Out of Control

This has been a hard week, where I knew all week that I had too much to do in not enough time, but I had to do it anyway. As a result it felt like I did everything badly. I snapped at my kids, snapped at my husband, ranted and raved at my life spinning out of control.

I guess some weeks are like that to let us know what we can and can't handle. I couldn't handle this week, and I don't want another one like it. Somehow, the kid's school got done (ungraded), though they weren't read to this week except on Thursday. I managed to finish a powerpoint to teach at the Adelante Life Skills class, video-recorded a counseling session, re-read a few chapters for my career class and took my test into the late hours, traveled for two days to Denver and enjoyed the Science Museum, played the piano at our friend's baptism, created another powerpoint presentation for my Wimba class next week, attended a ward conference and a multitude of other duties.

I am so tired this weekend.

I read a really wonderful story in the BYU Alumni magazine told by Elder Craig C. Christensen that helped me see how to balance more clearly:

"Several years ago Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was asked how to balance the demands of family, Church, profession, and personal interests. Elder Nelson first acknowledged that finding a perfect balance is virtually impossible. He then compared trying to balance competing demands to flying an airplane. He explained that at times certain aspects of life will cause the plane to tilt to one side. Later, other demands may cause the plane to tilt the other way--back and forth, side to side, as we address the many challenges of life. The key, he explained, is simply not to crash. He recommended that we invite someone, perhaps a spouse or other trusted friend, to always be there, hands firmly planted on the control stick to help bring us back into balance when necessary. Finally, Elder Nelson stated that everything we do in life--how we spend our time, how we invest our talents--should be connected to bringing us closer to the Savior."

This week, I will have to tilt my life back toward my family and get back in the direction that I want to go.