it, sip it slowly while enjoying the taste and the warmth fill our souls.

Forgetting Blessings

Pain makes us stronger.  Difficulties bring out our character.  The ups and downs of life teach us how to live.

Sometimes I think I focus on the difficulties more than the blessings because on any given day most people have something they must overcome and I write to encourage those people.  

I hope that as each of us prepares to fight our battles, we stand strong and firm.  I hope that we remember it is only a battle and we will come out on top in the end.  Once the difficulty is passed, we will bear the battle scars.  We will be smarter and stronger and wiser.  

I hope I can encourage you to keep fighting.  I hope I can remind you this battle will only last a season.  It will end.  I hope I can encourage you to remember your blessings.  I hope I can inspire you to keep walking, keep stepping down the path with your eyes on the view.  

Because I am always sharing about my own journey through the rocks and mountains and mud, I have to work harder to remember the amazing parts of my journey.

I am thankful for my husband, my daughters and my family.  I am thankful for my friends.  I am thankful for my home.  I am thankful for my job.  I am thankful for the gift of health I have.  I am thankful for my strength.  I am thankful for the gift of each moment.

Sometimes, I simply take in the moments.  Sometimes I am watching and overwhelmed with emotion and I have to sit and take it in.  Sometimes I am careful to sit back and let others shine and celebrate, I don't want to take their light.  Sometimes I am too careful and it looks like I don't care.   I promise, I am simply there.

I've said it before.  There are more difficult steps in our journey than easy ones, but the difficult ones make us stronger.  In the midst of your journey and whatever part you are on, take in the blessings.  Take in the beautiful and amazing and special moments that make the steep mountains worth every painful moment.

Control

Whenever I have an exceptionally bad day at work I end up looking to myself.  What can I do differently to change my day tomorrow?  How can I change my perspective?  How can I change my actions?  These are just a few of the questions I hear myself asking. 

I needed to ask these questions again this past week.  After the time change, my students were exhausted and had a difficult time making the good choices and controlling their impulses like they usually do.  I felt badly for how tired I knew they were.  At that young age, you don't always understand why you were short with your best friend or why you can't complete an assignment you normally can whiz through.  After a couple of these days, trying to encourage and convince the students to be kind to each other, I looked to myself.

Was I being short?  Was I forgetting to see the positive?  Was I harder on them simply because I was tired too?  I discovered all three answers were, yes. 

The next day, I changed me.  I changed my tone.  I looked for the amazing.  I gave more prizes.  I created more exciting avenues for learning. The past two days have been midday compared to the black night of the first two.

Next time the storm clouds come in and the thunder rolls in your life.  Look to yourself.  Even if the storm is brewing around you, you don't have to reflect it.  You can create your own weather and affect those around you with your new day.

I used the same tactic when my girls were little.  On the days when I felt like I was only nagging them and they just wouldn't listen.  I had to stop and reflect on me.  I found a way to change.  I found a way to be a part of their lives instead of simply standing back and ordering them around.  I found a way to show them that living isn't always work, it is enjoying each other and making each other happy and growing together.

Anytime I have disliked my situation, I start with myself.  There are definitely things those around me could change to make it easier, but I can't control them.  I can control me.  I can choose what I do, what I say and how I live. 

Schedules and Colds

I just got over a cold.  Everyone else had colds in January and February.  Mine came when everyone else got better.  I don't think it came because it was winter or because it was cold season.  It came because I had a busy schedule. 

For the past 3 weeks I have had extra errands and tasks almost each evening after school.  I am sure that my schedule was not so different from most other people, but I work hard not to over schedule myself.  My health will deteriorate quickly if I don't pace myself.  The MS part of me has a measured amount of energy.

Many years ago, my daughters and I visited family over Labor day weekend.  This was before cancer and MS entered my life.  For most people, Labor Day weekend occurs before they begin the school year.  It is supposed to be the final weekend of summer break.  For us, Labor Day weekend is the first long weekend after beginning school.  We have often already attended at least 2 weeks of school before that weekend comes.  Most years, I use the long weekend to recuperate after beginning the crazy school schedule again.

On this particular weekend, we traveled 8 hours to go camping with family.  We slept in a tent and stayed busy playing in the woods for 3 days.  Upon arriving home and returning to school, all 3 of us got sick.  These kinds of events might sound fun, but I am constantly guarding myself against being run down so I often have to turn them down.

I used all my sick days for back surgery so I worked last week while I was sick each and every day.  I took my daughter to pick up her license and had lunch together while sick.  I went to my daughter's competition while sick.  I took the dog to the vet while sick. 

