What to Do When Floundering

“Floundering” seems to describe my movements these days.  I get some direction and purpose and then it fizzes out as the days go by (or even the hours!).  My schedule has been hit-n-miss, my menu planning has been more miss than hit, and sometimes I find myself just unable to do the next thing.  Especially when my mind is blank about what that “next thing” is supposed to be!  Do you ever feel that way?

This morning I was lamenting how even my blog seems like it’s floundering.  I generally don’t write unless I have something to say, and…well…I haven’t had much to say lately.  But it dawned on me that I had three things that are getting me through this time, and I thought I’d share it with you in case you ever need it.

1.  FLOAT  Some days, some years, it is all right to let things lie fallow.  No one starved at my house without a menu planned and somehow my children all made great gains in academic achievement even without finishing our schoolwork for the year.  There were a lot of things I didn’t do this year, like “spring cleaning”.  I just let them go.  We survived.  

2.  FOLLOW  Follow Jesus, that is.  I read the Bible more.  I took reading fasts, meaning I didn’t read anything else at all.  I found that my reading other stuff (blogs, magazines, books, etc) a lot of the time took the place of my doing stuff.  I’d say “follow your heart” but I know it is deceitful and not exactly a true measure of things.  That being said, I do think it’s useful to step back, look at what’s going on, and ask yourself the big questions, like what your dreams are, who your friends are, why you’re insisting others behave a certain way, etc etc.  And when you’re unsure of answers, go back to principle #2:  Follow Jesus.

3.  FISH  This is sort of like just “doing the next thing.”  It works if you’re focused enough but sometimes I just needed to set my timer for 15 or 30 minutes to do a task and make me focus.  Sometimes what’s needed is B.I.C. time (Bottom In Chair) to do that read aloud, and sometimes it’s just “cut up the onion for supper….that’s all for now…”  When I say “fish” what I mean is just cast your line, do one thing towards an overwhelming goal.  Some days you’ll feel good about your full accomplishments, some days you’ll feel like it was a loss.  Either way, at least cast your line.  Sometimes Jesus will fill the net to overflowing even when you doubt the cast.

At times it’s not only hard to run the race, it’s hard to want to run the race.  Some days (some years) are just like that.  It’s just part of life, and when you crest to the other side, it’s good to remind others of that as well.