Word-ful Wednesday: Process

Before I explain the after 50 lessons of the word process, I must confess that in teaching my daughters, I would periodically have what I think of as "FTC" days. Federal Trade Commission? No. ;) Forget the curriculum. Necessity being the mother of invention, I started this when I taught elementary school. There were days where the kids needs were just more important than following my exact time/plan/schedule. And those days, we often accomplished more than on a carefully planned out day. I did this in teaching and in homeschooling. There are times I need that as well. I'm leading up to the fact that I need to continue on with part 2 of my posts on planning, but not until I interpret the word process as I see it.

Our lives are a process from actually in the womb right on through. We are not in the womb and then suddenly one day we are ready to come out on an instant and be born. (many mothers would rejoice were this the case). We don't suddenly walk without holding on to the furniture first and making many wobbly attempts. We don't suddenly ride a bike without training wheels without more wobbly attempts. I taught first grade one year. The first day of school I saw these little people coming in and I realized they are really big kindergarteners, not first grade yet. I was able to relate to them along their own process, meeting them where they were.

Before 50 (but a process, remember, no clear cut day), I had extremely high expectations of people. That is not necessarily a bad thing, but when we are rigid in our expectations it is. I still have the same high standards now, working with my children especially to guide them in life, but again, a process. Working to be a more understanding wife, but seeing my husband where he is in his process. We can reach high, and before OR after 50 I am hoping to continue doing that with God's help; however, after 50 I have possibly "mellowed" a little as I see the process more clearly. Our children, our spouses, every person we come in contact with--take this day to remember that they are all at a different place in the process.

Let's all take this day and in the word process remember we are traveling and not always smooth, but it is a process. We are not "done cookin'" yet. Remember that with every contact you have, positive or negative, it is a process for the other person and a process for how we respond. I have days of total failure in this area; however, it is my process as well and as I work to understand family and anyone I may impact is not "done cookin", I can only hope they understand the same about me.

3 comments:

Menopausal New Mom said...

so glad you found me today. I can so relate to how our thoughts evolve and change with age and experience. The most important lesson I've learned is that we are all responsible for the energy we project whether it be positive or negative. With this in mind, I continue to work on more positive and less negative :)

Happy Wednesday!

Jill said...

Great post about our changing expectations or understanding!
I think at any age it's too easy to fall into a fixed 'routine' of expectations - and we constantly need to be reminded we are all growing and changing every day!

Thanks for stopping by my blog. Following you back now!

http://beourbest.blogspot.com/

MelsDeals said...

Just came over from the blog hop. We homeschool our four children for 7 years. They arenow in school. After we adopted 3 babies I couldn't keep up anymore! Blessings, Melissa Melsdeals.com