I have 60–90 minutes each evening between when the children are finally in bed and when it’s time for me to go to sleep. I find myself incredibly pensive during this time, and often seeking to maximize the conclusion to my day. Frequently, I feel too tired to do anything and opt to go to bed early.

I’ve written about the nature of rest, and how sometimes being active and productive gives us a deeper sense of rest and peace than idleness. This is true, but I want to order my days so that when it’s time for me to finally go to bed, I have a sense that I left it all on the field.

Athletes use this phrase to describe giving everything that they have in a game. Win, lose, or draw, they didn’t hold any of their talent or ability back. They poured themselves into the game and did all that they could to achieve victory. That’s how I want to live.

It’s easy to become tired from the tedium of my day. The many tasks which must be accomplished, though easier left undone, the sameness of my weekdays. It’s easy to leave much on the field and to give myself the day off.

The truth is, if I leave everything on the field, all things will be done well. It means I’ve woken up early and taken the time that I need to train my body and prepare myself for the day. It means my family has eaten, learned, prayed, and played together. It means my home is picked up, the kitchen is clean, and the laundry is put away.

It takes hard work to stay on top of everything. But the reward is going to bed knowing that I left it all on the field. Tomorrow I have the privilege of a whole new day to do it all over again.

Tags: Parenting