Fresh Monday

Do you ever decide that "this" is the Monday? You know the one, the Monday that the "to do" list will be completed, that efficiency will enter your work day. That the sun will shine and the birds will sing and at the end of it you'll be waiting in pearls by the door with dinner ready on the table?
The truth is I can usually pull off the being at the door and dinner on the table. The lists? Not so much. I try very hard to tell myself its because I have too much to do, that there isn't enough time to accomplish what I need to do....but the truth often is that I simply didn't do enough the hours I had available to do tasks....though it would be fair to say that very often the tasks before me outweigh the time available to complete them as well...
This morning we begin our new homeschooling year. Madison is in seventh grade this year and that alone is hard to believe! We began homeschooling her in the third grade. She is an easy homeschooler in that she likes school. The hard part is, she has learning issues that make it difficult to keep coming up with new ways to get the information in formats she understands.
This year we will work themeatically through the courses as we have for three years now, it works for both of us. She loves to thoroughly learn topics and with the depth we study, it somehow overcomes the difficultness of doing the learning.
This early a.m. I am working on work projects nearing completion. Each morning I have writing to do five days a week, then school Madison, then return to projects until the boys are home after school. If I don't have everything working where it should be, or there is a deadline looming, I work again when everyone heads to bed at 9 p.m. Today will be one of those days.

The verse for today is:

Titus 1:16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.

I have to say that verse stings on many levels for me today. How many times this weekend was my attitude toward working poor? Toward doing the extra miles that needed to be done? Did I give my attention with a cheerful and peaceful spirit? Did I reach out and do what I knew needed to be done? Our works indeed are louder than our words, and the attitude to which we handle each part of life that comes is a more defining measure of our closeness to God don't you think?

Father God,
Forgive me for my impatience, for my frustrations, for losing the countenance of thanksgiving when all you have given me is before me. Help me to use your gifts for others today and to be a blessing to them.
In Jesus name,
Amen