What do you do when you are getting a late start?

January 5th. I still feel like it was just Christmas yesterday, so how did it get to be January 5th already?

For some reason I have been feeling sluggish and lethargic about most of my life lately. In fact I really bottomed out a couple of days ago and was so grateful for a friend that I could email with my list of failures. She read it without judging me and offered some sound advice. She told me the truth to combat the lies I had been telling myself. If you don’t have at least one friend like this I highly suggest you begin praying for one and cultivate that relationship.

Instead of pulling myself up by my bootstraps and pressing on I decided to be nice to myself, because if I was asked by someone else what to do under these circumstances, that’s what I would tell them to do. Try this sometime – pretend a friend came to you with the problems or situation you are facing. What would you tell her to do? We are often much more merciful to our friends than we are to ourselves.

So how do you be nice to yourself? That depends on what refreshes you the most.

I decided to do some things that I enjoy and that would provide some instant gratification. I read a new magazine that I had recently received. I’m usually so far behind in my reading, and decided to reward myself by reading something I enjoy but usually put off.

Right now our entire basement is torn apart to do some needed repairs on the chimney for our fireplace. It was supposed to be a three-day job, but has turned into a project that has lasted for weeks. Our family room is where we spend most of our time. I hadn’t budgeted time for this sort of upheaval, especially during the Christmas season, so instead of rolling with the punches I’ve allowed it to rob me of my joy.

I also cleaned our bedroom, which includes my office. For me it is a place of refuge in an otherwise messy home. Now when I come to our room I feel a sense of peace instead of just more disorder.  I can actually feel myself relax as I step into my space. There is still work to be done, but I have enough finished that I can relax and face doing the rest. Actually, I find myself finishing up things I have to get done so I can spend time cleaning out another drawer.

There is still chaos in many areas of my house, but I have places where there is order and it’s been good for me emotionally to be able to see it frequently. It reminds me that things won’t always be like this – order will be restored and life will go on.

Luke 19:17 “And he said unto him, Well done, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.” KJ

Finding Joy in the Journey,

Phyllis Sather

© 2010 Phyllis Sather

Phyllis@Phyllis-Sather.com