tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8818128465674543280.post6666255128762787745..comments2018-05-05T01:08:28.449-07:00Comments on KIRCHENMUSIK: Adventures of a Weary Church MouseUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8818128465674543280.post-59743726323921088362010-02-28T13:54:24.992-08:002010-02-28T13:54:24.992-08:00I would second what Jeff says! Like you said, bein...I would second what Jeff says! Like you said, being married forces you to consider your limits a little more. Having kids narrows you down further. The cool thing is, there really is a lot of honing, seriousness, and focus that comes into play. You learn to be very selective about how you spend your free time, and you become much more focused about it when you have it. I have been surprised to find myself improving a lot in sightreading skills, accompanying skills etc. since having kids, all because I'm being forced to use my practice time to its ultimate potential. There's no time to mess around or mess up!<br />Relationships are never efficient, unfortunately. They take time to maintain. Planning can help, though. Our week goes a lot better when Jeff & I have Friday night planning after the kids go to sleep.<br />It is great that have so many opportunities. Just remember that you don't have to do it all this year, or even next. In the book Heaven by Randy Alcorn he reminds us that we have all of eternity to learn and explore. We don't need to try to do everything...<br />If that makes any sense. :) You and Bryant are such a resourceful couple. You'll figure it out.Emilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03162107110601947927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8818128465674543280.post-74699474476859630412010-02-24T21:04:13.441-08:002010-02-24T21:04:13.441-08:00Great quote from Emily's dad!
I see how you ...Great quote from Emily's dad! <br /><br />I see how you could be a great inspiration to Bryant. =) <br /><br />I'm still waiting for the cats to show some self-sacrificial love. <br /><br />Thanks for the comments. Good insights.Nicolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06649643232145731065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8818128465674543280.post-32714768143339364932010-02-23T08:00:37.701-08:002010-02-23T08:00:37.701-08:00I remember getting married and feeling more busy. ...I remember getting married and feeling more busy. Like there wasn't enough free time. And then once we had kids, we lost even more time. Little kids, especially, narrow you into a crucible where you have to let all kinds of things go. Really good things. And you end up fighting with everything in you just to keep the bare basics. It strips you down so you're forced to identify and prioritize the non-negotiables. I speak as someone in the thick of this and trying to learn it but still not getting enough sleep because I haven't got it down.<br /><br />One of the hardest things I'm trying to accept is having a smaller life. Having a life that is just pouring into a family rather than always being off "having adventures" (even if, for me, "adventure" is defined as "reading a book in a quiet room"). It's the difference between wanting to be spread wide and thin versus narrow and deep. If I'm going to show genuine, self-sacrificial love to my spouse and then to our kids, my commitment of time and energy will necessarily grow out of all proportion to the other things in my life. Reading shrinks. Music shrinks. Social time shrinks. Friends shrink.<br /><br />It may sound defeatist, but it's not. It's trading one good for another. It's trading getting to mess around in all kinds of things for getting to impact a few lives in totally immeasurable ways. As Emily's dad always used to say to her mom, "You wanted to be a missionary; you've got 5 little pagans right here."Jeffhttp://www.rootsrain.comnoreply@blogger.com