All the Time In The World

Looking back on these photos makes me realize why I need vacations so much. Even if they're wet and rainy. The leisure of just walking through the woods or floating by beautiful homes on a slow moving ferry was relaxing for me. 

Since I've been home I've been going, going, going. 

Life seems to constantly be tilting our balance one direction or another, doesn't it?

 I realize that most of my busyness is doing what I need to do to take care of my family. And I'm grateful for that opportunity, just as I am grateful I could go on vacation.

But, the time with my children is quickly dwindling. Speaking of balance, why is it when my linen closets are beautiful my pantry is a disaster? Or the bathrooms are clean then the cabinets are due for a paint job again? I just have to keep the perspective, when I am the only one using the pantry it will stay neat. And on the flip side, when I am the only one cleaning every room in the house, it will take longer. I know in all the busyness of life, we just move forward doing the best we can with where we are. I try to remember that progress comes slowly, and for that, we have all the time in the world.  Until we don't, and then it will be time for moving on to a different place to make progress. 

I am in my fiftieth year. I know more than half of my life is over.  I hear my parents talk regularly, making decisions based on the premise that they don't have that much time left, and they won't worry about certain things, but they do make time to go to the temple every week and to serve faithfully, doing things even 20 year olds would find challenging. 

Its made me think more about my own life. Am I using my time wisely? Am I taking care of the most important things? Am I prioritizing correctly? Time is shorter than we realize. When I see my children walking far ahead of me, I remember not long ago, when I needed to keep them closer. Now I am perhaps less than four years from being an empty nester.  I just hope to be able to use all the time left in making more progress, helping more people, learning new things, and becoming more like the Savior, staying balanced even as Life gave Him plenty of things that would seem to be creating the opposite effect. Steadfast and immovable applies more than to just living by my basic standards, but handling all life has to offer us, just as He would, as His stalwart servant. That's my goal. . . I'm still trying to make more progress.