Hello everyone! Today is what I am calling a catch up day! It is a birthday week at our house- our sweet Allie turns 14 on Saturday! (Unbelievable!!) Her grandparents took her shopping and out to lunch yesterday for her birthday. That was a great surprise and a wonderful afternoon for them and her. So, yesterday we only finished about 75% of our school day. Which is fine…. I mean, flexibility is our greatest perk of homeschooling!

Today our goals are to finish up the work from yesterday, we are having a special unit study with projects on the Winter Olympics (Gary is suddenly very into this?). We also have to go to the bookstore for a new book for Allie’s Literature course.

On a side note, Allie opened her very own Etsy shop this week for her artwork. She has already received two orders, so finalizing and shipping those is also on our list for the day.

It is so easy to put so much pressure on ourselves and get buried in to-do lists, emails, work, school, church, life….

When we get overwhelmed in our schedule, we tend to get snappy with people. Usually, it’s those people closest to us.

I’ve learned that it is vital to our family that we plan on catch up days sometimes.

Everyday can be so packed with ministry that we forget to take time just having a relationship with Christ.

If you read my New Years post, then you know that one of my goals was to read my entire Bible this year. I have always been pretty transparent that Bible reading is/was one of my personal struggles. I have no problem reading devotions or Christian books. I can study to prepare for a series or service- no big deal! The thing that gets me is just the day to day reading of the actual Bible. Like, not in a devotion form. Maybe I’m not supposed to admit that out loud- you know, with the whole pastor’s wife thing…. but this is me. When I do just read the Bible on it’s own, I default to New Testament or Proverbs. When was the last time that I just opened and read Leviticus? So that is why I started a read-the-Bible-in-a-year plan this year.

I was so excited and started out so strong! I was keeping up with my plan and daily reading. I felt accomplished! Then I got a little behind…. then I was scared to even open the page in fear of how many days I might be behind. I gathered the strength to just face it… I mean geez, it’s only February… how bad could it be!?!?

12 Days.

I was 12 days behind in my plan!

Now I feel like a slacker. See, I’ve still been reading the Bible in my other devotion, but I had fallen behind in this particular plan. 12 days isn’t too bad, but it still would’ve been real easy to just shake it off and try again next year.

Is that what the Lord wants from me?

Of course not! He gives mercy and grace. He wants my effort, not my perfection. So guess what… I’m still reading my entire Bible this year! I’m going to do a little extra reading each day to get caught up. I’m going to be mindful of opening that plan when I have extra time here and there, instead of scrolling through IG.

I’m going to keep trying and pushing toward my goal.

Isn’t that what Christianity is all about anyway? Striving to be like Jesus. And when we mess up… getting back up and trying again!