"So...What Do You Do All Day?"

“So what do you do all day?” People are frantic to know how I spend the hours each day that all 5 of my children are at school. (It has only been 3 weeks.)  

For years I have been plotting and planning how I would be able to spend the time when this day finally arrived. I confess one superficial objective was being able to go to the gym without a child in tow; I wouldn’t have to feel bad about doing something for myself at their expense. I could stay and work-out and perhaps even socialize a little without worrying if I was taking too long while my son/daughters were in the childcare room.

So, here I am with my days free and the “getting to the gym” idea is the furthest thing from my mind (I don’t even belong to a gym anymore). Don’t get me wrong, I am still committed to getting in my workouts. However, I do everything I can to get them in before the kids even leave the house in hopes of keeping the day open.

With a husband that coaches and raising 5 kids, I am never lacking for things "to do". I have been looking for a job and going to interviews. I write in my blog and have served at church. I have been running family errands, grocery shopping and making dinners [The sports schedules start the minute the kids get home which means we need to eat dinner at 4:15 and then go, go, go]. But the best answer I can say about how I spend my days: praying. Jeremiah and I started a 40 day prayer challenge (Draw the Circle: The 40 Day Prayer Challenge by Mark Batterson).  It’s a trial to change the way I pray; it’s a venture to be more specific, more persistent and to dig a lot deeper than I normally would, believing God can breakthrough any situation.

Every day I desire to be productive. I am desperate to be useful and to be able to use my God given talents and passions to contribute to a something meaningful, substantial and with a lasting impact. But I recognize I cannot create something out of nothing. I cannot open up opportunities that do not exist. But God can. Praying actually ends up being the most effective use of my time.

Prayer Challenge Day 23: Lord, I am still not completely clear about where you are leading me and what You have in mind for me to do (in terms of a job). But I trust You. I am grateful for the extra time I have to know You more during this period of waiting. I am confident that You have a plan. I pray these days will be fruitful and bring glory to Your name. Amen.

(Image source: Google Images http://www.eagleonline.com/the-magical-to-do-list/ and http://campusadvent.com/?p=365)