The Art of Life
Photobucket I'm so glad you're here! "The Art of Life" is where I share my journey as an artist & Momma. It's a place where I hope to encourage other women that they are artists too. In this small little space I seek to share, document, and be reminded of God's wonderful grace, all around us. ....And I would be so happy to have you journey alongside me! So grab a cup of coffee and linger for a while. I hope you leave feeling refreshed. Photobucket

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Jumping off the treadmill

~~Sarah Jane wrote a post today titled "Being Real." If you don't know Sarah you should really take the time to visit her blog. She's an artist, Mom, and business owner and she does it all so well.
~~It's strange because I've had some similar thoughts rolling around in my mind recently. Lately I would say that my brain most resembles one of those bingo ball cages, filled to the brim with thoughts that are constantly spinning. It's not a pretty picture.
~~To be honest I've been feeling stressed and overwhelmed lately. It's that slow, suffocating feeling that you constantly push down while plowing forward through your day. We're leaving on a week long trip in a little over 3 weeks and there's so much that needs to get done before then. My ultimate goal was to also have most of my Christmas things done before we left. It doesn't help that our society is so anxious to push time forward. Our Wal-Mart started playing Christmas songs the first day of November. While some people enjoy that, for me it just brings up the thoughts of all that needs to get done.
~~It's not that I don't love Christmas. I truly do. I love to watch the girls delight in all the wonder of the Season. It always makes me remember how excited I was as a little girl. So I have to stop and think, "Why, as an adult, has that joy been replaced with stress?"
~~Sarah talked about how multi-tasking has just become a normal part of all of our lives and yet the real joy comes when we can focus on each moment and truly be present in what we are doing. I believe that. I truly do.
But for me, just knowing it isn't going to help.
~~I realized today that I'm once again making my signature mistake; trying to handle life on my own.
Yes, there are a lot of things that need to get done in a short amount of time.
That's true.
But I've been allowing my perfectionistic nature to drive me along.
I've become a Martha to the Max.
Sigh. I know better.
~~What I need to do is stop.
Breathe.
Get a notebook out and empty my brain.
Then I need to take that list to my Heavenly Father and ask for His help.
~~It's a hard thing to jump off the treadmill. Even now as I write this I can see the painting on my easel that I'm dying to get finished. I'm thinking about the laundry that needs to be folded and how I need to sort through the girl's clothes before the trip. We need to get a family picture made for the Christmas card. I need to find Dustin a new suitcoat................
~~I know that a lot of my perfectionism grew with Motherhood. I realize that now I'm the one creating the memories and traditions. I'm the one in charge of keeping it all together. So Isaiah 40:11 is a comforting scripture to me:
"He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young."
~~God knows that Motherhood isn't always easy; especially for control freaks like me. He knows that I tend to try too hard. And He's promised to gently lead me, if I will let Him.
~~Now, before I'm tempted to get busy again, I'm off to find that notebook.

7 comments:

Sarah Jane said...

love this! Thanks for linking, but really, thanks for sharing so openly! You aren't a lone girl! i love your mary/martha mention. I think about that DAILY! We need an equal amount of both...so hard to find the balance! THanks Kasie!

Valerie Jones said...

Kasie, Kasie, Kasie......stop trying to be perfect, dear one. I struggle so much with this, but I am s-l-o-w-l-y learning that things don't have to be a certain way for memories to be made. The only person I'm letting down is myself. The others don't care if the house isn't perfect, a perfect meal isn't made, the laundry isn't done on a certain day. Be alive in the moment and enjoy the day. Thanks for sharing. We know you are real that way.

(((HUGS)))

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the post, and for the link to Sarah Jane's site - her art is too cute.

But seriously, Valerie is right. Kids grow up too fast to make everything perfect. When they're 15 and arguing over makeup and cell phones, you won't regret that you left some laundry undone, or that the house wasn't always neat, or even that you didn't enroll them in all the activities you hoped to -- no, you'll wish that there had been more dress ups, more scrabble, more marble runs and more time just doing nothing, but doing it together. Motherhood is a tough job, but NO ONE gets it exactly right. Do your best and let God do the rest!

Elise said...

Hi Kasie

Funnily enough I have just come from Sarah Jane's blog and read her wonderful post about multitasking and being present in the moment. It must be that time of year for us mums to be feeling overwhelmed.

I am finding more and more that one of the most important things for my children and for our family to be happy is to be completely present in the moment and not be consumed by other things such as what needs to be done.

After a difficult week, I have made a few basic choices. I choose not to be consumed by chores and the never ending to do list. I choose to live for what matters most. I want my children to be able to look back on their childhood and feel that it was a wonderfully happy and carefree time in their life. I want them to know that they are the most important part of our lives and that no matter what we are always there for them, no matter how busy life gets.

Thank you for writing such an honest post. I could relate to so much of what you said.

Kasie, I am saddened to read about the passing of Dustin's Grandma. I will keep your family in my prayers.

Lots of love and hugs
Elise

Anonymous said...

Is this your trip to Galveston you talked about a few months ago? I hope you find it in better shape than it was a few months ago.

Slow down and enjoy. I find that it has gone fast this year, too.

Jo Castillo said...

Hi Kasie, I remember how hard it is to balance the work, fun and family especially the kids. Still hard sometimes. Your post made me think of the poem below that someone sent me. Hang in there and try not to worry about perfect. :)

Hugs.

Dust if you must....... but wouldn't it be better
to paint a picture or write a letter,
bake cookies or a cake or plant a seed,
ponder the difference between want and need?

Dust if you must, but there's not much time,
with rivers to swim and mountains to climb,
music to hear and books to read,
friends to cherish and life to lead.

Dust if you must, but the world's out there
with the sun in your eyes, the wind in your hair,
a flutter of snow, a shower of rain.
This day will not come around, again.

Dust if you must, but bear in mind,
old age will come and it's not kind.
And when you go - and go you must -
you, yourself will make more dust!

Nikki said...

Thank you for the reminder.