Giving up the kitchen...an Unprecedented event!!!!!

I know I'm a good mom, but I too have my quirks. I home school my girls, so I covet the time I get to myself - especially when I have a lot on my mind; and the more I have on my mind, the more I go into robotic mode of JUST BARELY getting things done (as I'm processing my thoughts).  I just survive, rather than REALLY trying to serve.  

Sometimes the bare minimum is all I can do. 

For a while now my girls have been asking to cook alongside me & learn.  Anyone who knows me, knows I LOOOOOOVE to cook - I regularly do it for 20+ people...BUT...it's my best thinking time (as well as in the bathroom when my girls allow me to be there by myself...case in point - Miss Micah comes in the bathroom while I'm showering today and proceeds to say, "Aren't you excited I'm L-E-T-T-I-N-G you have a shower by yourself today?"  What's wrong with this picture?!?!  ANYWAYS...)

So, I've been putting off letting the girls into my coveted kitchen bubble.

Since the New Year I've been in a lot of "thinking" time - including alone kitchen time. 

Yesterday, I decided to bring myself to share the kitchen with the 8 year old...UNPRECEDENTED!!!

A miracle happened - The veil of discouragement I'd been working through lifted instantly.

It's amazing how easy we allow frustration to creep in, and the first thing it replaces is our desire to go over and above for others - whether it be our children, spouse, or people around us.  But, miraculously, the opposite happens even quicker - when we break the cycle of "what about ME" for even a moment, we feel EMPOWERED! 

She did an amazing job (even by my standards ;)) & cooked a beautiful braided chicken for the family - and it was more healing for me than she'll ever know.

It was a big lesson to me - not to be so focused on the things that I can't change, & discourage me , but rather be an even MORE willing tool looking to serve those around me, and like the serenity prayer states, "To Change the things I Can"

And God did the rest!