Finally, on Saturday, I stopped pushing through the ache and the misery and made myself stay on the couch the entire day.  I blew my nose, I wiped my watery eyes, I looked at my sad, sick face in the mirror.  I rested.  On Sunday, I finally felt better.

This post isn't about my cold.  It is about health.  It is about taking care of yourself.  It is about knowing yourself.

During the week of sickness, I didn't exercise once.  I came home late, didn't feel well and couldn't bring myself to exercise.  After the third day, my back was starting to stiffen up.  By the end of the week, my nerve was hurting.  The old pains I had post-surgery were returning. Those pains have been gone for months.  They weren't scary pains that made me wonder if the surgery helped.  They were aching pains caused by lack of movement.  As soon as I stopped moving, all my muscles stiffened up. 

These stiff moments reminded me of the importance of movement.  Movement is how I am healing from back surgery.  Movement is how I remain strong enough to be good at my job.  Movement celebrates my strengths and reminds me of my weaknesses.  Movement is needed to be better at living.

Try to find a way to move.  Move through the pain, move through the ache, move through the moments where every part of you wants to stay still.  Movement will bring you healing and joy if you let it.

Dropping Off and Letting Go

My husband and I have been very fortunate to be teachers.  Throughout our careers and our daughter's education, we have rarely had to leave them at school.  They either attended school where my husband worked or where I worked.  We didn't necessarily see them throughout the day, but we were in the same building.  We traveled to school together, we went to our respective places first thing in the morning, passed each other in the halls, met up again at the end of the day and traveled home together. 

The only days I had to drop them off and drive away was when I was sick and wouldn't be going to work.  It didn't matter how old and responsible they were, dropping them off at school always caused a little tear in my heart.  I was entrusting them completely to the adults in the building.  I wouldn't be just down the hall.  I would be a 10 mile drive away.  

I know many people who do this daily.  They put their kids on buses, they drop them at the front doors.  Some don't even get to see their kids get on and off the bus because their work hours don't align so nicely with school hours.  I know how fortunate I am.

Yesterday, I had another of those slightly painful moments as I let my children go again.  My oldest daughter just got her license.  I am ready for it.  I was already driving quite a bit at her age.  I am ready for her to take her and her sister places.  She is super responsible and dependable.  I know I can trust her.  These facts don't matter on the day she goes out in the car for the first time alone.  I won't be next to her in the passenger seat helping her with directions.  I won't be there to remind her to give a buffer between her and other cars.  I won't be an extra set of eyes watching for someone to pull out in front of her.  She will have to see all those things on her own.  She will have to make the decisions on her own.  It doesn't matter how amazing and responsible she is, letting her go was painful, knowing there was nothing I could do to help her out there.  Any help I gave her had to already happen in our many rides in the car before this day.

As I write this, I realize this is parenting.  We only have our children with us for a moment.  The tools we give them, the lessons we teach them, the advice we impart on them only happens when they are with us.  Once they walk out the door to take on the world on their own it is too late.  I can't help them make wise choices when they are alone.  I can only pray that I have shared enough and been enough of an example that they will hear my voice in their head.  I can only hope they will pause and think before acting.  I can only wish they will put safety above all else.  

I can't always be there.  I can't always be the helpful, sound, wise voice in their ear helping them through each decision.  But when I am there, I will be that voice.  I will speak to them about my decisions and why I made them.  I will share my mistakes and tell them about the pain those mistakes caused.  I will reveal the choices I wish I had made, sparing me pain.  I will share my thoughts.  I will share my hopes for them.  I will be present when they are with me so when they are not they will carry that wisdom with them and be victorious when they are on their own.

I may always feel pain in my heart wondering and worrying about my girls.  I am thankful that I can take great peace in the fact that I gave them all I could and there is nothing more I could have done.  

Cherish the moments to teach and encourage your children when they are young.  Once they leave, those are the words they will remember and live by.

Winning the War

Most of life is lived in our heads.   I've seen two people approach the same situation.  One was ready to take it on, to thrive, to walk through the fire no matter what.  The other looked as if the situation had already beat them up before it had begun.

The story we tell ourselves drives our steps.  The dialogue in our head moves us forward or freezes our feet.  The conversation we have with ourselves determines whether we will rise above the situation or let the situation dictate our self-worth. 

I could have let the word cancer defeat me over 5 years ago.  I could have let the idea that something vicious was coming after me and simply lay down and wait for it.  Instead, I did what I knew to do and kept walking.  I kept going to work, I kept living each day to the best of my ability.  Those days looked different than the ones before or after cancer, but I never gave in.  I never stopped giving my best even if my best was only another step, another breath, another smile.

