Fast
Remember the first time you had a moment alone with your first child. What did you promise him? Do that. Be that.
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Pray
Begin a gratitude journal. At the end of the day, jot down five things for which you are grateful. Think upon these things.
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Give
We can only expect what we inspect. For every task you assign today, follow through and before it's truly finished ensure that there is praise from you.
I find myself:
::praying earnestly
It took me a little longer to find a Lenten prayer rhythm this year. Happily, though, I have settled into a good one now. It's amazing the difference in, well, everything!
"Sunset tonight. #Pretty #Sunset #NicksPics"
::noticing God's glory
It's snowing outside! So silly, this weather. The snow is light and won't stick at all. It's going to be 70 degrees by Friday. We appear to have skipped winter.
::listening to
Nick singing while he cleans up after lunch.
::clothing myself in
Jeans, a white T-shirt, a red sweater, blue cashmere socks made by Elizabeth deHority--they remind me to pray for Elizabeth and to pray for Ann Voskamp, who is wearing similarly handmade socks on a big adventure today.
"Girls having a bakesale today. It's freezing though so who knows if anyone will come. #Cold #Bakesale #Girls #Stephenspics"
::giving thanks for
public school friends who take the time to write letters in favor of the Tebow bill. Even more, I'm grateful that they've taken the time to assure me--despite the ugly noise to the contrary--that we are welcome and they don't see the polarizing divisions being propogated by teacher's unions and PTAs.
I wrote that nearly a month ago. I'm even more grateful now. The bill died in the senate and we've certainly had our eyes opened to the politics of public education. We've also been loved and encouraged by friends who children in public schools.
"Sarah Annie wearing her 'pink fweater'. Yes, she was wearing a sundress yesterday, waddup with this weather VA? #weather #cutie #sweater #pink #marybethspics"
::pondering prayerfully
::clicking around these links
Hooray for the amazing Joy! Joy Messimer, that is. She's gotten me--and you--all hooked up with Delicious. So, there are live links on the sidebar once again. Joy rocks:-)
"Fall leaves and sidewalk marked for construction. #Fall #Leaves #Sidewalk #Marybethspics"
::turning the pages of this book
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking. I finished this book and passed it along toMichael. I think it's a great, great read for anyone who is an introvert or loves an introvert or works with introverts. The chapters dedicated to parenting quiet children were especially insightful.
And now, I'm reading the Meghan Method, which was suggested in the combox here a week or so again. Thanks for the suggestion! It's exactly what I needed--a pretty thorough education in practical interior desing and ecorating from the comfort of my own home. No more random clicking through Pinterest and design blog in pursuit of the perfect picture to try to parlay into reality. Whe I finish this book, I will have a rock solid PLAN. And that happens to be exactly what my husband asked of me.
::thinking thoughts as I go about my daily round
I am astonished at what a big difference it makes to have Mike home on the weekends. For nearly all my married life, the default mode has been for him to be gone. Now, he's home. And I am not exagerrating when I tell you it feels as much like a holiday as Christmas (without all the work). It's amazing! Makes Monday feel totally different, too.
"USoccer. #US #Soccer #NicksPics"
::creating by hand
A quilt for Sarah's baby. Oh my goodness! Have you seen that beautiful baby?! The quilt top is all finished and the batting and backing are basted. But I can't persuade my machine to quilt. I might have just come up with a very expensive solution. Maybe. And it would help me make Easter dresses more efficiently, too. And drapes? Right?
::learning lessons in
sewing! I'm working my way through Apparel Sewing Basics with Liesl Gibson, watching it again and again while I sew. I've got fabric all read for Easter dresses and for a quilt for the family room. Oh, and remember how I was trying to decide on fabric for an anniversary quilt? Here's a hint to part of the plan:
I'm so excited about that project that I'm giddy!
::encouraging learning
in the pages of picture books. Katie and Nicky have programs of study based almost solely on the picture books in our home. We're having some serious fun with this all of a sudden.
"Frenchbraided Sarah's hair this morning. #Cutie #Frenchbraids #Marybethspics"
::carefully cultivating rhythm
Things have become more rhythmic, thank God. The soccer schedule is back to routine. Basketball playoffs are over. Two routine pediatrician appointments turned out to be not routine after all last week and I'm trying hard not to let the followups rock my world too much. Clinging to peace for all its worth these days. It's worth a lot.
::keeping house
Mike is working diligently at relocating all the books from our library closet so that the girls can have a "dressing room." We have grand plans for a considerable amount of painting, fabric-ing, repurposing, and renovating. This house is ten years old, but three times the average number of people live here. Does that make it 30 years old? Sort of.
All of this is still true as it was last time I checked in. We're making progress. Mike and Christian came up with some brilliant ideas last weekend. It's slow going but we are going. And that's all good. In the meantime, the birghter days have predictably inspired me to clean and declutter. That too, is slow going--there are just so many people needs that the housekeeping needs slide around a bit. But pretty soon, the NCAA tournament begins. That's annual laundry catch up time, you know.
And furniture. I really, really want to paint some furniture this week.
