Margins

Do you remember learning to write on notebook paper in elementary/middle school (or junior high as it was called back in my day)?  Or learning to type essays and term papers in high school?  I remember learning about margins.  The reason we use margins is to keep things in order, make sure things are legible and easy to read.  Margins serve an important purpose.  When we don't use them, our papers are messy, the answers aren't clear and we don't know where or what to look for.  

I feel like our lives have margins.  Boundaries that make life clearer, easier to see, find our passion, listen to the Lord.  I often struggle with margins in my life.  I am not a woman who does well with being stretched to the maximum with time.  It seems that certain seasons in each year stress me out a great deal.  This is one of them.  Spring is such a sweet time on earth, but for moms, it is one of the busiest.  Spring ball, school activities, holidays, etc. make this season very busy.  I was talking to a friend about it last night and she said, "April and May are just always crazy."  She is right.  They are very crazy around here.  I know my life is probably not even as busy as some, but for me, it is plenty enough and actually more than enough.  

I need margins.  Time to be at home.  Time to finish things.  Time to have quiet.  Time to play Uno as a family and just be together. I often feel guilty that I am this way, but I am reminded that we are all made differently and we all have different strengths.  My strength does not come by being busy.  However, I think we have all bought into the lies of the world that say our children and our families need to do every activity, be at every event and go to everything we are invited to.  But it's definitely something I struggle with, and I feel like most moms do.  I don't want my kids to be behind on anything, left out, feel like they are the only ones not doing _______.  

So, am I the only one who struggles with the margins of life or the lack thereof?  Let me know how you deal with them and what margins are easier/more difficult for you.  I need some help here!  :)

And don't forget about the giveaway post here.  The Passionate Mom is an amazing book!