We made it home from our Disney trip! It was exhausting and great, but well worth it for all the connection that happened amongst my family. I find it so interesting how different I am on vacation. Take me out of the everyday pressures and I am more patient, kind, and gentle ... even while being placed in such a hectic environment. Why is that? I truly don’t understand. While I felt pressure to make sure we saw and did everything available on our trip, it wasn’t the same pressure I feel at home. Each day felt like a new start. At home, each day feels like the product of my performance from the day before. On vacation, we left each day at the park…whatever we got done we did and what we didn’t get done got left behind. At home, I wake up in the midst of what was left undone. If I skipped training my kids to pick up their toys before they go to bed, I wake up to a messy living room covered in toys and the reminder of what I didn’t do last night. It also starts my day with impatience and irritation.
How do I live out of the same “vacation” mindset? How do I leave yesterday in yesterday and start new in the morning? I know it is not by me working harder or striving to be better. It's not by thinking, “If I can just get everything in place and done today then tomorrow will be great.” It comes from an understanding God's grace. Even as I type this I don’t know what that means. I know it’s an ability to live without control over everything. Living in the uncertainty that comes from not having a formula of "If I do this then, this will happen." Living without the “should haves” and the “this is your only shot” voices in my head. It takes being willing to share with my safe people how I think and knowing those people will be voices of truth and hope. I believe learning to live with new grace every day will allow me to have more patience with my kids, be willing to see what God is working in me and my kids, and see how He can work every circumstance for His good.
One of the biggies I carry from yesterday to today is training my kids. Waiting until later to see a trait I want to see now is hard. I often think “this is my only shot at training them… If I train them when they are little I won’t have hard teen years… Didn’t I teach this yesterday? Why aren’t they getting it!” Training takes patience and grace. I have found a great deal of hope and truth from this podcast. One of the moms has adult children and talks about what their family looks like now. It has been encouraging to hear the truth of how important our homes are in who are children will become, wrapped in her dependence on speaking truth over her kids and not in her ability to parent well. I chose the episode on training your kids, but you can find other great podcasts here or here. I hope this provides encouragement to you in your training journey this week.