Spring means… life to the full

Our daffodil bulbs are peeking up through the ground. . . snow banks melting… deliciously bright, sunny, warm(ish) days cropping up here and there. Spring! So happy. In the spirit of sping-y brightness, a lovely little gift from the kind folks at Dayspring:

These pretty plates arrived to a newly painted dining room, and viola! They just matched so well I had to put them up on the wall rather than pile any food on them (though they are dishwasher and microwave safe, apparently). What a happy, joyous little cluster of spring-affirming LIFE messages! The scripture quoted is John 10:10: “I have come that they might have Life, and have it to the full.” (NIV) If you hurry over to their website, you can pick up anything from the collection for 30% off, and also find great deals like this pedestal which I also have, and lovelovelove. This sale is only good until Thursday, 3/31 using the code LIFE30.

 

Do yourself a favor and drop a copy of Anne Voskamp’s book, “One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are” in your shopping cart, too. You’ll be so blessed by it, I promise.

Happy spring!

Creating Space

Image by Fr Antunes licensed by Creative Commons Generic Attribute 2.0

 

“In the spiritual like, the word ‘discipline’ means ‘the effort to create some space in which God can act.’ Discipline means to prevent everything in your life from being filled up. Discipline means that somewhere you’re not occupied, and certainly not preoccupied. In the spiritual life, discipline means to create that space in which something can happen that you hadn’t planned or counted on.” ~ Henri J. Nouwen

Oh, how much of my life is already filled up? How much is already planned and counted on? Too much. I spend countless hours planning, counting the own hairs on my head.

Do I know someone has already done that, formed me, planned the best me? I say “yes.” I live “no.”

I will slow down after… I finish… when I get there… once this changes… when this goes away… later. later. later.

The constant desire to want to be done, then be happy, creates the background feeling of anxiety. If you’ve ever found yourself doing the dishes as fast as possible, when you have no reason to be in a hurry (like I have), you know what I mean.

I don’t just create space: I feel the need to plan, quantify, organize and populate it. There is no room for a gift to be inserted into this. There is no gratitude, only weariness.

Creating space to breathe is enough.

Declutter internal and external space. Sacred space, all.

Clean, uncluttered lines in my home; clean, uncluttered soul.

Making room for sunlight and air in rooms. Clearing room for Sonlight and breath of the Spirit.

Thinking, thinking, thinking about this. And suddenly, I am jarred at my feet. Little eyes, this tiny soul that grew out of my skin and bones: this person shares my space.

What more motivation do I need to practice these things? Joy. Openness. Space. Thanksgiving.

Discipline means that somewhere you’re not occupied, and certainly not preoccupied. So, today, I created space: one bag of broken clutter, gone; one hour of time, given to Him; interruptions by a small voice and tug at my leg, not ignored. Picture books and smiles.

Memories. Space. Stretching. Growing. Breathe on me, breath of God. Now my turn: inhale. Now Him. Now me.

It is discipline to do this. Daily.

New Things Around the House

Excited about reading this with the Bloom Book Club

Tic Tok: Limiting my Computer Time

Ready for Some Peace

 

Tilling Life Soil in 2011

Image by Chiot’s Run licensed by Creative Commons Generic Attribute 2.0

 

So, my focus word for 2011: cultivation. Why cultivation? Baby steps, my friends.

I’m not a seasoned mother. I can barely keep my house tidy, and it’s rarely photo-worthy. I’m not a savvy blogger. I’m not one of those she’s got it all together people.

 

I’m a new mama, with a new family, and I don’t know what I’m doing half of the time.

 

Like Paul says, I’m just a cradle-babe craving milk:

So clean house! Make a clean sweep of malice and pretense, envy and hurtful talk. You’ve had a taste of God. Now, like infants at the breast, drink deep of God’s pure kindness. Then you’ll grow up mature and whole in God.

1 Peter 2:2 (The Message)

Oh, how much do I want to grow up mature and whole. (And, literally, clean house!) I’ll pass on the she’s got it all together (look at her amazing blog!) thing. I’m aiming for God’s stitched her up good in His mercy and is keeping her that way.

I firmly believe that the universe deals in the economy of grace, and that is a gift we fling our arms wide open to, because it’s nothing we can generate. But I also believe that to be ready for it in abundance, we have to cultivate our soil for the seed.

What does the Greatest Storyteller say about soil? The hand of God sows seeds that fall in:

• gravel—the person who hears and instantly responds with enthusiasm. But there is no soil of character, and so when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it.
• weeds—the person who hears the kingdom news, but weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle what was heard, and nothing comes of it.
• good earth—the person who hears and takes in the News, and then produces a harvest beyond his wildest dreams.

Sign me up for Good Earth, friends.

Image by flickrich licensed by Creative Commons Generic Attribute 2.0

 

The message laid on my heart this year? No one else will do this work. No one else will till my soil.

