Saying Goodbye to Summer, Over Commitment, Nothing's Too Small and a Compass

Tomorrow is August 24th and if you are a parent of a student or a student yourself, you probably fall into one of two camps....those that don't want summer to end and those that are VERY ready to get back into school. Well, me, I am totally in camp number 2. Don't get me wrong, we have had an amazing summer. Both boys have had some wonderful life changing experiences at summer camp. Parker has been to several sports camps and has really improved his skills in both basketball and golf. The bigs (that's Mike and Parker) spent a really fun week in North Carolina on the beach with Mike's grandparents. Spencer started his Bio Med stuff and spent several weeks at his awesome new school, Spectrum of Hope. And finally, the kids and I capped it off with a super fun week in Ft. Worth visiting my parents. (More to come about some crazy times last week---great stories to tell!!)

With the new school year comes a time of refocus and dedication; a time to start new so to speak. The slate is clean for most kids and as parents we can put last year behind us and look forward to this new exciting school year. Well, at our house, this is a bittersweet year for us. The big kid starts 5th grade and for some reason, it is hitting me really hard, I feel so much more emotional about it than when he started kinder. I guess I realize how much he has grown up! It’s really his last year to be a “kid”—his 11th birthday was the 21st and he made a big deal out of finally being a “pre-teen” UGH!! Really?? Already??? For Spencer, well if you've been keeping up with the blog, you know what this year brings for him! Can't wait to get him started at Spectrum. He will start tomorrow at Woodcreek (his old school) and attend there for at least two weeks. Two reasons for this, one Spectrum won't officially start until the 8th and since he is in the Special Education program in KISD, we need to have an ARD meeting to formally dismiss/withdraw him from the program. I STILL have very mixed feelings about all this. But I'm trusting God and letting him lead this journey!

For me, well I came to a BIG realization tonight on my run! I have WAY overcommitted myself in ALL areas of my life! Surprise surprise! I have this really unique quality that I think I can do anything and everything. This started way back when I was a little kid. My mom to this day still jokes that any time a teacher would ask the class for something...cookies baked, costumes sewn, carpool driven, field trip chaperon, I was the first one to raise my hand and say "my mom will do it." My 5th grade teacher Mrs. McKeller called my mom one day and said to her...."Mrs. Arledge, you do know that Tami has volunteered you to help with the school play, donate costume supplies, and a bunch of other stuff, is that okay with you?" My mom of course was probably not okay with this, but she was (and still is) the type of mother that does anything for her kids, so with a servant heart she always pulled through for us. I think maybe that's where I get it. See mom, it's all your fault! (Ha ha!!)

So back to my situation....currently at work I am a little overextended with two really big ambitious projects. I know I can get them done and both of them are really a lot of fun to work on!! I am so excited about both of them and look forward to seeing how they turn out and the impact they will have on our Managers!!

In my mom life, this BioMed stuff and managing this school transition is a lot of work. Keeping track of all the supplements and then all the logistics of withdrawing him from Woodcreek and getting him started at Spectrum. Besides all that, I still worry over it quite a bit, and it weighs heavily in my thoughts daily. But we are seeing great things, so it's totally worth it. I can't wait until this time next year; we get to look back on it all and see how far Spencer has come. With all this stuff also comes a constant insurance squabble. It's not a huge deal, but I am either on the phone or on the website daily checking on the status of our claims (for both Thoughtful House and Spectrum).

This year Mike and I also took on the role of class Director for our Bible Study class. Okay, so let me clarify this (since I know Mike is reading!!) Basically, the Married Life Pastor at our church asked Mike if he would like to be the class Director. Mike (having a little more sound judgment than me) told Brad he really didn't think we could devote the time and effort needed to make the class successful. Of course, when Mike told me about it, I said, "Come on babe, we can and should do this" and then I launched into this grandiose scheme of how we could turn our class around. The class had a rough year last year and was in need of a little overhaul. I can be very convincing, and Mike reluctantly agreed, but made it very clear to me that he would need all my help and that we would be doing this together! I was totally on board!! So, here we are the On Demand class directors. Being that I love to have a good time, I decided that I also wanted to be the Social Chairperson! So, we are pulling double duty. But, let me tell you....so far I am really enjoying these two roles! I get to see so many people getting excited about our class again. We have a really awesome core group of people and I can't wait to see what this year brings for each of us in our friendships with each other and our walks with Christ. We are gonna blow those other “30 something” classes outta the water this year. They gonna be wondering "what are those On Demand folks up to??"

So, this evening I headed out on my run. Running is a great way to have a little DQT (that's Daily Quite Time). I run about 6 miles and it takes about an hour (yes, I am a VERY slow runner). So, this is a great time to think! This evening I start going through my to-do list in my head and do a little strategy planning for each of my commitments. I can come up with some really crazy (and sometimes good) ideas on my runs. Tonight, though, all of a sudden, like being smacked by a Mack truck it hit me....Holy Crap!! I totally forgot, I volunteered to be the Campus Junior Achievement Liaison this year! Oh boy, yet another thing to add!! I do LOVE Jr. Achievement, so like all my other commitments, I'm pretty excited about this one too!!

I find it really ironic that for some reason THIS year, when we have so much going on professionally and personally, we have taken on so much more than we EVER have!! But you know what, I'm really not all that stressed out about it. It's really crazy how timing works in our favor and how just the right things come along just when you need it. A few months ago (right in the midst of all these new commitments), our new friend Mike wrote an article called Nothing's Too Small. In it, he examines how there isn't anything we do, if done for the right purpose, that will go unnoticed in the eyes of God. (Oh yeah, and he talks about our little Spencer, so it's a doubly good article!!) Here lately, seems like every time I feel a little overwhelmed, I re-think what my purpose here on earth should be. This is really the first time, I've every really thought about my commitments and why I choose them so willingly. So, tonight on my run, I came up with "My Compass" and moving forward, like an adventurer uses his compass to chart his path, I will use “My Compass” to gauge my commitments.

My Compass
First, does it show God that I love him, that he is special in my life, that he is my king and that I am a faithful follower?
Second, does is show my kids that I love them, that they are special, that God loves them and that I am an example to them of what it means to be a follower of Christ?
Third, does it show my husband that I love him, that he is special, that God loves him and that I am an example of what a God loving wife should be?
Fourth, does it show others around me that I am a Christian, that I love Jesus Christ and that I am a faithful follower?

I can pretty much answer YES to all four of those questions in all my commitments, so while I may feel overcommitted right now, I know that everything I am doing is being done for the right purpose and therefore will be used by God to advance His Kingdom! And that, my friends, is pretty darn exciting to me!!

Until next time….grace, peace, hope, love and prayers!!
T

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
NIV 1 Corinthians 15:58

I really like this translation…so gotta add it too…

With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. And don’t hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort.
The Message 1 Corinthians 15:58