Blooming Where I'm Planted

It's Springtime here in southern Ontario, and the woods are full of the most exquisite wildflowers - so many different shapes, sizes, colours, textures and scents, all thriving out there in their own unique ways. It makes my heart sing. ❤

I've been thinking a lot lately about my life and what I want it to look like; more specifically, how to really bloom where I've been planted. Having been employed as a full-time nanny for three whole months now has given me a new perspective on many things - I appreciate my family, the weekend, any chance to visit the restroom unaccompanied, and any time off so much more than I ever did in the past, when I was either unemployed or doing very flexible church work.

(My work family is travelling next week, which leaves me with NINE WHOLE DAYS OFF! I really want to make the most of them, rather than having the time pass me by as I play Word Cookies on my phone all day. Thus this post... )

I guess I can admit now that the first six weeks of my new job were really dreadful - not the work itself, necessarily, but the adjusting to a new schedule and the exhaustion of my new responsibilities, the novelty of getting dressed EVERY DAY and wondering what awful, unexpected thing I would face next. I felt that my new employers had VERY high expectations to which I would never, ever measure up.

But eventually, everything fell into place and I realized one evening that I wasn't completely spent at the end of the day, that I actually liked the little people I was hanging out with, and that my employers genuinely appreciated my efforts to nurture their children and manage their home. (AND we were able to pay ALL our bills EVERY month - hallelujah!!)

So, while I don't mind my nine-to-five life (actually 7:45-4:30☺), it's got me asking hard questions about my talents and desires and dreams and goals.

Questions like: What am I really good at? What brings me joy? What's my purpose here, really? What would I do if money wasn't an issue? How do I go about building a life that glorifies God, serves others, uses my gifts and satisfies my soul? (And pays the bills...) What would that look like?

When I look at my current situation, it does indeed meet some of the above criteria. For that, I give thanks. However, as I look towards the not-so-far-off finish line of this particular season (July 2019), I'm inspired to consider how I can enhance the present in a way that will lead to future God-honouring satisfaction, fulfillment, and joy.

I'm beginning to formulate some answers to the big questions, but it's still a mystery to me how I might fit some of these joy-giving practices into the four or so hours I have each night between getting home, cooking supper, spending a little time with my family, preparing for the next day and falling into bed.

How do you do it? Are you living the life of your dreams? If not, why not? If so, how? How do we bloom where we're planted? I'd love to hear your stories. ❤