Guest Post: When Life Doesn't Go As Planned

My day began at 2:30 a.m. My husband was sick and we were both awake because of his coughing.
Eventually he got up and I fell back asleep. He came back to bed at 3:30 a.m. We fell asleep. Our alarm went off at 6:10 a.m. Since we'd been up quite a bit and my husband was still not feeling good, we didn't get up until 7:00 a.m. By then, our boys were awake and ready to start their day.

After I got my husband out the door for work, I tried to have a quiet start to my morning, by drinking a cup of coffee and getting some work done on my computer while the boys played quietly in their room. My boys would have none of that. They were ready to get up…ready to eat breakfast…and cranky.

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Before I had even started on breakfast, I was close to tears. I was tired. The day seemed overwhelming. I didn't have the energy or desire to be a loving mom. I couldn't wait for day to be over.

Once I had breakfast on the table, I grabbed my Bible and sat down while my boys ate their breakfast. In between the interruptions that come with being a mother of two young boys, I read Proverbs 16:24.

"Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones."

I was humbled. God didn't have a big to-do list for me to accomplish. In fact, the to-do list was entirely of my own making and none of it had to be done that day. My focus needed to be on my words. I had the power to encourage and build up my sons during a rough day or discourage and berate them for not letting mommy rest. When I saw my day through the perspective of this verse, I realized that the day wasn't as overwhelming as I had thought.

Sure, I would still try to get some things marked off my to-do list. But that wasn't the day's top priority. My top priority was to invest in my children.

So we had our morning Bible time and we went over our memory verses…multiple times, because Drew wanted to. I watched Drew run and fall down (a favorite activity of little boys…not sure why it's fun :-)) as I did the dishes. While I read my book, I sat near the boys, who were playing with their cars.

When I slowed down, re-evaluated my day and sought to spend the day giving my children "sweetness and health" through my words, my day turned around. I was no longer overwhelmed. I knew I was right where God wanted me to be…tired, sick husband, cranky children and all.

Carrie has been married to her best friend (Tim) for five years. She is the mother of two boys, Drew (4) and Carter (2). She enjoys her job as a wife, mother, and homemaker; her passion is to encourage other women in their walks with God. She blogs at www.wholesomewomanhood.com.