Today was my first day. I woke up with butterflies in my stomach. I opened the kindergarten classroom with the big “volunteer” badge so proudly decorating my shirt. I had made it. I had successfully become an over-involved parent disguising myself as a classroom parent volunteer.
I walked into the room. There she was. Emma. Our beautiful brand new five year old with a stretched smile. We locked eyes. Beyond excited to see each other during school time.
The Task at Hand
I sat down to help each small group display their artistic educational expression. I knew my first grade teaching days would come in handy later on in life.
The task at hand? Get these geniuses-in-the-making to color the pictures green (but in the green parts only). Not only was the task to keep their bums in their seats (Eek! Praise Jesus only one fell backwards), but to write their name on the top of the paper. Whew!
The Exhaustion at Hand
The little boy was full of life and working hard. All he wanted to do was his best. But about half way through the center he looked beat. As if his little hand could not take it anymore. This green crayon began to tell his hand where to go. Exhausted and defeated he looked up at me with frustration.
I leaned into him and said “You are doing increeeee-dible! Remember… YOU are in charge of that crayon. YOU get to tell that crayon where to go.”
Confession: I was obviously taking my assignment way too seriously…
Motivational speaker + 1st grade teacher = One way too excited parent to be volunteering in the classroom! {‘nuff said}
However, it worked! Those words lit a fire inside of him! He lifted that green crayon and declared. “YOU go where I tell you!”
No fear, friends… I restrained my “AMEN” to his bold and confident declaration.
And on to coloring he went. With energy, passion, excitement, focus and fury!
Pressure of Perfection
I am no different than that little boy. With the tired nights of parenting. The long days that give no time for naps. The dishes that seem to never end. The laundry. Refereeing the sisters. Desiring to start that business. Start that second book. Budget those bills. Finish that debt payoff. Find my six pack (I know it’s in there somewhere!!!)
I sometimes feel like life takes me for a toll. Like I’m the hand that the green crayon has worked to death. I forget that I am in control of that green crayon. I get to tell that green crayon where to go.
I find that at times my choices aren’t leading me on the path to where I want to be in life. I don’t want to achieve perfection {that’s too much pressure!} but at least I want to be trying to get somewhere.
Progress not Perfection
Before I become too hard on myself, I have to reflect on the past three years. It hasn’t been perfect but we have gotten somewhere.
I know that life is difficult and there are roads less traveled {Thanks Scott Peck}. I have traveled them.
Our Accomplishments in Three Years
In discouragement, I have to remind myself that in these past three years, Robert and I have worked together to complete a list of exhausting roads…
- Paid off $139,000 in debt.
- I self-published a 12-week women’s study with absolutely no platform to sell it to {not the easiest, nor recommended}.
- I gave birth to our second child while working full time hours in church ministry, running a blog, speaking, and publishing the 88,000 word study, while budgeting with intensity to get our debt destroyed!
- Robert is in full demand with his private practice business in addition to working his full time clinical psychology position for the state.
- My family is fed almost every day and night…almost…
We made many decisions to get us where we needed to go. Yet, there are some days I want to throw in the towel and give up on
- finding my abs,
- eating real food vs junk,
- paying off disgusting debt,
- parenting Jesus loving children,
- and having a somewhat clean house.
Yet, I don’t. I can’t. I wouldn’t be happy with myself if I gave up. You, too??
Don’t Let It Control YOU!
I don’t want to be the life where the green crayon gets the control. I want to make the choices that lead me to where I want to be.
You + Me = Living A Dream!
My twin brother asked me recently:
“Who do you want to lead on your blog? Who would read it? Where are you guys going?”
My first thought was…to a massage and nap…
After that, my immediate response came from somewhere inside of me…. As I was feeling like the amazing Martin Luther King, Jr., I stood up and held my iphone out in the air! I boldly declared with each tap of the finger in my text message:
I have a dream!
