freedigitalphotos.net

This morning while sitting outside Ethan asked, “Did God make flies?”

“Yes, buddy,” I answered, with a smile, “God made flies.”

He acted incredulous, so after thinking about it a minute, I added, “Flies are good when they are doing their job. It’s when they’re not doing their job and get into our house or try to eat our good food that they drive us crazy. When things don’t do their job is when the world gets out of whack.”

I then realized the very same is true about us. When we don’t do our job, but try to do one that we weren’t made for or that is someone else’s job altogether is when our lives get out of whack. This thought reminded me of a post I’d just read by Joy on GracefullMama.com a few days ago. In it she talks about longing for the gifts of others and learning how to be content and flourish with our gifts instead.

Unlike Joy, you won’t find me doing a mean Ittsy-bitsy-Spider anytime soon. Maybe with my kiddos, but not anyone else’s. I have a good friend who is exceptionally gifted with young children, and we laugh all the time about how teaching littles makes me run for cover, but give me 18 and up any day of the week, and I’m good to go.

Through reading and talks with friends, I’m just beginning to realize how using the gifts God’s given me and working within them can make my life go so much smoother and bring peace. For instance, recently I read Proverbs 31, and it made me cringe. I know it probably makes you do the same. That woman seems so perfect! Then I realized she was simply using her gifts to serve her family and bring good to her husband.

That thought was a revelation to me. I had been under the impression for years that I needed to cook, provide, clean, “go buy a field,” along with fearing God to be a godly woman. She used her gifts. Unlike her my gift is not meal planning. I can’t do it to save my life, and it totally stresses me out, but I recently found a website that does it all for me, so all I have to do is print, check the items off  that I have, and go shopping. Sweet!

In realizing meal planning wasn’t my gift, releasing the guilt about it, and finding a good solution, I am now able to spend my time on things I can do, and do well. Right now with two pre-school boys in the house that consists of lots of other household chores and playing, often both together.

It also consists of teaching online and writing, which I’m grateful to be able to do while still staying at home with the boys. Neither of which I’d have very much time for if I tried to meal plan well. Seriously, it took me hours!

What in your day are you hanging onto because you feel it’s you “duty” or because of guilt? Sit down with God and discuss these things with him. Some of them may be good things like baking cookies for church events, teaching a children’s class, coupon clipping, decorating the “perfect” house… It can be anything, but if it’s taking time away from what God has truly gifted you and prepared you for, it’s not right for you.

I’m not suggesting you say no to all your housework and volunteering in the community and at church, but instead I am suggesting you say no to and find solutions for the things you aren’t gifted at, so you can say “Yes!” to what God truly wants for your life.