Hey Readers!
I’m happy to welcome author Betsy St. Amant as our guest blogger today. Betsy is a fabulous inspirational romance and YA author! In addition, she runs a wonderful fiction editing service. (I highly recommend it!) Her latest release, Fireman Dad, is available this month from Love Inspired.
Here’s Betsy…
When Preslaysa asked me to guest post on her blog, I said “sure!” I love visiting other blogs and meeting new friends that way! Then she suggested the topic: how I balance writing and family life. I had to giggle. Already since attempting to write this post, I’ve had to stop and get up twice – once to take my toddler to potty, the second to bring her a snack. Maybe I’m not qualified for this topic? ::grin::
In all seriousness, this topic is big on my heart all the time. I’m a mother of a just-turned 3-year old (who I believe is already smarter than me), a part time employee for a title company outside of my own home that also involves working from home on off days, a freelancer for a local newspaper, listhostess/moderator for a 2500 member writing loop (the ACFW – highly recommend checking it out! www.acfw.com ) a multi-published author who typically has a contract or even two going at any given time, and the husband to a fireman – who has a crazy schedule and works two jobs himself. And oh yeah, I have an editing/critique service (see www.betsystamant.com)
Whew!
Time management is huge to me, because otherwise – I’d be curled up under the covers every day waiting for everything to just be over. ::grin::
I’ve actually taught a workshop on time management for authors before at several local conferences, and I believe the answer is simply boiled down to two things. Priorities, and prayer. If our priorities aren’t straight, if we don’t already know and act upon the fact that our family and kids come before our novels, then we’ll never make it. There have been days under tight deadlines when that priority has slipped and I found myself grumpy, irritable, and with an equally grumpy and irritable toddler. I never want her interruptions to be a nusiance to me, because I’m a mommy before I’m anything else (besides wife). I don’t want her to feel second place to mommy’s work – even if my work is important and a means of our income. There has to be a balance there. It’s good for toddlers to learn patience and learn that the world doesn’t ONLY revolve around them – but it’s also good for them to know that mommy is available and cares and loves and views them as important. Again, balance.
Prayer goes hand in hand with priorities. Without prayer guiding our day, without incorporating the Lord into our lives, we’ll never be productive in the way that truly matters. I write novels, yes, and I love my work, but I’m a wife and mommy…a Christian wife and mommy…who needs God every day to keep me on track with each of those labels in my life. Without His involvment, I’m setting myself up for failure.
One day last week I sat down to write a cover story for the newspaper I freelance for, was under a tight deadline, and could not get inspired – especially knowing I only had my daughter’s naptime to write the entire 2000 word story. I only felt the pressure and stared at my chaos of notes and thought “impossible.” Then I realized I hadn’t read my Bible yet that day. Despite the time crunch, I walked away from my laptop, picked up my Bible, read the next chapter where I’d left off in Philippians, and prayed for God to help me do my best writing for His glory. I went back to the laptop, and voila – the story was done in less than two hours, and my editor said it was even better than she’d hoped it be. I give that glory to God alone! So you see how prayer truly makes a difference in our hectic, busy, lives.
I think moms (especially stay at home moms) fall under the trap of thinking we have to do it all alone. But we don’t have to do it all alone. We can’t. We NEED Jesus.
So next time you get frazzled, or see the laundry and chores and responsibilities piling up, and get overwhelmed and think there’s no way you handle it all, take a deep brreath, admit you CAN’T handle it all, and ask for the Lord’s assistance. When we seek Him, we find Him. He promises us that much in His Word.
Oops. Gotta go. A certain golden-haired toddler needs more juice ::wink::
~Betsy
You can order Fireman Dad here!
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