Today is Monday.
Today is Monday, July 29. That means that Thursday is August 1.
And with the onset of August comes the onset of that time of year where we try our best to find routine again…while still in the midst of the chaos of summer. (“Good luck with that!” I just told myself.)
Jr. Comets football games start on August 10 – less than two weeks away!
School starts on August 19, a mere three weeks from today!
Throw in cheer practices for Anne (Jays) and Anne and I (Jr. Comets), marching band practices, back to school nights, fair parade, a couple more summer concerts for me, gardening, preparing fruits and veggies that come into the house from gardening, and of course the regular stuff of jobs, housework, parenting, etc., and it just feels like life is flying. Sometimes it feels like it is passing me up, and others it feels like I am just being thrown around inside it like in a tornado.
While sitting at home yesterday morning, I realized that yesterday was what would likely be the one and only chance I have in the next three weeks to go school shopping.
So off we went to buy a cart full of school supplies (I did check my home stash first so we saved a little money there).
Next a trip to the mall for new backpacks and lunch boxes, followed by Shoe Carnival for four pair of new tennis shoes – two for Ty who is just hard on shoes, one for Anne’s daily wear, and one for cheer/gym shoes.
And of course a run to Sams for the stuff we have been out of for weeks and ending with dinner out for the family.
At the end of the day, both Mike and I were overwhelmed with the sheer amount of money that it takes to get kids ready for school, much less keep our household fed and cared for.
Don’t get me wrong, it was a good day. We enjoyed our family time together, worked well and efficiently at getting everything that we needed on our “lists,” and did so with relatively little grumbling.
But this morning I woke up with that old familiar pressure on my shoulders and chest – depression, and thoughts of running away from everything – anxiety.
It happens after a good day. It happens when I have to bleed out large amounts of the little money that we never have. It happens when I realize that time is not my own. I can’t even find a free weekend to meet with one of my good college friends!
But because of learning to recognize the lies of depression, I did what I needed to do right away. I texted a friend who also deals with these issues and she was able to give me some perspective and encourage me to do one of the things that helps me. And while that doesn’t change things immediately, it does help me remember that depression lies and I can rise above those lies to see the truth. And that is much easier when I have a friend that can lift me up to see the truth.
Today, in the mist of time flying by, money disappearing from my bank account, and being bombarded by the lies of depression, I will stand up and look at what is true!
I will cherish the time I have with my kids now because time does fly and children do grow up!
I will use my money to the best of my ability to provide for my family and give back to the Lord whom I trust to provide my every need.
I will not listen to the lies of depression that try to hold me down.
Instead, I will focus on the truth that I am loved – by my family, my friends, my Lord!
What truths do you need to focus on today?
I would love to hear from you!
One thing I always try to focus on is that “things” don’t matter. Only love does. Material things and money come and go and you don’t take them with you when you pass on, but love lasts forever. When I start to feel down because the financial side of life seems like such a struggle, I just try to remember how little that matters and how lucky I am to have so much love in my life.