The Daily Walk

Happy New Year, all. Much like everyone else, I find the start of a new year the best time to hit the "reset" button on life and evaluate areas that need renovation. For me, as a stay-at-home-homeschooling-mama, my focus right now is on scheduling, routine, and overall home and time organization. I'll be completely transparent here and let you know that for me, this is such a struggle-for over two years. When I was working full-time and homeschooling in the evenings and on weekends, maintaining a consistent schedule wasn't nearly the task that it is now. I had set times for most everything, especially working hours, and that made everything else just kind of fall into place. Then came baby number two, the transition from working outside of the home, and a major medical surgery.

So, what DID my days look like at first? Trust me, not picturesque in any sense of the word. Prior to the start of this new year, we'd sleep in to whatever time we wanted, throw food together without much prep or planning, and most of the time, scattered prayer time that wasn't wholehearted on my part, and sporadic Bible time. I felt completely chaotic. Let's not even address the lack of a homeschool routine and the feeling of disarray that presented. Let's face it, it really boiled down to me being lazy and unwilling to put in the effort to change.

We've faced a huge list of illnesses in the home this fall and winter and have struggled with maintaining our normal activities, routines, and fellowships. That has been such a detrimental blow to our overall health. Physical because we're sick, mental because we're drained, and spiritual because we're disconnected from our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. I knew going into this new year that something had to change and I had to be the proponent for that change.

"Let's face it, it really boiled down to me being lazy and unwilling to put in the effort to change."

So, while it's still a fairly new change, what do my days look like NOW? First change, first; I set an alarm every night and wake up every morning at 6:30, weekends included. The first thing that I do when I wake up is open my Bible app on my phone and read the verse of the day, follow the daily prayer refresh, and read my Bible reading plan along with my Sunday School family. I love that we can share in this reading with one another and even when I'm unable to be present in person, I still feel connected. Next, I get ready for the day and spend some time studying the Bible and writing before my kiddos wake for the day. More often than not, my three year old is laid out in my arms covered in a cozy blanket while I'm typing away and reading. Who's going to complain about cozy snuggles while enjoying time with our Creator?

Then it's time for breakfast, prayer and Bible time with my kiddos while we eat, kitchen cleanup and getting my third grader started on his daily studies. We have also taken an interest in making crusty-homemade bread from scratch using our Ninja Foodi and it's quickly becoming one of our favorite things to do together (and to eat, too!). There's something so fulfilling in creating, proofing, and baking homemade bread. So we use this time before lunch to start the dough and proofing process so that it's ready in time for dinner. The kids feel so included and have expressed so much joy in being apart of my time in the kitchen.

Wrapping up the morning, we head into preparing and cooking lunch and prepping for dinner. I try to include my kids in this every day and they are really a being a part of the decision making and creating of our meals. It has really made a huge difference for us. After lunch, it's house cleaning for me and independent play time/screen time for the kids. Dinner gets started and is ready when the hubby gets home and we all sit down together for dinner (usually with my three year old up and down from the table running back and forth through the house). Alas, it's time for dishes to be done again and clean up around the kitchen. Baths, stories, and bed time snuggles round out the evening and then it's off to sweet dreams and rest.

If you're like I was and currently feel stuck in chaos with no solution in sight, take heart that with continual prayer and dwelling in the Lord, He will guide you and sustain you. It's still early in our transition but I know without a doubt that God has this all figured out and I simply need to learn to surrender myself to His will. The same is true for you.

For now, Bountiful Blessing and Glorious Grace Upon You!

Kasey