Difficult Seasons

“Most people overestimate what they can do in a year and underestimate what they  can do in a lifetime.” Tony Robbins

Last week I talked about making the most important things in life a priority. Today I want to offer encouragement to those of you who may have felt a little overwhelmed in reading that post.

My Current Season

As I mentioned in my previous post, I’ve accomplished a lot this year. Part of the reason I’ve been able to do so is because I have two children who are both inbetween toddlerhood and the teen years. Neither of my children are special needs, I don’t have a chronic illness or ailing parents, and I usually only work one day per week outside the home.

This year is also by far our easiest homeschooling year yet. My second grader is a great reader and a self motivated learner who is able to do her schoolwork on her own. My pre-schooler is a little sponge who picks up information as she plays and listens in on her sister’s lessons, so she currently doesn’t need much structured learning time.

In other words, I am at a season in my life where I am able to accomplish extra things.

Difficult or Busy Seasons

A few years ago, I was in survival mode.  I had an infant during my first year of homeschooling, I was exhausted, and there were several other things I was dealing with as well.

I did not wake up early to accomplish anything, I did not declutter my house (I was doing well to just shove the clutter into a closet!), and I wasn’t even able to find time to read books to myself, let alone write them.

Likewise, when my incredibly energetic younger child becomes old enough to need structured learning and my older daughter enters the upper grades with much more difficult topics, I will once again spend a lot of time preparing and teaching lessons.

At that time, the majority of my attention will again be turned inward as I focus more solely on my family and let the other things go.

When we’re going through difficult or extra-busy seasons, we want to be careful to not wallow in self pity, and to do our best, but we also need to give ourselves plenty of grace as well as time to rest and rejuvenate.

The passage below was incredibly helpful to me when I was going through a difficult time. I hope it will be a blessing to you as well!

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall,  But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:28-31 (emphasis mine).