Not my small group, not my pastor, not my soul-friends, not my parents, not even my husband. Building up a marriage is not the same as building up my soil, and if I’m doing one I’m not necessarily doing the other. And my heart comes first, because that’s what I give to God and then offer to share with my spouse. And, believe me, my husband would rather live with a garden than with a pile of crumbled, rocky dirt.

Image by Harshad Sharma licensed by Creative Commons Generic Attribute 2.0

 

Our friend Wiki says, We can use the human health analogy and categorize a healthy soil as one:

• In a state of composite well-being in terms of biological, chemical and physical properties (am I taking care to nourish all aspects of myself so that they form a healthy composite?)
• Not diseased or infirmed (ie not degraded, nor degrading), nor causing negative off-site impacts (am I rooting out diseases of health and habit, and not impacting others negatively?)
• With each of its qualities cooperatively functioning such that the soil reaches its full potential and resists degradation (are all my talents being cultivated to act in concert to become fully what was fearfully and wonderfully made?)
• Providing a full range of functions (especially nutrient, carbon and water cycling) and in such a way that it maintains this capacity into the future (am I taking care of my body physically, so that I live out my life abundantly?)

Image by Pink Sherbet Photography licensed by Creative Commons Generic Attribute 2.0

 

Each of us is called to cultivate an inner garden in which the Divine Word may grow and flourish.
~ St John of the Cross

That’s my focus for this year. What’s yours?

Happy tending, blessed reaping,

Focus Word for 2011: Cultivation

I’m hoping to share some reflections on this word, but for now I’ll share some quotes I put together and inserted into my “clipboard” version of a household planner. Maybe they will inspire you, too!

View this document on Scribd

Wordless Wednesday

Taken by my husband

Check out others Wordless Wednesday posts.

Plotting a Course

Image by woodleywonderworks licensed by Creative Commons Generic Attribute 2.0

 

Well, after my last post about un-resolutions, I’ll follow up with some goals for this year. Hypocrite? I hope not. We all need goals – and I really want mine to be clear, so that I can snack away at them in bite-sized chunks. Goals help you tame your activities, and keep them in line with your overall aims. I love this quote, which reminds me that we should be careful what we wish (or plan) for:

“If you go to work on your goals, your goals will go to work on you. If you go to work on your plan, your plan will go to work on you. Whatever good things we build end up building us.”
~ Jim Rohn

Following Money Saving Mom’s advice, I downloaded Amy Lynn Andrews’ Tell Your Time: How To Manage Your Schedule So You Can Live Fulfilled.

I really like the concise tips she gives, and the fact that she quickly helps prioritize goals and manage not only ‘time’ but all of the roles present in our lives. Plus, I could print out the worksheets and plot out my roles and priorities pronto! I’ll share them for future reference and just maybe some inspiration.

Amy Lynn suggests listing out your roles, and I’ll start with mine and their corresponding goals and activities.

Self

Goals:  Kindness, Patience, Joy, Discipline

Activities:
1. Disciplined wake-up time every morning
2. Church
3. Being aware and available to help others
4. Exercise

Spouse

Goals: Supporting my Husband; Building up our Marriage; Working as a Team

Activities:
1. Date night and long-term planning time
2. Daily morning email
3. Encouragement notes
4. Daily check-in time

Parent

Goals: Be available/present; Model grace; Discipline and guide wisely

Activities:
1. Play and reading
2. Facilitate playdates and fieldtrips
3. Daily outdoor time
4. Family time

Educator of Miss E

Goals: Instill a sense of wonder; Facilitate exploration; Discipline

Activities:
1. Daily outdoor time
2. No more than 1/2 TV per day
3. Monthly theme and weekly book focus
4. Fieldtrips

Employee

Goals: Income for the family; Positively contribute to work environment; Increase related skills/experience

Activities:
1. Work 9 hours per week outside the home
2. Substitute when needed
3. Learn new skills
4. Keep current with trends in the field

Homemaker

Goals: Be organized and efficient in planning and executing a plan (cleaning, meals, etc); Keep house clean; Declutter regularly

Activities:
1. Cleaning
2. Meal Planning and Prep
3. Groceries
4. Organizing/decluttering.

Student

Goals: Finish B.A.; Network; Daydream about graduate programs

Activities:
1. Classes
2. Schoolwork
3. Writing for publications
4. Editing

Athlete

Goals: Complete a triathlon; Run a 50k; Focus on core strengthening

Activities
1. Become a more proficient swimmer
2. Do at least one time trial
3. Do core strengthening work regularly
4. Stretch regularly

Writer/Blogger

Goals: Be consistent in exercising my writing skills; Read fewer blogs, but comment more often; Limit junk time on computer

Activities:
1. Post 3 – 5 times per week
2. Write ahead for posts
3. Participate in Poetry Friday and Wordless Wednesday
4. Network with other blogging mamas

 

Wow, if you read all of these, thanks! What type of goal planning works for you? Where have you found inspiration and discipline in working toward your dreams? What are your dreams? Share, share, share.

Maybe in my next post, I’ll share my clipboard life-line, which has all my daily organization ephemera neatly held together. It’s not pretty, but it works.