Planners, Organization

How do you stay organized?  Do you use the calendar on your smart phone?  Do you use a hard copy planner where you fill in each day's activities, or do you use Cozi family calendar that emails everyone each day their activities, or do you use a combination of all the above?

I know the Cozi family calendar which you can access online, or download the app has been very helpful in communicating between all of us in our family orthodontist appts, and games, etc... However, I also feel like I got more done on a day to day basis when I kept a hard copy planner with a "To do" list.  In fact, in this digital age that we live in since our appointments can be managed and communicated so accurately through digital ways I have found that I have stopped keeping a "to do" list.  Which to my horror, when I slowed down and started to evaluate myself over the last 6 months I realized that I had kept appointments,  but other than that I had not really accomplished much of anything. (example: a craft project, a new recipe, etc...)  So I am going to keep my digital help, but I am also going to go back to my old fashion write it down on paper, and check it off "to do" list.

What do you do?

Progress

I see quotes all the time on line,  that read things like
"Choose Progress over Perfection"

What does that Even mean?  What does that mean to you?  What does that mean to me?  

I am a woman who has been raised with Martha Stewart on TV telling me that I should assemble, cook, decorate, and entertain to such a high level that she can only accomplish with a staff.  Last I looked I looked I do not have a staff.  We have celebrities and models on the cover of magazines that have been airbrushed to perfection.  Real life is not airbrushed.  

Real life is messy!! It consists: of oversleeping, having cranky kids some days, multiple texts and phone calls, job expectations, the school wanting you to sign EVERY paperwork your kids has done for a school day, on time for practices, dinner made, and lunch made with "whole food" not full of yucky ingredients, while trying to stay calm, polite, looking good, working on your marriage, staying sexy for your spouse, raising responsible kids, focus on their heart trying to share your values and beliefs, the dog running out of the back yard,  the gas meter in your car running almost empty on the day that you are running late, and of course it's raining to!  In real life you get tired, you get sleepy, their are not enough minutes in the day for us to accomplish all the things that the media is busy trying to tell us that we should accomplish or be.  

SO I reject perfection.  It's not attainable.  It's not reality.  I choose to strive to simple progress.  The dictionary defines progress: as a movement toward a goal or to a further or higher stage.
So that is my focus, to move forward.  It sounds simple to all the bumps in the road happen, until something unexpected blindsides you, knocks you off your feet.  How do we accomplish perfection?  We don't.  WE CAN'T!  It is not realistic.  However, we can move forward, trusting God that He will use our best efforts to accomplish His will.  That our best efforts will be enough, because He is in control.  

So today, just make the effort of moving forward with me today.  Not striving for perfect, but moving forward.  Being better than you were yesterday.  Maybe letting the car in front of you in,  maybe taking a deep breath and being more kind to the person that really gets under your skin, taking time to pause and read the Bible, or focusing on just one bible verse today.  Then turning it all over to our God who is control and just keep moving.  

I hope that you find this encouraging!  You are not alone!  Being a women can be hard,  we are not perfect so please do not buy into the lie that anyone is but God.  Let's just strive to keep moving forward and being changed by His word and doing better than we did the day before. 

First times

I've gone back to work part time and that has meant some changes for my family and myself!  In the past, my husband has got up & gone to work & I have got up and got my kids around and took them to school.  Now that I work 3 days, which my starting time is the same time that the girls need to be dropped off.  My husband is taking over those responsibilities on those days.   

Today is the first day of school & it's the first time I have not taken them to school.    Which makes me a little sad.  However, my youngest & myself have had large battles of the will to get her ready in time.  She however does not tend to pull those stunts on her dad.  So, I'm thinking this may be a good thing in the long run.  Here's to first!!