Lynn H. Blackburn

I can play the piano.

I can knit.

I can’t juggle.

But that doesn’t stop me from trying.

Me and every other mom I know.

There’s the house that needs to be cleaned. At least occasionally.

There’s the laundry that has to be done. At least washed and dried. Folding is optional.

There’s the cooking that is required. Or at least the takeout to be ordered.

Most of the mom’s I know either have a job outside the home or the equivalent time commitments at school, church or in the community. They are room moms, Sunday school teachers, volunteers. They serve on committees, coach ball teams, organize fundraisers. They homeschool, lead small groups, sing in choirs.

Oh, and on top of that they are supposed to find time to exercise. Yeah. Right.

I don’t know any moms that don’t struggle with the juggle. Even when we try to scale back, the workload is overwhelming.

Because with all that, we haven’t mentioned our core roles as wives. mothers, daughters of the Most High.

I want to do it all. I can’t.

Right now, I’m juggling a full calendar, a writers conference, a major school decision, a child with a cold, a husband who has to deal with the financial markets daily, a house that needs to be cleaned, a pile of laundry I don’t want to tackle, the list goes on and on. And if you’re reading this, you can fill in the blanks with your own list I’m sure.

If I’m honest, there are a few things on my list that don’t have to be there.

I said yes when I should have said no.

I’m not great at the “no” part. But I’m slowly coming to terms with the fact that I can’t do the things I’m called to do if my life is cluttered with good things, but things that don’t need to there.

I’m encouraged by something our pastor said last Sunday.

When God calls you to something, He will provide everything you need to accomplish it.

But I can’t help but note that he didn’t say anything about God providing everything we need to accomplish all the stuff we pile on because we think we should or we don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings or look bad at the next PTA meeting.

Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and lowly of heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.  (Matthew 11:28-30 ESV)

So as a Mother’s Day gift to myself, I’ll be spending some time over the next few weeks asking God to show me what taking on His yoke means for me. And asking Him to show me what needs to be taken from around my neck and laid aside.

I’ll still be juggling more than I think I can manage.

And that’s OK. As Beth Moore pointed out in her study on Esther, God is never going to give me a life I can manage, because then I would go and do just that!

But I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength. (Phil. 4:13)

Maybe even juggle!