I have a dream that one day I will stand at my 50th wedding anniversary with friends and family members laughing and partying. That I would sit there googly eyes at Robert while humbly sitting with six pack abs, $10,000,000 in retirement, a paid for home and no debt to our name. While our oldest grandchild gets up to make a toast….
Testing…testing… {the microphone is loud and the party quicly hushes}…
My grandparents are more than I could have ever asked for…
I praise God for my Grandma… for she showed me how to love the poor, feed the homeless, pray for the sick, devour the Bible, and live my God-given destiny. She is a Proverbs 31 woman.
If I had a heartbreak in my relationship or failed to make the team, I ran to her for love.. If I wanted the job or needed peace, I ran to her for prayers. She was faithful to pray radical prayers.
I am thankful for a Grandma that is passionately in love with our Grandpa,
her kids, grandkids, and most importantly our Jesus.”
And on and on the toast would go, but more importantly, that celebration, and that marriage.
I have a dream that one day, tribes of women would desire to look in their spouse’s face rather than surfing Facebook. I have a dream that these women will walk this same path to their 50th wedding anniversary! That 40 years from now the dream will unfold. I have a dream…and I pray that this dream ignites in hearts and homes on this street, in this city, this state, this country, and this world!
That we would be stewards of our lives for His glory!
I have a dream… Lord, help this dream unfold.
Do You Get Me?
I wonder if you feel like I do. Do you have a dream like that? Do you want to party hard at your 50th wedding anniversary?!
What if we started to live lives with that 50th wedding anniversary celebration in mind?
What if we Lived Intentionally Focused Everyday {LIFE} for His glory?
Who I Look Up To
I’m only 34. Often times I don’t know what I’m doing. Sometimes I forget who God made me to be. That’s why I follow the incredible faithful ones before me.
- Focused faith?
- None other than Jesus Christ.
- Focused family?
- My parents. They celebrate their 50th in 3 years!!!! http://www.invitingamericahome.org/
- Focused finances?
- How else do you stare t $184,400 in debt with hope? Dave Ramsey! Baby steps baby…baby steps. Thanks for giving us the inspiration and tools to pay off $139,000 in three years!
- Focused food?
- Jamie Eason. Chris and Heidi Powell. God’s foods are best!
- Focused fitness?
- Jamie Eason. And many resources with Chris and Heidi Powell, a trainer named Allison, and many many more!
Your Dream Matters
How about you? Maybe you have others you follow to get you to where you want to be. But what if you and I could join together and live our 50th wedding anniversary dream?! We may not be able to keep up with the Joneses but we will stewarding our lives with such excellence for His glory!
- With six pack abs {a smaller waist line} = studies show we will live longer.
- With $10,000,000 in retirement = we can fund children’s college educations, charity events, the Church body multiplying, the orphanages, the widows, getting rid of sex trafficking…and on and on and on….
- With family and friends attending the party? = That means we have taken time to develop friendships!!!
- And with the 50th wedding anniversary to celebrate = that means that Robert and I faithfully loved each other with a rock solid commitment to Jesus and each other.
Let’s Do This Dream Together!
What do you say? Want to join me on this crazy dream?! Let’s start today! Let’s get practical…do one or more of the following:
- Get your FREE 7 minute “Your Big Dreams Awaits” video with your email subscription.
- If this email resignated with your heart OR you know someone that it would be awesome for? Forward it to them!
- Comment below and tell me what your biggest dream is right now!
I don’t have all the answers but I’m willing to look for them. Do these goals seem impossible? I promise…they are not! There are wise answers out there.
Little effort. Big Rewards. Let’s find them together!
Lots of love to you and may we stare at our green crayon and declare “I tell YOU where to color!” Let us make the choices that lead us to our God given destinies!!!
Watch our party planners!
Here. We. Come!
Don’t forget to grab your FREE 7 minute “Your Big Dreams Awaits” video with your email subscription. If nothing else, you’ll get a sneak peak of one precious corner in my home!
Please note: Your first email might appear in your “Junk” folder so be sure to catch it there!
Jamye Sack 
Leave a Reply