The One Degree Me...

Recently in church I learned how significant just one little degree can be. At 211 degrees water steams a whole lot but add just one degree and water boils. If you are off just on tiny degree on a hike, over one mile you will be off your target by 92ft which means by three miles you will be off by nearly a football field. That's huge! That really spoke to me, how something so small could make such a major difference.

If I applied that to my own life, what could I do daily to make myself better, to make a one degree difference in my own little world? I know, one degree doesn't seem like a lot, why don't I shoot for ten degrees or twenty? I guess I believe that if I add one degree everyday, it will compound majorly over time and I will become better and better. Also, by starting small I believe that I have a better chance of achieving something huge because by starting big there is a larger chance for failure.

So here is what my one degree looks:

First, every morning I would like to start my day in prayer. I know that may sound easy to some of you, but getting up and getting my 3 kids out of bed, fed, dressed and out the door for school in less than an hour is a major task. I believe that if I were to start my morning in a quiet time with the Lord, my mornings would be so much better and run much smoother. But for this to happen, I have to get out of bed an extra ten minutes earlier and that is NOT an easy thing for me! I like to sleep until the last minute, and I don't think I am alone in that!

Second, I would like to say things like, "just a second" or "in a minute" or "maybe later" to my kids a little less. As a mom, things get busy. It seems like there are always things to do, places to get to, meals to prepare, etc... And in doing all of those things I sometimes forget what is truly important, the people in my life, mainly my kids (my husband too!). I get busy doing things and want to get them done and sometimes my kids are trying to talk to me or show me something or get me to play with them and I respond with, "hold on a second". Well, when my daughter said to me the other day after I responded like that, "that means a long time Mommy." I realized she was right. When I say just a second, it isn't just a second, it's just something I say and I don't want my kids to think that just a second means a long time, or that what they have to say isn't important.

After all, when I am praying or talking with God, He doesn't ask me to wait or hang on, He doesn't make me feel unimportant. He is right there with me, listening to me with His full attention every time I ask. I want to enjoy my children while they are children, none of the things I am doing while my kids are asking for my attention are more important than my kids are. So my one degree in this area is going to be not saying "just a second" and not following through. I am going to try and put down whatever it is I am doing and give them my full attention, so that we can both enjoy each other in that moment. So I can appropriately marvel at the drawing my daughter made me or Lego creation my son built. Or I can listen to the story my child wants to tell me, and not miss out on that moment when my precious child just wants an open line of communication to talk with me about what is on their heart without me being preoccupied with something else. I don't want to miss out on any special moments I have with my children while they are still young. And I want them to know that they are important enough to be a top priority in my life. One degree better every day!

Next... My New Years Resolution this year is to make my bed every day. I know, that doesn't sound huge, but it really is. It's something that I knew I could do without too much effort, but something that I could feel accomplished doing. I have come to realized that with just that one thing done every day, it makes it easier to do just a little bit more. I can't tell you how long it has been since my room has been clean every day. But for the last month it has been, because after I make my bed, I can't just leave the socks on the floor so I pick them up and throw them in the hamper and oh look there is a toy I might as well pick that up too. And then ah, the room is nice and clean! So I figure if that works for my bedroom, it should work for the rest of the house. My one degree in this area will be to find one thing new every month that I will absolutely clean every day and do it, so by the end of the year I will have twelve things I am purposefully cleaning every day. Again, I know that it doesn't sound like a lot but I believe that it will snowball and like in my bedroom other things will be taken care of daily as well. 

There are other area's in my life that I want to become a better person in too. Area's I may already be pretty good at and other area's where I may need a lot of work, but I believe if I take them all one degree at a time I will be able to accomplish a lot.

I pray that I am able to achieve a little more every day and that I can become the One Degree Me that I want to be. I ask for all of my friends and family to encourage me, support me and challenge me in all of these area's. Thank you in advance for your support!