My Hero, Zero

Today we were going home from Bible study and Noah asked, "Momma, what is the difference between a zero and an "oh"?" I answered, "Well, a zero is a number and an "oh" is a letter." To which he replied, "No, Momma a zero is a stretched out "oh".

Our conversation got me thinking.....

Do you ever feel like a stretched out "oh", like a zero when it comes to your life? Do you feel like on a scale of one to ten in motherhood or being a wife, friend, sister or daughter that you are at zero? Does it seems like you have nothing left to give in all the areas of life that encompass who you are, that you are running on empty or your energy tank is on zero?

I know I feel that way sometimes. I know I have felt that way a lot lately.

It seems to me that when I have too many arrows aimed at the target, none of them hit the mark. Zero bull's eyes. When I am juggling too many things at once, I end up holding zero at the end of the week.

What I am missing is balance. I begin to stretch myself out and try to cover all the areas of my life all at once or in the same way and I end up coming up short, or being too stretched out to do anything well.

I think recognizing this is the first step. Half of the battle is won when we tell ourselves that what we are doing is not working. When we face the reality that things have to change.

Prioritizing is the next step. What is really important for right now? For today? It is wise to have plans for the future but we are not guaranteed a certain time here on earth. But, when we wake up we have that day stretched before us and have to decide how to spend it, who to impact, what to change.

Then we need to delegate. Even though we think we have superhuman powers at times, and although God does sometimes grant us extra amounts of strength in times of stress or when we are in need of it, many of us only have the ability to accomplishment what is within our gifting or ability. There are others that God has brought into our lives to come along side of us - a spouse, a friend, a family member - to help us complete our daily tasks. Many times we rob ourselves and others of the joys and blessings of helping. We live under the false premise that we can do it better ourselves, or faster alone. That is not always true. And even if it is, we are to teach our children to do many of the things we continue to do out of habit or stubbornness. We are to allow others to help us, to bear our burdens, to further the work, our destiny.

So that is what I am doing today, recognizing that I am at zero capability right now, zero productivity, zero impact-ability. Then I am going to prioritize what is important for today and tomorrow and when I am given another day to breathe and move, I am going to do it with purpose. And I am going to do it with the hands of my children and the arms of my spouse and the encouragement of my friends and family around me.