I could have let MS defeat me 3 years ago.  I could have thrown my hands up that yet another disease was after me.  I could have lay down and let it take me.  I could have held onto the pain of the earlier days instead of fighting to find out how to get rid of it.  I could have let my body grow weak instead of fighting through all the fatigue to make myself as strong and healthy as I could.  I could have let the difficult days rule my weeks instead of recognizing they were only days and they would soon leave and I would be back to good days again.  Multiple Sclerosis won't be leaving me.  I don't get to go through treatment to send it away.  It stays with me every moment of every day.  I could let the weight of its presence push me down, but instead, I fight it off and throw the weight off as often as I can. 

I could have let my herniated disc and back surgery knock me out over 4 months ago.  I could have quit.  I still could as I daily battle to gain my strength back.  I could have decided this was the last straw.  I have spent so much time fighting off weakness, building strength, paying attention to every thing my body does: what makes it thrive, what makes it fall apart, that I could have thrown up my hands and been tempted to finally give up.  I waited patiently for the pain to pass.  I did everything in my power to heal and gain my strength back.  When I wanted to quit and simply lie down and let it take me, I got up again and took another step. 

The physical battle is easy.  The moving, the walking, the fighting is simple.  The battle of the mind is not easy.  The battle to keep my mind from traveling into the darkest tunnels, from getting lost in madness and despair is the most difficult battle.  Yet, It is the battle that wins the wars. 

Next time the mountain looms ahead, take control of your thoughts.  Remind yourself of your past victories.  Remind yourself that you can only do what you are capable of doing.  No one expects more than what you can produce.  No one expects miracles.  Your best, your hundred percent, your greatest effort is all that is ever required.  Believe in your strength, ignore your weakness.  Believe in your power.  Accomplish what you can, celebrate and give yourself grace for what you can't.  Take control of your mind and everything will be a victory.

I see you . . . I hear you . . .

We've been watching Parenthood.  We just watched the episode called "I see you, I hear you."  The patriarch of the family started going to counseling and learned to say those words to his wife to practice acknowledging her instead of bulldozing over her with his large, looming personality. 

Whether we acknowledge it or not, we all want to be seen and heard.  We all want to know that we are noticed and not simply another fleshly form moving through this Earth. 

When I am driving down the road, being tailed by a big truck driving close enough to see the digital read out of the radio station on my dashboard, I do not feel seen or heard.  That person behind me is in such a hurry to get to his location that my car and myself are in his way. To him, I am not a person traveling home to my family.  I am a car that is blocking his speedy path to his destination.  I don't feel seen.  I feel like this gentleman has put his schedule above my life.  It is okay with him to put my life and the lives of anyone in my car in danger to keep his schedule.

In the moments when people around me don't pause long enough in their story to hear what I might add or wonder, I don't feel seen or heard.  It grieves me when others interrupt a story to hear their own story or their own idea.  I want to let my friend tell their whole story without interjecting my own thoughts. 

I want to be noticed.  I want those around me to see me, not who they think I am, but the real me.  I want them to let me be me, to give me space and time to go where I need to go, to share my ideas, thoughts and questions and be who I am created to be, not who they think I should be.

We like to hear ourselves speak.  We like to share our stories.  We like to share our issues.  In the midst of making sure everyone knows who we are, we need to remember to pause and let those around us be who they are.  We need to remember to pause and see and hear the people around us.  They are people like us.  They have busy lives. They have great moments. They have difficult times.  They want to be seen and heard too.

Next time you are around other people, take a moment to look at them.  Take a moment to wonder where that person in the green car is going, what might be happening in their life?  Take a moment to consider that more is happening in that person's life than what they show you. 

Our dog ripped her toenail off running for the ball last weekend.  She had to have minor surgery to repair it.  I had to take her to the vet.  It was "after hours" on a Saturday night.  It was expensive.  It was overwhelming.  I noticed the receptionist starting to treat me like I was rude.  I knew what was happening.  I was overwhelmed, stressed, tense and concerned about the cost and what caring for my dog meant for the next week.  She saw rudeness.  I couldn't get her to understand where I was.  She couldn't see me.

Take a moment.  See those around you.  Hear them.  You don't know the whole story.  The story may be this person is inconsiderate and rude, but it may also be they are having one of the most difficult days of their life and need someone to see and hear them.

Snow

I love the snow.  I know many people don't or they only do when they can look at it or play in it.

I love it all the time.  I listen to other's grumblings about it and how they like it in the mountains, but don't want it in the valley.  I listen as other's proclaim it can snow as long as it melts right after so we don't have to deal with it for long.

