Park.

Park.

It's my lunch break (yay!) and as my stew heats up I'm quickly checking emails and getting some things done.

I didn't go to work today. It's been on my heart all week that I was being pretty unfaithful by working every day.

I mean, I really enjoyed getting up, going to work, having important things to do that didn't involve changing diapers or that kind of stuff. I enjoyed dropping Annika off because it made me feel rested and in control of my own day and productivity. It gave me time with my husband and quiet time with the Lord.
But, like I said, I felt sooo convicted about working outside the home that it just wasn't worth it to me. Annika's behavior went STRAIGHT down the drain from the first day we left her in the daycare because she had no one there tell her right and wrong in a way she would retain it. We would get her back and then spend the entire evening disciplining her for one thing or another. She had previously been so well behaved that it was a shocking change
.
As for me? I really enjoy working, but a lot of that is just for me. My job right now is to parent these kids, and that's really my first priority. No matter how much I liked the quiet time away from the daily ruckus of toddlerhood, it just isn't worth it to me to let Annika regress to being just like "everyone else's kids."
I'm not saying she's any different, but I do want to know that I did everything in my power to make homemaking my first priority-- to train up good, well behaved, obedient, joyful children, and to keep a beautiful, clean home in which the king of this castle can rest and be rejuvenated from his daily tasks while he and his queen enjoy their time together. None of that was happening very well with me working every day. I get up at 5 am to do devotions and I don't finish my chores and things until 9 pm when I work, which leaves me with exactly one hour to be relaxing at the end of the day before it all starts again.

Instead, I have arranged to go in ONLY on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which makes really full days those two days (everything from accounting to mentoring at risk kids happens then) but time for me and Annika on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday to rest and to be diligent around the house, working on the things that really matter.
I hope this will go well, particularly because this season's cell groups are starting and I can't wait. I'm going to do the new mommies group again this cycle, and also a Women of Vision type one with Christy in which we are going to start off by studying "Disciplines of a Godly Woman," (FINALLY!) by Barbara Hughes.
Britt Merrick gave me that book when I first got saved and it's been an integral part of my walk since that day, but I never really studied it, just kinda "noticed" it.
Wayne is doing his Sunday 6 am men in ministry cell with Pastor Fletcher and I think he's going to be co-leading an --get this--- XBOX cell with David. :P Men.

Christy just came over this morning for a few hours with her boys and we took the kids to the park. It was SOOOOO nice to have someone to do this with, and I really enjoyed myself, even though it is always a little crazy when the kids get together because our conversations have to be peppered with interjections of "no!" "stop" and "come here!"
Spending ten minutes with her is always uplifting to me because she is so open and willing to talk about everything. Her love for God and her family always inspires me.

That's all for now. I'm off to knit like a maniac and rest on the couch til the bean awakens again. We've had a productive morning, let's see if we can keep this going til evening! hehe.