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What could have been- thankfully wasn't

This morning on my calendar was the following quote from Janette Oke:

Getting things accomplished isn't nearly as important as taking time for love.

Thank you Lord for sending those words my way today. I've been swamped with a "catch-up" schedule this week and just feel so far behind . . . . . then felt a bit guilty for taking time away from it all to have special time with friends and family.
I started out feeling so overwhelmed. And the more I would look at all that needed to get done the more overwhelmed I felt. This doesn't happen to me often . . . . I am usually prepared for this- meaning I make sure I have plenty of downtime after coming off of a youth trip-- except this time I was side-swiped.
It rained on our trip- so I came home with oodles of wet stinky stuff to wash. My home, thankfully was nice and clean and fluffed- but the kiddos emptied out all their stuff from staying at Nana and Grampy's all over the dining room and living room- including rocks and sand and sticky stuff.
I came home and put in loads of laundry and then was off that evening for a church softball game and then Wednesday was spent doing more laundry and a MOPS mom meeting in the afternoon and another church meeting in the evening.
And that is only half of it- while we were gone my sister was camping Up North with her boyfriend and his friends/family. I received a phone call from my mom (while I was camping) sharing that my sis had gotten engaged and  there would be a wedding "before the end of the year". That was Monday- on Tuesday afternoon, when I've just gotten home from my trip and my parents still have my kids- I find out my sister has gone off dress shopping (on her own), given notice at the bank where she works and wants me to mark off September 22nd OF THIS YEAR on my calendar for a beach wedding. Then a phone call a bit later- not only did she go dress shopping but she bought a dress and has the dress and wants us all to come over to see the dress- sqeezed that in on Tuesday nite after the ball game. Then Wednesday nite after my meeting my mom and sister and I spent some time going over wedding plans.
And did I mention my brother and his wife are planning a C-section for their 2nd child on Monday morning and my not quite 3 year old nephew will be coming over here at 5 am Monday morning so they can get to the hospital by 6 am. Ahem.
Does anyone hear my brain melting????? Warning, Warning, Warning- potential overload . . . . .
Oh, dear Lord I am so thankful for your care for me. You knew what was coming into my life this week. Thank you so much for how you have shown your love and care for me this week.
I share this not to sweep you all along on a "Poor Amy Pity Party" but to share how it has truly been- the reality that is not my normal reality. Normally, for me, when things get so chaotic I go right along with them and "crash and burn" in a pretty disgusting blaze of horrid pity party/temper tantrum glory. Not this time.
Perhaps it was simply all too overwhelming to me or perhaps instead I just finally truly "Let go and Let God" for once.
So what if it seemed like the washing machine ran for two days and the floors needed to be vaccumed right after we came home and the meals I had planned didn't fit our new schedule. Or I didn't do nearly even a quarter of the youth work that sat on my desk and was listed on my to do list. So what if my little sister is getting married in less than 10 weeks and it's at a beach 3 hours north of here and we've got to figure out where the money will come from for our part of it . . . .
Instead of slipping merrily down the slope of chaos, I just stepped off the road. No yelling at the kids and barking out orders on how to get my schedule up and running again. Nope. I made my obligations for meetings and such. I watched my sister twirl in her dress and listened as she shared the story of how he proposed and all her ideas/plans for the wedding. I sat with my kiddos and read stories and ooh/ahhed over their nature creations they had made with Nana. I sat on the porch swing with Mr. Steady and watched the lightening flash and the storm roll in. [And thanked God for the rain.] I sat in bed and read a book before bed most every nite. I turned off the alarm. I stuck with the plan of a rescheduled sleepover with friends- Sassafras and Mr. Conductor to their house and their oldest girl here with Maiden and ------ I DID NOT WORK but spent special time with Maiden and her friend. We went to an old-time A&W drive-in for lunch and bought a gallon of homemade root beer. We all watched movies together and sat in the dark on the living room floor eating warm frosted monkey bread with our fingers and laughing and laughing. Then I spent the afternoon visiting with my dear friend while the kids all played and we had the most wonderful uplifting chat together.
And while I have most certainly not been in control -- God has. I am rested and renewed- which wouldn't have happened if I let my week sweep me away as it very well could have. I have spent quality time in prayer (my laundry room makes a great prayer closet) and feel so much more blessed than stressed.
I am so thankful that God directed this week for me. I'm thankful that though it rained on our camping trip it did not dampen anyone's spirits and everyone did so amazingly well (I have never had such an all-over great trip with the youth!). I am thankful for my husband and children and how they have helped out at home without me even asking yet alone yelling and complaining (Maiden vaccumed right away before I could even begin to bluster). I'm thankful my meetings stayed within the allotted time frames and didn't run on forever and ever. I am just utterly thankful and amazed at how God simply took my week out of my hands and took care of me.
God is so good.

<i>Untitled Comment</i>

7:43 PM, 2007-Jul-20 .. Posted by Rhen

I love reading your blog. You have such a great and inspirational attitude. Thank you.

All for His glory, ~Rhen

PS- congrats to your sister on her engagement and your family for a new baby. Woo Hoo!

Edited by Rhen on 2007-Jul-20 at 6:44 PM