When I saw this meme on Facebook the other day, I had to laugh…and slightly cringe.

Why? Because I could relate. 🫢

When I was little, I always dreamed of being a Disney Princess…and now look at me — here I am a grown-woman relating to the likes of Cruella DeVille. 🙄🙄🙄🙄😂🤣

You know what they say, “You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.”

Okay, maybe I’m being a little melodramatic…but there certainly is some truth there.

My inner Cruella tends to come out when I overcommit.

One such example happened over winter break last year — my boys were playing around in the backyard with the neighbor kids while I was doing some housework inside. I watched them through the window as they played.

Later on, when the kids finally came in for the night, my youngest son informed me that the little neighbor girl had inquired as to my whereabouts — sweetly asking, “Is your mom inside baking holiday treats?”🎄😊🎄

To which my 6-year-old son bluntly replied:

“No. She’s stressed out.”

😳😳😳😳😂😂😂😂😩😩😩😩

Kids say the craziest things, don’t they?? 🤣🤣😬

But, if I’m being completely honest…the sad truth is, he was right — I was “stressed out.” 🤯

It was Christmas after all…and in typical mom- fashion, I was trying to do ALL THE THINGS (decorating, shopping, baking, Elf on the Shelf…need I say more?? 🥴😵‍💫🫠).

I was trying to live up to waaaaaay too many expectations (mostly self-imposed)…and had bitten off more than I could chew.

Let’s just say it wasn’t bringing out the best in me.

In fact, in my quest for Pinterest-worthy Mary Poppins perfection, I had become more like the villain instead of the hero. 😔

And while I’d like to say it’s just the holidays that stress me out…everyday life oftentimes gets to me, too.

Bills, school assignments, work deadlines, never-ending piles of laundry, grocery shopping, budget-balancing, doctors’ appointments, sick kids…after a while on that hamster wheel, it’s easy for your mental space to become a far cry from the “peace that passes all understanding.” 😬😫😔

Despite the often misapplied verse, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” (Philippians 4:13), I’m writing this blog post to remind myself (and others) that we were never meant to literally do it all!!!!

In fact, when it feels like the weight of the world is on our shoulders, we would do well to remember that even the Messiah himself (who lived a perfect, sinless life) didn’t “do it all” while he was here on this earth.

Now, I’m not saying He couldn’t have done it all…He could have healed everyone in the world, brought world peace, etc. (Matthew 26:53)…yet, somehow He chose not to.

Which leaves us with one burning question…

Why not????

Why didn’t Jesus do it all while He was here?

🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔

Well, simply stated, He had a mission and He stuck to it: “…the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10) — the spiritually lost.

And while he did help people along the way, He never let that detract from His ultimate goal.

Maybe that’s why when a paralyzed man was brought to Him, Jesus initially chose to forgive the man’s sins rather than healing him (Matthew 9:2-8). 🤷‍♀️

You see, He knew that restoring a person’s physical life was good — but that restoring a person’s spiritual life was better.

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Just as Jesus explained to Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42, we too have a choice to make between what is good and “what is better.”

With the limited time and resources given to us, we have to choose wisely where to channel our energies as well. We literally can’t “do it all” and still be pleasing to God (Matthew 6:24; Joshua 24:14-15).

If we are burning the candle at both ends so-to-speak, eventually there’ll be no light in us left to shine!

How then will we as followers of Christ be the light of the world as he has called us to be??? (Matthew 5:14)

Just like Jesus, we have a purpose and a calling: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

There will always be laundry to do. Dishes to wash. Crumbs to sweep. There will always be another dollar to make, another bill to pay. Another holiday to decorate for.

All good things in and of themselves.

But when does too much of a good thing…stop being a good thing?

All I’m saying is this — the hamster wheel will always be there…but there may never be another chance to:

– sit and learn at Jesus’ feet

– talk to your neighbor about Jesus’ love and sacrifice.

– help a sick friend.

– teach your children the ways of Jesus while they are still young.

Despite all the distractions of this life…we too should be about our Father’s business (Luke 2:49).

The time is now, and we have to choose carefully how we use it — maybe we’ll never quite master doing “all the things.” But did we do the most important things? The things of God?

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Perhaps you’re like me and have come to realize that the never-ending pressures of this world are insurmountable, as well.

Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

When I read verses like this, I’m reminded that in a world that values “keeping up with the Jones’s” (or the Kardashians, for that matter) — keeping up with Jesus makes a whole lot more sense.

Jesus is the difference between “living the meme” and “living the dream” — for eternity.

Until next time…

-PWAP