This weekend my family and I celebrated my sons 7th birthday with 15 of his closest friends. Yes, I said 15! haha As a military family that moves so often, I find this to be an incredible blessing. We are blessed that so many families cared enough about our X to attend, especially considering we are in our final weeks before we move, again. We fed them dinner, played games, had a dance party (uh.. because that many 7-8yr olds have A LOT of energy) and opened gifts. Blessed we are.. and they were so generous in the gift department too. You should have see the look on my son's face. He was so excited to get all his new loot. So, as everyone headed home on that Saturday evening and the excitement of day settled, the reality that we have so many new gifts with Christmas just weeks away hit. Were will be put on the new goodies in a room that is already over flowing? So, this mama's solution was: For every new toy you have, you must pick an old toy to donate. My son seemed okay with that. Problem solved, right? In order to add something new in, we must get rid of something old. It's all about balance. The perfect plan. Well in typical Father in Heaven fashion, God used this as a way to speak to my own heart and challenge me. My heart whispered.. "April, are you using this "perfect plan" in your own life, with your own schedule?" I really had to stop and think about that one. With a move quickly approaching and so much busy-ness going on around me, for every new task that I was taking on was I releasing something else or continuing to add to my already overflowing schedule? If I was being honest... I would have to say more times than not I just keep adding to it. My overflowing schedule looks a lot like my son's messy overflowing toybox. Except for me, the weight of my choices probably weighs a lot heavier on me than all those fun toys.

As a mom, it's easy to feel like I can do it all. I can balance the mom life, take care of our home, be a devoted wife and manage my at- home business. I can serve as the den leader for my son's cub scout pack, serve at the church and then mix in all the extras that love to pop up at last minute. No matter how "Super" I think I am, there are days were I drop the ball. It can be a challenge to juggle all the balls I have in the air and some days the tension wears on me. Ahh.. the leisure life I could have if I just learned to apply the same "perfect plan" to my own life. So why can't I? I think it's so easy to get wrapped up in the fun. Not to mention, the idea of letting someone down makes my stomach turn. I'm a people pleaser at heart. It's hard for me to say that simple little "no". But, I love this concept and it makes complete since. I wouldn't let my sons' rooms overflow with disorder and mess. I know Dad wouldn't be okay with that. How is my schedule and sanity any different? Today I encourage you to give this perfect plan a thought. Are you adding more and more to your plate without releasing something old? Are you feeling the burden of so much on your plate? As women, lets vow to not over extend ourselves as we go into the holiday season.  Lets decide to release something if we choose to take on something new. We have to take care of ourselves and that includes our mental and emotional state. We have to make time to take care of ourselves.. to eat right, to exercise, and to be fully present in our families lives. Lets choose to be blessed and not overwhelmed this year!