A little bit less......

It's funny I never thought I was a person of excess.  I am usually quite happy with what I have and although yes, I may want other things I don't find myself consumed with thinking about it in any way.

Lately though, I have been practicing "a little bit less." It wasn't an intentional action it was one born of exhaustion and frustration. I was beginnning to feel like I cold not keep up with everything I "needed" to do and yet things kept piling up and overwhelming me. So in order to keep going I started making changes I decided what happens if I do less?  What if I buy a little less (I am not a big shopper anyways LOL), I eat a little less, I "do" a little less as far as extras.........

 Less of the things everyone else does and not stress over what doesn't get finished today?  How many things REALLY need done NOW and cannot wait one more day? I don't mean not fulfilling needs but the things we THINK we have to get done all the time.  The things we waste all our time and energy trying to finish that really, in the big picture is negligiable?

I was put on a new medicine recently and it makes me need more sleep so I am going to bed earlier.  Thats a good thing since most of us run around sleep deprived but cannot figure out why we suffer migraines and other types of chronic issues.  I stopped buying so much junk food etc when I grocery shopped (ok the kids are having fits over no Dr Pepper) and I lost 4 pounds.  Go figure.

Now I don't advocate not parenting or keeping a sanitary home or being involved in your children's lives but I do think we way over reach ourselves in the name of "need" when what it is  really, is wanting to prove we can do. We can afford to put our kids in every activity; we can afford to have clubs; we can afford to go out and meet up etc. in the expenditure of both time and money (technically) but things are getting out of whack in too many palces anymore.  Nnot everything we can do; we should do.  In 1 Corinthians 10:23 Paul says everything is permissable but not everything is beneficial. Parents are dictated to by Johnny's soccer  and Mary's dance class and both are in extra clubs and swimming but they never sit at home together and just relax and talk and enjoy each other. 

Anyway I am doing a bit less and feeling a lot better.  It may be worth looking into for you as well.  One thing we can never gain back is time and in all my years of roaming around as a military wife I have not met a single parent or family member who says "Gee I wish I had spent LESS time with my family." They all say the opposite.  I often hear from parents of older children and my older friends how they wish they had stopped to enjoy life and relax more.  There is something to be learned there for me.....