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For Those Days When You Just Don’t Have What it Takes

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If you are having one of those days when you just don’t have what it takes, no worries, I can relate. The interesting thing, however, is that we don’t have to remain in that state of pure exhaustion. We can do something to start heading in a different direction.

Here’s what you need to know for those days when you just don’t have what it takes.

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I knew it wasn’t a going to be a good day. I woke up later than normal after another night that was way too short to discover that my 2 year old had colored up and down the hallway and all down the stairs with a crayon.

He gets up and starts roaming the house whenever he feels like it despite any punishment or reward we have tried. That is a whole different story. It took me until my 6th kid to ever believe there was anything called “the terrible twos.”

Anyway, with some elbow grease and some cleaner it came off. Thank goodness it was a washable crayon. However, I was already behind the eight ball so to speak with my day. I resumed the tasks I originally had planned.

Soon I was interrupted by kids telling me that the same two year old had pooped on his bedroom carpet. This can’t be, he wears diapers, right?

Wrong.

Don’t ask me what he did, but I came in his room to see that my kids were right. There were piles of poop that would rival any horse deposit in four different smeared groups. And the smell nearly knocked me over.

Did I mention my obsession with carpet? So thankful for my steam cleaner that day.

An hour later the mess was finally cleaned up and the smell was gone, too.

The day went on from there. 

I came home from running errands to find food that my kids didn’t put away all over the floor (cheese, banana peel, tortilla—-REALLY?!). I also found that visitors had arrived for a visit a good 30 minutes ahead of schedule and sitting in the midst of the cheese that was dripping from the ceiling (well, not really, but it may as well have been).

It was about that point that I realized I just needed to take some deep breaths and ask God for the strength to parent these blessings He had bestowed upon me.

The day did get mildly better.

What made my day get better was a shift in my perspective. Although not easy, I didn’t want this day to set me backwards in my quest to live a life that was radically different. Especially because I had been making such progress. I still had a choice in whether I wanted my circumstances to dictate my relationships.

I didn’t.

So, I found a few moments of peace and solitude and decided that what was in order was something radically different. Next, I brought all my kids together and asked them if we had gotten done the things we were supposed to get done that day.

Of course we haven’t even come close.

A few mumbled “no’s” later, I told them that I really didn’t care. I told them that I wanted to watch a movie together anyway (it was 9:15).

The looks on their faces told me that such a statement was long overdo.

And the most interesting thing was that no one came to inspect my house that night and shame me for not having everything done. It really was ok that there were still things left undone.

Maybe what we need on days when we just don’t have it in us, we just need to admit that we don’t have it in us….and move on.

Then, pray for strength. Next, give thanks for kids who color on walls and leave you piles of human feces in their wake.

Do this, and you will have done something radically different.

Radical relationships.  What a concept.

What helps you when you just don’t think you have what it takes?

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4 Comments

  1. Wow! I don’t know how I missed this one when it was posted. It’s like you were in my house that day 🙂 What a great new perspective and reminder that it’s ok to not “get it all done” all the time.

    1. well, I hope it’s ok to not get it all done everyday, cause that’s usually the way we roll over here…Amen? And, today I came home to find a half eaten banana that was still in the peel on the floor. Who raises these children? Oh, wait…ah. Kids, gotta love them. Funny you commented on this today. We’re watching another movie even thought we didn’t get everything done today, AND we skipped school today 😉

      1. Ya. We roll that way, too. I found a puddle of cold pee on the floor from my sweet little potty training 3 year old. That was the 3rd time he wet himself today…

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