Today, I battled myself. I don't know about you, but it isn't always easy for me to get us (Holland & I) up and out of the house. It takes motivation on my part. Major motivation. My toddler on the other hand...he wakes, slings his backpack over his shoulder, and heads to the front door to wave good-bye  just about every morning. Diaper still bursting at the seams from the night before, footie jammies on, no breakfast eaten, not a worry in the world. Oh to live like that! He just wakes ready to go. Myself on the other hand, it is not so. I am a have everything in order type of gal. That means I am dressed and mostly presentable, snacks are packed, plans are made, the house is orderly, breakfast is eaten. Perhaps my son and I are a good match for each other, we can learn from each other. For myself, to learn to let go a little. For him, to learn being prepared *can* be a really good thing. I say it like that because I think being overly prepared can also be a hinderance….but back to my point. The outside world is daunting, even as a single person, and definitely with a toddler…or two. And I know to some of you that might sound really, really silly but it is. Or so I tell myself over and over again. And you probably do too from tie to time. Yet once we do get out, we both do better, so much better. A breath of fresh air can really do the soul good. It feels SO good to be out and about amongst other people, sometimes even strangers.



Today was one of these days. I battled and battled (internally) and in the end, we traded our plans for a day in the city for a day staying in our own town. We just could not manage to get out of the house at a decent time this morning. Nor could I muster up the motivation. If I was motivated we totally could have, but it just didn't happen. Not even close. After ten, and with a short temper, I finally got it together and managed to drag us out to a park a few neighborhoods over. And as I sat at a stoplight I have sat at so many times before, I thought how good it felt to be out. Haha, duh. Isn't it always so? And then it clicked. It feels good to be out because that is how we are meant to live. In fact, that is how we were created to live. We were created to live amongst other people, in community with God, in community with each other, in fellowship. It makes perfect sense it would feel good to be with one and other, it makes perfect sense that we have a yearning to do so (even if we try to push it aside and ignore it and be homebodies). Yet how often do we live shut up in our own little boxes? Don't get me wrong, I get it mamma, it is hard! And home is comfortable and easy easier. But it just isn't the same. We need community. We need each other and so do our kids! So for me, here is to getting up and out more. For mustering up the motivation to just get out, to just do it, even if the process is messy, because that is just real life. And as messy (or not) the process of just getting out may be, I know I will be glad I did and my child will be glad I did regardless of what state the home is left in. And I think you will be too. So I encourage you, let's do this together. Let's just leave whatever may be keeping us at home and get out. Or at the very least, invite someone in. Invite someone in to that beautiful mess of yours because it really is beautiful. It is. Or go to the park. Grab a coffee. Take a walk. Whatever it may be, just get out and leave the excuses behind. And know on those tough mornings, you are so not alone. Not even close.


"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:24-25

….and thanks for listening to my rant.