The Battle

"Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom."

-Psalm 90:12

I fight the battle every morning.

The enemy I fight comes at me every day in the form of numbers.

I curse him.

The red glowing numbers that scream at me with the alarm. 5:00. Those are the numbers that begin my day. I try to smile at them, because they won't beat me down...not today. I hate it when he comes in the form of time. Tick. Tick. Tick. I will fight my enemy with all the kindness and sweetness I can muster as I kiss my sweety good morning.

Now to see if two teenagers have ignored their red glowing numbers this morning...

I ignore the numbers that are the scale in the bathroom. They will not determine my happiness. Not today.

The numbers on the clock count down our morning, as if we're on a game show and must overcome a ridiculous amount of obstacles in a set amount of time before the buzzer sounds to win a prize! And we do! The kids are off and running before Aaron's timer on his watch goes beep! beep! beep! and they're on their way to the bus stop.

And there are more numbers to conquer - the numbers on the coupons and in on the dollar bills in my wallet that need to add up to the number of my grocery budget. 

I need to bake and cook, using all the right measurements - numbers and numbers.

And the laundry loads - you wouldn't believe the numbers of loads and numbers of shirts I iron!

And phone numbers and channels and bills...

...lots of numbers...it's enough to make my head spin. Math was never my strong suit, yet here I am drowning in them.

Most importantly, I need to make sure that before I tackle them all, I need to spend time with my Heavenly Father. I need to make sure I remember to put it all in perspective and prioritize things the way He would have me prioritize them. I need to remember wha it means to "number my days aright." My days are numbered. I need to remember that He has important things for me to do. That means that sometimes it's more important to stop and listen to my kids and what they did at school over a glass of chocolate milk and save the vacuuming for later...or, maybe I can be a little bit more clever than that...

Maybe I'll have to get my tail in gear and get my housework done - the stuff I was planning on doing later tonight...instead of feeling overwhelmed and putting things off and feeling enslaved to the numbers on the clock, I'm going to make them work for me by doing my best to make the most of them! In goes the laundry and the dishes in the dishwasher! Take that! The floor will be vacuumed in no time flat!

I just needed a little motivation and inspiration...I will go to the worn page number in Betty Crocker's book and make that dessert I know the kids - and especially Mike loves so that my whole family will feel relaxed tonight and we can have some good, old fashioned family time. I need to concentrate on taking charge, managing my home and creating an atmosphere of love, fun and peace...what I do best around here, and what I believe I was created to bring to this family.

I think I have just gained a heart of wisdom.