without faith

This phrase won't leave me alone. "Without faith it is impossible to please God. . ." The phrase is troubling me because I have a bit of trouble with faith. I am lacking. I know it's the reason I get upset with my kids or impatient with Jeff, or put out with anything in my life.
I realized that I had a bit of trouble with faith after I listened to a conference phone call encouraging Sonlight homeschoolers in their homeschool journey. In the course of discussing different strategies and helpful practices a suggestion was made that we should pray at the beginning of each day, not just as a good way to start the day, but asking for God's guidance and ordering of each moment. Willingly committing the day to His precise plan. Sounds great! I'm so into that! Yes! God is good, He'll make my homeschool day great!
So the next day happens to be Friday and on Fridays I get to drop my kids off for THREE AND A HALF HOURS! So exciting! I really love my time with my star pupils, but I also look forward to being exceptionally productive on my own once a week. As I pulled out of the parking lot I remembered the prodding to pray at the beginning of each day and commit to doing exactly what the Lord would require of me. I suddenly felt very conflicted, not to be confused with convicted. I had plans! I had things to accomplish. How am I supposed to be productive if I stop and listen to what God wants me to do with MY time. In this moment I thought, "hmm control freak, me?" Ok, so I was a little stubborn, but I realized that if I committed my next three hours to God, and truly surrendered, it was possible that it would not be required of me to go to Africa and back. It's not like surrendering to an evil slave master, it's much more like accepting an invitation from a lover or fast friend who sharpens you into the best you.
So it goes back to the faith issue. I struggle with trusting that God really does have my best interests at heart. He is faithful to remind us and show us where we are falling, but He is also the gentle teacher who brings us back to where we need to be, always groping and reaching for Him. I knew I had been greatly encouraged recently after reading a book that pointed to scripture for the reasoning behind her methods as a mom. I was reminded that if I want faith, Romans 10:17 says faith comes from hearing and hearing from the word of God. So, it's back to the Book for me.