wants vs. needs or pearls gone wild

School Life this past week was long. Sickness, geometry, dinners, emails, lists, biology, laundry, dishes...I'm not saying it was all bad...just long. Some weeks are like that. The other day, Maggie and I were finishing up conferencing at 4:00pm. She wanted to go do some free stuff on the computer but still had some other things that needed to be done. It was one of those moments where she came face to face with the frustration of knowing what needed to be done, but not wanting to do it. In all my motherly wisdom, I said something like, "Sometimes the things you want to do have to be set aside for the things you need to do. That's what life is like. Don't let it steal your joy, there'll be time for the wants after the needs are checked off." As soon as I finished dropping my pearls of wisdom, I felt like someone had hit me on the back of my head with that very strand of pearls. You see I'd been pouting on and off all week when I hadn't gotten to the things I wanted to do. I wanted to finish my quilt top, but geometry took longer than expected. I wanted to call a friend and chat, but my little guy needed a snuggle on the couch. I wanted to sit and have a cup of coffee and knit, but Kenzie had a paper that needed editing. And each time I didn't get to my stuff I got a little more frustrated and irritated. Here's where lesson one hit home (almost as hard as those pearls hit me!). Lesson #1: I must not allow my joy to be stolen when my wants are set aside for needs...those needs that I'm meeting can't be done in love when I'm sulking over my stuff.

["If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or clanging cymbal." 1 Corinthians 13:1] Then yesterday, John Samuel's lesson suggested a nature walk. ughhh. I really didn't want to take a nature walk...you see the reality was that taking a nature walk would only make our day longer...it would mean I wouldn't be able to get to my stuff. (turn away if you must, I know it's ugly) But thankfully, by the grace of God, I was able to recognize that he and I both needed to take that walk. And that's when I learned lesson #2 from my week: Sometimes meeting needs means getting away from the to do list and taking care of ourselves. ["Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12] We needed to get out of the house and enjoy the beauty of the season and refresh our souls. We needed the fresh air and the exercise. We needed to get away for a bit. The lists will always be there. But the memories we made on our walk and the time we spent together are so much more valuable. I'm so glad we took that nature hike. It was just what we needed. I'm positive I'll have more lessons to learn and more opportunities to practice these lessons I'm learning Oh, and ..I'll be on the watching out for renegade pearls.