November 12, 2011

Finding Balance at Home


It's been almost two months since I've been back home full-time. The last time I was here (2005), I was single with 4 kids. Now, six years later, I'm married with 2 adult children, 2 kids at home, 3 stepchildren, and 2 grandkids!

The first time the Lord allowed me to come home to become fully self-employed, I had Paradise Legal Support & Secretarial Services, providing business support services to small business owners, attorneys, ministries, individuals, etc. The support services included virtual secretarial/paralegal, editorial, desktop publishing, marketing, web design, etc. For three years, the Lord provided me with enough clients to sustain me and my four children. We might not have gotten all our wants, but the Lord certainly provided for all of our needs. We had a roof over our head, food to eat, and clothes on our back.

At the beginning of 2008, I got a call to work with a company part-time. I accepted the opportunity to have a "steady" income since business had become kind of slow. That position lasted until the end of September of this year. I'd actually been praying and patiently waiting for the Lord to say it's okay to come back home full time because after getting married in 2009, my husband and I finally decided that it was time to combine our talents to create The Lyons Group to take our businesses to another level, together, as a team. It's been quite a ride.

So, now that I'm home, it's a little different than before. Not only am I a mom, but I'm also a wife, AND we're a blended family. The first two weeks were very weird. Hubby gave me time to just relax and get acclimated to my new "position" so I set out to figure out how to find balance in my role as wife, mom, and womanpreneur.

I decided to create a calendar to make sure that I give equal time to each of my roles, but more importantly, to make sure that I don't allow the business and making money to be my entire life, but take this time to cultivate and grow my relationship with my family and my relationship with Christ. After all, God did not make ME the provider for the family, but the supporter and nurturer.

So, now my daily routine consists of housework, cooking, reading, and working in between. I'm available to sleep in and snuggle with my honey whenever he needs that time. I'm available to go to my kids' schools whenever they need me (and sometimes when they don't!). I'm able to attend weekly women's bible study at church to learn how to be the best wife and mom I can be. And lastly, I'm able to schedule and attend meetings and networking events and find other ways to promote and grow our business.

I think the ultimate blessing in life is to be able to enjoy spending quality time with the family. Less work, more play... and peace. That's all I've asked for and I'm so grateful that the Lord has given me this opportunity! I'm finding balance at home and I'm loving it.

2 comments:

lizawalters said...

That is so great to hear!!!! I can honestly say that hearing your story still gives me hope to know that God doesn't forget about us. He is an on time God, because your experiences have always worked out ON TIME!! God Bless!! Continue to be an inspiration- to those who you least expect....LIKE ME :)!!!!

I am Ruth, Proverbs 31 Woman said...

Thanks, S. Today was one of those quiet days. I just felt like writing today and that's what was on my heart. If what I say blesses someone else, it's a double blessing for me!