Serenity

As most of you know, I homeschool my daughter. We sort of had our thing going, when a certain little cute bundle of joy interrupted our lives. Actually, for the last few years, there has been some kind of upset in my little world. Lauren and I homeschooled blissfully for the first part of first grade, then I took on two more students, and that proved to be a challenge. Last year, I was pregnant for most of her school year, and it was a difficult and exhausting pregnancy. This year, we have our sweet baby girl with big brown eyes. She brings so much joy, but can also be the cause of much exhaustion and the partial cause of much stress. Babies do that. Anyway, it seems for the last several years, I have been trying to get myself on some kind of schedule. I do not like schedules. I am pretty organized, and self disciplined in many areas, but if I try to put myself on any kind of schedule, every ounce of my being rebels. So for the last few weeks, I have been thinking: I need more time with God. I need time to exercise. I wish school didn't take so long. Nobody schools as long as we do (granted, we take a lot of breaks). I wish my house was cleaner. I wish we had the money and time to really eat like we'd like to eat.  And the list goes on. I started thinking about a plaque that hung in my aunt's kitchen from at least the time I was alive until the time she wasn't. It was the serenity prayer, with sunflowers or something on it. Something very seventies. Most of you know the serenity prayer, but just in case, here it is:
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
It's a good prayer. There are things in my life I can change, like making time for exercise. There are things in my life I can't (or won't) change, like the fact that children live in my house. There are several things that need change, but I realized after much pondering today, that the single biggest thing that needs change, is ME. I can take responsibility for that, but thankfully the bulk of that job falls to God. And the more time I spend with Him, the more like Him I become. The better my attitude is. The more content I am. The more equipped I am to take on the challenges of being me day to day.
 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 1 Timothy 6:6
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33