Five Minute Friday: SHOULD

This week I'm again participating in Five Minute Fridays at Kate Motaung's blog, (after another long hiatus) encouraging bloggers to write on a prompt unedited for five minutes.  I'm trying to get back into the swing of writing and decided not to let this prompt get past me, even if I was late.  So I scribbled out my thoughts on the back of a school worksheet I found in my car while I waited for my youngest to be done with preschool so I could transcribe them here when I got home :)

This week's prompt: SHOULD

GO

If I tell the truth, often the SHOULDs stampede my thoughts and take over my mind, often in contradictory chaos.

I should have more quiet time, exercise more often, meal plan so we can eat healthier, take more time to learn or read or take care of myself....

I should parent more peacefully, give more consistent consequences, give more grace, be more involved in their schools, hug more, teach them more chores, play more....

Our summer should be more structured, full of memories, have lots of free time for kids to explore, plan more day-trips, enjoy family time at home...

I should decide what to do next year, find a bigger purpose, use my education, keep staying home, go back to school, find a way to serve my community and church...

I should reach out more often to my friends, write that note, make teacher gifts, bless the neighbor...

These thoughts are certainly not all bad.  But where are all these shoulds coming from?  Experience? Friends? Books? Guilt? Social Media?  The Spirit?  Do I slow down enough to distinguish?

But no matter the voices shouting or whispering... With Christ I am Enough.

I will
Be who I am
Do what I can
Share what I am given and
Love those in front of me.

Deep breath and quiet the Shoulds.

END