Somehow I blinked and summer disappeared. I don’t know when or how, but school is right around the corner and once again I’m trying to finish up plans for our new homeschool year.

It’s usually around this time each year when I wonder what we accomplished this summer. Then my next thought is, why do I always feel like I have to accomplish something?

Is there some manual that says parents must be productive 100% of the time? Or an 11th commandment, “There shall be no rest for parents?” Or do only “good parents” constantly accomplish something?

No, no, and no. Yet, isn’t that how we feel sometimes? If we have any down time, all the undone chores come to mind. Or if Suzie Homemaker down the road has a spotless house, bakes, serves only homecooked healthy meals, and exercises regularly then she’s accomplishing something and we must not be.

It’s amazing how many unspoken measurements we set for ourselves … and usually they are based off of the achievements of someone else. Here’s the thing–God wired all of us differently and we were never meant to be copy cats of the next person. Plus, each family has their own set of values and priorities. So why compare ourselves to the next person? I know, easier said than done.

So I confess … my house is not clean. My floors are overdue on sweeping. Towels lay waiting to be folded. Dust bunnies have had a long overdue party on my furniture. Paperwork lies on my office floor. But instead of cleaning this last weekend I took my own advice from my last entry–we drove to Denver for a family weekend and went to the water park. What fun!

As I see it, I can clean for the rest my life. But my daughter will head off for college in just four short years.