Grace

"Excellence is not measured by a to-do list; it is manifested in the life of a wife who knows Jesus intimately."

This week has been pretty shocking for Dan and I.  It's around this time of the year that I feel like I'm diving head first into an ice cold pool.  It's shocking at first- after such a relaxing summer transitioning to the Fall- but once you jump, there's no turning back.  Fall has arrived, and with that comes football, pumpkin spice lattes, sweaters, scarves, boots, candles, and apple picking - all things that I LOVE.  But with those wonderful things also comes studying, holidays, traveling, ministry, and ... tiredness.  While I love every minute of it, it can be draining.

Something I really desire for this season of our life is to not cling so tightly to my to do list.  I've stated before my struggles with lists, but when the pressure is on like it is this Fall, I tend to resort back to my controlling tendencies of writing everything down and forging ahead with this determined list - fearing of what could happen if I don't finish all that is on it.

And as much as I hate this, the first thing to go when I get in my "list" mentality is spending time with God. Cleaning up the apartment brings me immediate results.  Spending time with God (while at times can bring me peace) usually does not bring immediate results.  But, I recently read an article that really encouraged me to rethink my list mentality (quote from above is found there).

No matter how many things I cross off on my "to do list," my excellence as a wife does not come from those daily accomplishments, it comes from knowing Christ and understanding His grace that gives me the ability to be a good wife, student, friend, etc.

Grace.  That seems to be the theme for the Fall in my life.  Understanding God's grace toward me, and giving myself and others grace.

If you get a chance I would read the article.  It's an awesome reminder of who we are in Christ.