Redeeming Saturday

Saturdays have always been one of the greatest days of the week.  No work, no school, no routine.  Relax, get a project accomplished, have friends over for dinner, watch a movie.  The possibilities are endless.

And then children.

Saturdays can now be some of the hardest days of the week.  And I know I’m not alone in this because I’ve talked with other Moms that feel the same way.

There are probably many different reasons why Saturdays can be challenging, but here are mine:

1. Everyone is home ALL DAY.  The older girls are home from school.  Mason doesn’t have therapy.  Bradley is off from work.  Our general routine is interrupted and this results in a sense of freedom for everyone.

2. Expectations are high.  I want Saturday to be great.  I want quality family time.  I want quality alone time.  I want to get things done.  I want to cook a great dinner.  I want the kids to quietly and cheerfully entertain themselves.

These two things have resulted in Saturdays being my least favorite day of the week.

I don’t want to dislike Saturdays.  So, this past Saturday I set out to change them.

How?

I lowered my expectations, documented our day, and tried to be thankful for every part of it.

We woke up to a beautiful sunrise with a bit of leftover snow,  The kids played. A leak in our roof was repaired.  I helped the girls clean their room and we added items to our garage sale pile.  Valentine’s cookies were made. Cooper fussed most of the afternoon.  Bradley got some things done in the garage.

Nothing was really different about my circumstances.  There were still lots of messes.  I didn’t have any alone time.  My projects were half-finished.

But I actually enjoyed Saturday for the first time in a long time.

It’s amazing how a shift in perspective can alter everything.  When I choose joy over grumbling the mundane everyday becomes a thousand times better.

So I’ve decided to Redeem Saturday.

I want to take back Saturdays and enjoy them like I used to.  I want to delight in a day off with my family.  I want to be thankful for a break from routine, no matter what that looks like.

Maybe you’re like me and Saturdays are hard.  (Or maybe Saturdays are awesome for you and you don’t need to redeem them.  You can pray for me on your awesome Saturdays).

I’m starting a new hashtag on Instagram this weekend and I’d love for you to join me:

#redeemingsaturday

Redeeming Saturday doesn’t mean that my Saturdays are going to magically transform.  But it does mean that I can look at the ways that Saturdays challenge me in a fresh way.  I can look for ways to rejoice.  I can choose to serve my family cheerfully.  I can see messes as creativity at work rather than annoyances.

And I can choose to be thankful and rejoice.  No matter what Saturday holds.

Let’s take back Saturday, friends.