Taking the Time

I don't know about you, but most of the time if I want something done, it's easier to do it myself. For example, any chores such as sweeping, vacuuming, switching the laundry etc., is just easier if I do it. I can take care of it quickly, correctly, and be sure the job gets completed. It doesn't help that I'm a perfectionist and want things done in a particular way. This always gets me into trouble. Why? Well, when you're a perfetionist and want things done in a certain way(the way I would do it), you will never be happy with anyone else doing that job. I recently read somewhere that if my children are constantly struggling meeting my expectations, then I should lower my expectation level. "WHAT?! Why should I do that?" I thought. I mean, after all, what's so hard about doing things MY way? First of all, I am 35.(gasp!) My children are 11 and younger. Of course they are not going to do things perfectly. So what if when they fold the laundry, it's not folded exactly the way I would do it? It should just be folded neatly. So what if they sweep or vacuum and missed a crumb here or there? How can I expect them to do a perfect job at their age? Everyone has to learn and start somewhere.

The reason I'm bringing this up is because it is something I struggle with - daily. My children are always asking me to do something. It may be to play with them, cook, clean, do a project and my oldest always asks me to iron(something which I am extremely behind on- all the time). I say no alot to these things because I am always busy and it's easier not to take the time to clean up the mess made from cooking or doing a project. And, like I said earlier, it's faster to do someting myself and do it right. Well, Sarah wanted to make a cake. She asked me in the morning if she could make one after her school was done. I told her maybe and left it at that. Around dinner time she asked again and I decide that I would just let her. We didn't have many cake mixes so she looked in my mennonite cookbook and found a recipe for a devil's food cake. She wanted to try that one, so I let her. She did the majority of it herself even though it was more complicated than a box mix, and I just helped when she needed it. It was actually pretty fun and though there was a bit of a mess, Sarah learned how to make buttermilk and sift ingredients etc., and later we enjoyed a delicious made from scratch, devil's food cake. It was so good! Who needs boxed mixes?!

This morning I put David to work so he'd stay out of mischief, cutting up bread for our french toast casserole. Letting that child have a knife is very dangerous indeed, but I did, and he did a great job! So together we made breakfast and both had fun.

It was so nice not to say, "no" for once! The children got the urge to bake out of their system for a bit, they both learned something and hey, so did I. I learned that getting the kids involved in tasks is fun and educational for everyone. Now you're probably saying, "everyone knows that," but knowing it and doing it are two different things! You're right, and that's the hard part. I'm amazed at just how quickly my children are growing. Each day is a day to cherish.

"Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." James 4:14

Each day we need to take the time to look in our children's eyes, to play with them, laugh with them, involve them in our tasks, and show them the patience, love , and mercy Jesus has shown us.

Isaiah 28:10 "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:"