I never get it all done. I never have and I never will. And guess what? Neither will you.

Despite all those lies beautiful, perfect images of home interiors on Pinterest and Instagram; despite all the perfectly organized lesson plans and schedules on various homeschool blogs; and despite all the “highlight reel” status updates on Facebook, YOU are not going to live that perfect life.

Let’s face reality already.

I have often said that our greatest weaknesses can also be our greatest strengths. For as long as I can remember, I’ve battled procrastination and laziness. It is my nature to do as little as possible and to try to put it off for as long as possible. I have an extreme need for fun. 😉

Don’t get me wrong. If it’s something I want to do and feel passionate about, then I will spend time doing it until it’s perfect. I’m not sure how exactly my perfectionistic nature meshes with laziness and procrastination, but somehow it does.

But I’ve also realized lately that these weaknesses have some very nice benefits, as well. I always look for the fastest and most fun way to get things done that I don’t want to do, and I don’t stress over messes and to-do lists. There are many things that I just don’t care about. Ha!

Don’t get me wrong…I’ve really improved in these areas and I do my best. I actually do have a routine and work hard to do all those necessary chores, even when I don’t feel like it. After all, I have children around me to train, as well, and I want them to learn to work hard whether or not they want to! We are working for the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24).

And I’ve also gotten to the point where I actually do dream of “getting it all done” sometimes. I look at my list every day and wistfully long to check everything off. I hope and pray that maybe today will be one of those unachievable perfect days when every single thing gets done, and sometimes I ask God why it seems like there is way more to do than is physically possible.

But you know what He continues to tell me? That I’ve been given all the time I need to accomplish exactly what He has for me in each day. Nothing more, nothing less. His plans (Proverbs 16:9).

So, maybe I’m okay? This laid-back attitude, when kept in check, helps me to see each day as enough.

Why stress?

But I see many of my fellow homeschooling moms stressing out and I wish they could learn how to just relax. If you can’t fit everything into your days, then perhaps you’re not supposed to? Why stress? God knows what plans He has for each day and what is most important. But we all need practical encouragement, so just to make you feel better, here is a list of things I never get done.

1. Laundry. I never get it all done and put away before the next week’s cycle, and often there are baskets sitting in the living room waiting to be folded. It’s okay. My family has clean clothes to wear, so why stress that it’s not always where it’s supposed to be?
2. Meal planning. Oh, it would be nice, wouldn’t it? But let’s get real. For many of us, no matter how hard we try, meal planning only lasts for a short while and is something we’re constantly trying to get a hold of. It’s okay. We have food on the table each night when most of the world doesn’t know if they will even eat at the next meal.
3. Dishes. Can I get an amen? I almost always have a few in or around the sink (or kitchen…or maybe even other rooms. Did I just admit that?) That’s okay. I cherish the rare times when they are all done and I can bask in the victory…for about 12 minutes.
4. Cleaning. I never get all the cleaning done. In fact, there are some jobs I really detest and am usually way to busy to ever get to…funny how that happens! For example, I don’t dust. I know, it’s gross. But my kids will sometimes do it and I pay them. And if something is really bad, I will run a cloth over it when I’m in the area. But please don’t inspect the top of my fridge, thank you. And it’s okay. Mary can vouch for the fact that some things are more important than housework. 😉 And by God’s grace it’s an extremely rare day when I miss my morning devotions.
5. Homeschooling. It’s true. I can’t even get all of that done! And it’s okay. Truly! They are learning what God has for them each day, according to the future He already has planned! And I have the privilege of being with them every day and pouring our values and beliefs into their hearts and minds through every aspect of our lives, whether or not it looks exactly like school.
6. Business tasks. I don’t even like to look at my to-do list because it’s so long! There will always, always be more ideas and more fun trails to run down. But there will never be enough time to get it all done when it comes to my blog and business/ministry. Never. That’s okay, too! I am blessed to have the opportunity to help others as I am able and to help support my family.

There will always be things we can’t get to.

This life is simply too short (in our limited perspective). The key is to try to balance it all well and to do the things that are most important to your family.

The key is to listen to God’s still, small voice in each moment of your day and rest in His provision of time.  Tweet This!

As I sit here typing, I’ve suddenly looked up to realize that it’s 4:00…my usual time to quit working and start on dinner, despite more business work that needs to get done. Oh well! It’s just another day of not getting it all done. And that’s okay. We’ve sought God’s Kingdom first. My kids love Jesus. And that’s all that really matters in the end!

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Danielle Papageorgiou has been homeschooling, or “lifeschooling,” for 21 years (she counts birth as day 1!) and has blogged, spoken, and run her own conference for many of those years. She has a passion for helping other homeschoolers learn how to homeschool in a way that does not compete with family life, but actually enhances it…homeschooling done in a spirit of freedom, not legalism.

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