After Caleb was born and I started staying home with him, my life became a bit of a fog. I would wander through the day taking care of him (enjoying him!), trying not to forget basic things like eating and exercise. That was pretty much all consuming, and then we decided to move across the country. So, then I balanced packing, shopping & selling, pricing moving possibilities, calling a million people to arrange storage & living arrangements… When we got here, the house hunt started and I immersed myself in that. I told myself that my job was to care for Caleb and to bring our family to a point where we could relax. Well, now we are comfortably moved in, most of the broken stuff is fixed (contractors are replacing the roof & pouring cement in the coming weeks still!), and things feel pretty good.
So, now I am excited. This is exactly the place, one year ago, I hoped I would be. Now, with Caleb in tow, I have a blank canvas before me on which to paint how I live my life. I will no longer be all consumed with insane amounts of life changes all at once (for now anyway). The question I have been asking myself is, what do I want to do now? After much thought over the past year, I have decided that I would like to cultivate disciplines in myself that are healthy and sustainable. This is not to be taken lightly and I concentrate on one at a time. Here is my list so far:
Cultivated Disciplines:
- Daily Bible Reading & Study – I read the Bible most mornings while Caleb and I are eating breakfast, often out loud to him. I’ve been also praying through the Psalms for Caleb and Josh and anyone/anything else that comes to mind. It is fantastic to start the day off like this.
- Nightime “Fly By” Cleaning – Every night I do a walk through of the house to make sure things are picked up. I go from room to room and do a quick assessment and tidy up. This means that the dishwasher is full and started before bed, laundry is put in hampers, toys are off the floor, and so on. It gives me a satisfied feeling of completion at the end of the day and also helps me to start the next day without feeling frazzled. Sometimes I’ll even do a spot clean here and there (bathroom, sweep, etc.) if I’m feeling in the zone.
- Memorize Fighter Verses – I started memorizing fighter verses. Setting God’s word permanently in my mind has been so important to me. I find myself reciting verses throughout the day to help me get out of a bad attitude or temporary despair or whatever. It reminds me of who I am and what my purpose is. Nothing like giving my life some directed focus!
Upcoming Disciplines:
- Writing – I need to write more about my thoughts. My blog has fallen wayside more often than not and I think it’s important for me to keep writing.
- Creating – I’ve started working on some craft projects here and there and I have some art in the works. I want to make sure that I set aside regular time where I can connect and create using my hands. There is something so satisfying about using my hands to make stuff (i.e. not on a computer!).
- Ministry & Hospitality – Working on this. I’m trying to understand how my day-to-day encounters with others can show Christ’s love through both words and practice.
