What word or words do you want to describe your life, this year, this week, this day? Joyful, Peaceful, Refreshed, Intentional, Simple.
It is time. It is time for you and I to place our flag in the ground. It is time to stop living at break-neck speed. Time to stop rushing from one thing to the next, filling up our free space with mindless distractions like the Internet, phones, and TV, which leave us feeling depleted instead of refreshed.
If you are a mom like me, we still have a lot of the race left to run.We still have to finish raising our kids, and so we need to look at our lives as a marathon instead of a sprint. I don’t know your personality, but I know mine. I hate to say no to people, so I often say yes to something, then I get overwhelmed by all I have to do, and end up going back and renigging on my commitment. I am working on it.
I am learning to say no. My life often has many unexpected interruptions, people stopping by, needing something, a last minute visit from a neighbor or a friend. I am guessing yours might too? So I need to learn to say no to a lot of planned things so I have space to enjoy the interruptions in my day instead of feeling overwhelmed and stressed out.
What things in your life are just fillers? There is a difference between having a busy life and having a full life. A full life is one you choose intentionally what things you are going to put in, life-giving things, things that you truly feel called by God to do.
The busy things are those fillers that you feel like you should do, have to do to look good, want to do, but don’t fit in your season of life. And the other kind of filler is the one you use as an escape—the internet, iphone, endless tv watching, or maybe even mindless eating.
For me, as I look at how I have been spending my time, there are several commitments I am pulling back on. In addition to those, the fillers I have allowed into my life are a 30-45 minute mindless Facebook and internet checking with my coffee in the morning, letting the wind take me wherever it will, and watching a TV show with Dave each night. Are these things wrong? Nope. But I need some space to breathe, and my soul isn’t filled by these things. I want to fill my time intentionally {not to the max} and have time in my day to ponder and talk with God, read quietly, and engage in conversation with my family. So, mindless internet surfing is going in favor of a scheduled block of time to work on my blog, update Facebook, and answer emails. TV watching is now limited to Friday and Saturday nights, when we can enjoy it, and not worry about staying up too late.
Just these small changes make me smile. I have peace in my heart knowing I have space to breathe. It gives me a lightness to my step and helps me de-clutter my mind and my day.
This week I want you to consider these challenges:
-Declutter your life by praying about something in your life that needs to go. Let it go without guilt or reservation. Smile at how much better you feel.
-Turn off the “feeds” early. Stop eating, stop watching, stop clicking earlier than you usually do. Snuggle into bed a little earlier than usual.
-Anyway you work it, I highly recommend if at all possible to wake up at least 30 minutes before your kids. Really. I’m not tyring to be mean, but I have seen such a huge difference in my attitude just from waking up earlier than my kids. You can do it! Spend some time in the Word first thing, filling up your mind and refreshing your heart. {Good Morning Girls is a great resource for your quiet time!}
*If you are a nursing mama, and aren’t getting enough sleep to begin with, don’t beat yourself up! Try writing out a few verses on some cards that you can meditate on anytime day or night. Grab your sleep when you can!*
-Do NOT underestimate the power of the nap. Guilty, you say? Get over it! I still take a 30 minute nap every single day and my youngest are 5! Institute quiet time, play a book on your ipod for non-nappers, or even give the kiddos a movie to watch. Whatever it takes for you to get some rest.
-Do something nice for yourself each day.
Some ideas:
Meditate on a verse or verses.
Quiet tea time.
Listent to your favorite music.
Light a candle.
Buy some flowers, just because.
Put your snack on a china plate and drink your water with a bit of lemon out of a wine glass.
Read a chapter of a fun, relaxing book.
Go for a walk.
“He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.”Psalm 23:3
Enjoy your week, breathing,resting in Him and allowing Him to restore your soul as you consciously make room for Him in your life.
