The beginning of the school year was a little rough at the Duncan house. I really didn't want to go back. I did not listen to the experts and work on backing up bedtime to a decent time so we kinda went from partying all night to 8:30 bed time. The girls were super tired and cranky by the time I picked them up from child care at the end of their first day back. Sitting down to homework that night, Emerson forgot her assignment notebook at school. Amelia was checking her assignment notebook and couldn't find the worksheet for her English assignment. With tears in her eyes she declared that this was the worst start to the school year ever. The first day wasn't going how we had hoped.
Every year after the first day of school we usually sit around and talk about how great things are going to be. We set goals for ourselves and discuss what we hope to accomplish. There were too many grumpy kids and tears for any sort of discussion to happen. Exhausted and already stressed out, I sighed and told them I was picking our family theme for the year without their input. Since day one seemed to already be falling into despair, I smiled at them and told them that our theme was going to be "Do better".
They looked at me and asked what I meant by that. I told them that this day was a disaster. Forgotten homework and forgotten necessities and tears and anger and hurtful words - not the greatest start. But tomorrow was a new chance. Another day. We were going to focus not on being perfect. Instead we would focus on doing better. The tension immediately left the room as they agreed that that was a great theme for our family for the year.
There is so much pressure to be the best. So much pressure to be perfect. So much pressure to get everything right. It's too much. And on days where there are five million things for everyone to do it's just too much. It's a lot to expect that we will always remember homework pages. We have so much to think about like making lunches and remembering to set out dinner. Packing dance bags and grabbing drum sets. Which day is library? Do I need PE shoes today? So we slip up. Amelia forgets a dance bag at home. Em grabs a gymnastics leotard that is too small. No reason to get upset. Just do better!
Last year was rough for me at work. I was working a 1.2 contract and was overloaded and overwhelmed. I missed some deadlines. Forgot to do some paperwork. Missed a session or two with kids. Do better!
I haven't been the best at eating healthy and exercising. I let some gluten slip by. I didn't count points. I stopped running and working out. I don't have to immediately shift into overdrive. Do better!
As corny and as cliche as this sounds, the email I received last week that rocked my world announcing a kidney tumor fits right into this plan. It has forced me to pause and think through things more carefully. What if this is the last thing I get to say to this person? What if this is my only chance to interact with that person? What if this is the last hug? The last email to her teacher? The last text to my bestie? My last prayer? The last conversation? The last time I can react to the car that just pulled in front of me? Our tomorrows are not guaranteed. This is true with or without a tumor. Live for today. Live for the gift of the minute you are in right now.
Our family motto has always been Be Kind. We're adding Do Better as the next part also. Do better than you did today! Work better. Exercise better. Parent better. Teach better. Drive better. Play better. Live better!
2 Timothy 4:7 says, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith." It doesn't talk about winning. It talks about finishing. Do better. You don't have to be perfect. We don't have to remember everything always. We don't have to teach the best lessons every moment. We don't have to never mess up. We don't have to win at everything every day. We just have to do better.
Do better! Have faith that God is in control and leading you through life. You only need to trust in His plan and do better!
Be kind. Do better.
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