Margine.......in our personal lives

 So our pastor was talking about margine the other day.  He referred to our personal lives and our finances both.  So I thought I would pass on a tiny piece of somethig I have been thinking about. 

**Today's pics are brought to you by Fun at the Park :).  We went out and played at the park last week.  We played baseball, kickball, rode scooters, and of course got the famous questions- do you run a local daycare?  ;)  he he he he......you would think it wouldn't still make me laugh, but it does. 

 So margine.  Now that summer is kicking in- do you love the "new routines" you have just started or will be soon, or are you begging for mercy already?  You see sometimes routine changes are the perfect times to reevaluate what we are doing.  Like for me I reevaluate what we will focus on for the summer. 

 Since we homeschool year round I don't do "longer" days of school in the summer.  I focus my efforts on a few things, and try to really do them thoroughly.  It could be a focus on a few curriculm pieces that maybe we have done, but now is the time to really focus and dig a little deeper. 

 The LAST thing I want to do is to make our days miserable anytime of the year.  It's summer, I want to relax, play more, do some fun projects, and focus on the needs of our children.  Not that I don't year round, but this is a time to do extra.  Hope that makes sense. 

So back to margine.  If I want to focus....I have to take things out of the way.  I have to really look deeply at what is most important at this time for our kiddos and learning.  I push things that I would normally do out of the schedule.  Just "redo" my schedule for a while. 

 What about our personal lives.  Are we so busy running like headless chickens (and by the way if you grew up on the farm you know that headless chickens run around like CRAZY!) that we forget to focus.  We get too distracted by the things around us to allow time for God to work in our lives.  For us to solely communicate with HIM? 

 Or is is that we allow our families to get so busy that we "run to church or church events" rather than focus on them?  OUCH!  That has hit me more than once between the eyes!!!!  Because I have read the statistics on how and why children leave the church, but I believe the most important is- we "play church" just like our kids "play house" or in our case sometimes "play orphanage".  We don't allow margine in our lives so we run around yelling at our chidren or spouses instead of preparing our hearts to go to church. 

 I am completely guilty!!!!  I get caught up in "getting school done" that I forget to connect well with my children, to connect well with my husband, or most importantly connect with GOD!  Then my life sets off in a downward spiral.  I am not leaving a margine in my life, in my spiritual life :(.  Everyone around me suffers.........

 My husband laughs because I am very type A.  I know you are thinking- how is that possible with 9 children.  My answer......that is why I a not good at crafts, or messy projects all the time, etc.  I like my lists, schedules, etc.  So if you are a type A person- you will scrap the schedule you have and create a new one.  Scrap the list you have and create a new one with different priorities.  :)  It's refreshing!  It's freeing!!! 

 Most importantly for me.....it allows me to REFOCUS!  To CREATE MARGINE in my life so I feel like my goals are in line with what God wants from me. 

 Doesn't mean I am perfect.  NOPE!  Just means I am refocusing......and will continue to refocus until I am in line with what the Holy Spirit is asking of me.  Sometimes that means my blog posts don't get written....sometimes  it means.....FB goes without posts (oh my shock I know).....sometimes it means I don't get any down  time.......but at all costs- am I making sure that God and then my family are getting my focus! 

 So what is your schedule like this summer?  Does it leave time for fun?  Family?  GOD? 
Does it really fit your needs, your families needs?  If not.....now is the time to make some changes whether you are a hard core scheduler like me, or someone who is more relaxed.  We all need margine!!  So we don't lose focus on what is most important!

**Just wanted to share some REALLY EXCITING NEWS!!!!!!!!!   We have had 4 clients match in the last month :).  One you have already met- Thomas and Kristi!!!!  Well, there will be more soon.  Will be posting as their precious ones are being born (one is already here- just born a few days ago), and as they are able to get those first fun family pics.  :)  SOOOO EXCITED to share more soon.  I am pretty sure I work with some of the most amazing families on the planet :).