My birthday is in December and I grew up in an area that had regular snow.  We had snow days at school almost every year.  They weren't little snow days.  They were "no one can leave their home" snow days.  I vividly remember the year we went cross country skiing in our pasture.  We could step over the barbed wire fences with our skis.  I have clear memories of sledding down the hill by our driveway, driving or riding a snowmobile through my grandparents property and trying to stay on the sled that was tied to the back. 

My brother and I would spend hours playing in the snow together and come inside through our basement door.  We tromped with our snow boots over to the large wood stove and stripped off our layers to lay them by the warm fire to dry out.  We flicked the snow off our gloves and scarves to hear the water sizzle on top of the wood stove.  After playing hard in the white powder we enjoyed hot cocoa and snuggled up inside to get warm again.

I took my driving test upon turning 16 in a fresh six inches of snow.  I passed.  I loved it.  I still love driving in the snow.  I know it is difficult and it takes more energy, but it also takes more skill.  I love using skill.

The best part of the snow is its full blanket that soothes the earth.  The white blanket smothers the brown shades left over from fall.  In addition to the visual beauty, the snow makes everything quieter.  The tires and feet make a soft crunching sound instead of the normal pounding against the concrete. 

Snow falls slowly.  We can watch it fall.  It's slow speed reminds us to take an extra moment.  It reminds us to pause, to look and to breathe. 

I know driving in the snow can be scary and dangerous.  I also know that letting the white powder wash through our spirit can refresh us and remind us that every once in a while, it's a good idea to see the world through new eyes.  Once in a while, it's helpful to see, hear, and breathe a little more deeply. 

Next time it snows, try not to moan about it.  See it for the freshness it is and enjoy it.  It will soon melt again and you will have everything back the way it was.

Shape

Let your story shape you. 

Let your joy fill you up and overflow onto others.
Let your sorrow melt over you and accent your blessings.
Let your victories remind you of your magnificence.
Let your failures empower you to take another step.
Let your amazing moments fill you with gratitude.
Let your difficult moments teach you how to breathe and keep moving.

Let your poverty teach you wisdom.
Let your wealth teach you generosity.
Let your friends stand beside you.
Let your enemies fall behind you.
Let your home be a refuge.
Let your work be a ministry.

Let your life and all its bumps, curves, mountains, and valleys be an adventure.
Let your journey be ever-changing and exciting.
Let your views be beautiful.
Let your rest be refreshing.
Let your path be full of interesting turns.
Let your story make, mold and create in you a person who's life reflects lessons from a unique and special journey.

Weary

"Do not grow weary in doing good." 

Those words were running through my head this morning.  Paul, from the Bible says them.  He's trying to encourage people to do good amidst people who are ungrateful or who don't notice or who continually disregard what is right.  It can be tiring to feel like you are the only good and wise driver on the road or the only honest person or the only one who is responsible and thoughtful.  You aren't, but sometimes it is exhausting when you can't see other people doing good.

But, that isn't what I was thinking about.  The actual phrase I was thinking was, "Do not grow weary."  

Life can sometimes make us weary.  We wake everyday.  We eat breakfast, get ready for the day, often do the same or very similar tasks each day, encounter the same people, go the same places, run the same errands then end the day back in our beds.  We repeat our days over and over.  Sometimes, the daily schedule can make us weary.

Do not grow weary.  Find joy in what you create each day.  Find satisfaction in what you improve each day.

Many years ago, when my only job was homemaker, I struggled with the daily household chores: cleaning toilets, vacuuming, washing the same dishes over and over, wiping up the same fingerprints, making meals 3 times a day, and the list goes on.  I was reading or listening to something, I can't remember, and I found some encouraging words.

Everything you do, you are either creating something or making something better.

I hung onto those words when the weary would try to sink in.  As I was fixing dinner, I would think about how I was creating something.  I was mixing up different combinations of food to create a meal that would give my family energy and they might also enjoy.

While I cleaned the toilets, I thought about how I was making something better.  By taking care of my floors, my dishes, the windows, and wiping the crayon marks off the wall, I was making all those things better than they were.  Fortunately, the nature of a home is that it is always in need of becoming better.  Once you clean it on Monday, it will be dirty again on Tuesday.  

The nature of a family is they will always need things so the opportunity to create is endless.  In addition to creating meals, there are clothes, curtains, games, stories, and memories.

As you journey through your day today and repeat many of the things you did yesterday, do not grow weary.  You are creating and improving as you go.  You are affecting someone else's life with every task you do.  Life may sometimes feel like the same routines over and over, but it is a long journey where each step you take causes a ripple affect under your feet and affects everyone else on the journey around you.  

Be encouraged and not weary.  Keep your eyes open for those moments when you get to create and improve the world around you.