Held Back

My kitchen smells like lysol and smelly socks this morning.  The lysol because my awesome nieces mopped my floor for me yesterday afternoon, and the smelly socks because, well, because life is happening!

Five baskets full of laundry fill my floor space.  I spent some time this morning turning socks right side in and reminding myself that I still need to talk to the kids about how much joy would fill my heart should they ever decide to remove their pants separate from their underwear.  

Sigh.

I love these guys!  They are my life!  My passion!  My purpose for getting up in the morning!

Last night - on our way to Kobe's Spring Program (he's wearing his "Handsome Clothes"

I grabbed a pair of dark-brown-socks-that-used-to-be-white, grimaced at the hardness of the heels and thanked God for the gift of another day to mother these precious souls.

Laundry aside, here's what's on my heart.

Contentment.  Actually, contentment in adversity.

I confessed to treading water several days ago.  I'm getting better.  Feeling stronger.  Rising up again.

But as I rise above the angry currents surrounding me, I'm learning.

In life, it's easy to become discouraged at the lack of progress we experience in life.  How many mothers have told me of the tears they shed over washing dishes... or making beds... or getting pooped on?  Is this really all I'm called to do?

No matter your station in life, learn from this:

This... this scrawny little Impatiens used to look like this:

It was large, leafy and beautiful with a cheery red face smiling towards the heavens.  But before I settled it's roots into the warmth of flowerbed, I cut off the most beautiful parts.

Unfair as it seems, I know that the greatest potential for these little flowers is yet to come.   And the clippings from the Impatiens first growth will fertilize future growth from its new home beneath the soil - so all is not lost.  Were I to allow these tiny plants to keep their current beauty... their growth...  their accomplishments, their full capabilities would remain undeveloped.

What you're called to do today may seem small and insignificant.  Maybe even useless, unappreciated or unwanted.  But it's not.

Be patient in this holding back process, accept the pruning, the watering, the fertilizing (even when it's literal! :) ) and one day you'll recognize within you a new growth and a beautiful life that is beyond imagination.

...don't try to get out of anything prematurely.

Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed,

not deficient in any way.  -James 1