"Sarah! #selfie #cutie #marybethspics"
::crafting in the kitchen
Sigh. I've gotten super serious about attacking autoimmune disease from a dietary perspective in conjunction with necessary medications. The good news is I feel quite a bit better! The bad news is I'm starving;-). So, grain-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, legume-free, potato-free: who has great ideas for things to eat? I'm really eager to hear your suggestions.
::loving the moments
When we are filled to overflowing around the dining room table.
"Sarah doing 'school'. #sarah #school #superspics"
::living the liturgy
I have my iPod set to chime to remind me to pray the Hours. This, this is a beautiful rhythm by which to live my days.
"Old converse, so I drew on them. #converse #cityscape #marybethspics"
::planning for the week ahead
Let's see. I've got referrals for followups, so we'll see when I can schedule appointments. Mary Beth has a quick performance Wednesday night and then she leaves for a dance competition. The weekend is incredibly crammed. Katie has an all-star game at the Verizon Center. Paddy has two matches. Stephen and Nicky both have soccer tournaments.
"Got my haircut(: #hairband #haircut #marybethspics"
::capturing the images of my days
Today's photos are taken from the children's Instagram accounts. I found it fun to look through and see things from their perspective--what inspires picture taking, what they see from behind their lenses, and how they caption. They take the photos with Ipods--pretty cool technology.
Below, a little video that Mary Beth took while I was out picking up referrals and prescriptions this morning. Most of the time, we call Mary Beth "Bee." Sarah calls her "Bee Bee," which is funny because that's what my little sister called me. I left them playing and told them Bee was here if they needed anything. Apparently, they "needed" to get going with their own "school" day and didn't want to wait for anyone to facilitate it for them.
Fast
No noise today. Turn of the TV, the radio, the iPod. Find God in the silence.
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Pray
Take five minutes in the morning, at midday and in the the evening to be still, silent, and alone, only asking God to infuse your souls with His will
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Give
Pay particular unsolicited attention to your least demanding child today.
Fast
Step away from the hullaboo of everyday life today. Take an hour for yourself, with nothing but a Bible, a notebook, and a pretty pen. If you can do this outside, all the better. It's Sunday; it's okay if this feels a little like a treat.
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Pray
But, besides that mental solitude to which you may retreat, even amidst the greatest conversation, as I have hitherto observed, [P. ii. ch. 12], you ought also to love local and real solitude: not that you should go into the desert, as St. Mary of Egypt, St. Paul, St. Anthony, St. Arsenius, and the other ancient solitaries, did; but that you should remain for some time alone by yourself in your chamber or garden, or in some other place, where you may at leisure withdraw your spirit into your heart, and recreate your soul with pious meditations, holy thoughts, or spiritual reading. St. Gregory Nazianzen, speaking of himself, says, "I walked with myself about sunset, and passed the time upon the sea-shore; for I am accustomed to use this recreation to refresh myself, and to shake off a little my ordinary troubles; and afterwards he relates the pious reflections he made, which I have already mentioned. St. Austin relates, that often going into the chamber of St. Ambrose, who never denied entrance to any one, he found him reading, and that after having remained awhile, for fear of interrupting him, he departed again without speaking a word, thinking that the little time that remained to this great pastor for recreating his spirit, after the hurry of his various affairs, should not be taken from him. And when the apostles one day had told our Lord how they had preached, and how much they had done, he said to them, [Mark vi. 13]: "Come ye apart into a desert place, and rest a little." TAKEN FROM INTRODUCTION TO A DEVOUT LIFE by St. Francis de Sales, Doctor of the Church
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Give
As you grow comfortable spending time alone and recognizing who you are right down to your core--when it's just you and God, without the impressions of the people around you--give that authentic self to the people you love. God gave the people in your care to the authentic you He created specifically for that purpose. Don't give them anything different; it's not His will.
I read a blog post early this morning that criticizes another woman's blog. It wasn't guarded at all--just wide open and very frank. The crtique centered on the blogger being too positive and not "real" enough. However, the critic freely admitted that she doesn't even read the blog in question. She just looks at the pictures! I can promise you, she's missing a great deal of real. The words are honest and not always dripping with sweetness and light. Of course, you can't know that if you don't take the time to read the words.
When a long-ago friend first tried to persude me to blog, she pointed out that blogging would give me a platform to write more than the 500 words that was my (oft-exceeded) column limit. I admit, that facet is what sold me. I could write a complete thought, explore a big idea, really dig deeply.
Not long after I got going, several people advised that blog readers won't stick around for more than 300-500 words, so keep it short. Furthermore, no post should ever go up without a picture, preferably several pictures. Blogging wisdom from those in the know. To that, over time, I heard not to focus too much on homeschooling, because that readership isn't as wide and I'd alientate people who don't have time to do some of those things with their own kids. Not to focus too much on domestic arts; it alienates those who aren't interested or don't have time for cooking or crafting or making beds. Not to write sentences that are too complex; people are used to tweets and status updates.
I think there is a place for quick social media. Often, I prefer to text over calling.
It's 15 minutes until curfew. are you more than 15 minutes from home?
overtime. down by 1. katie at the free throw line.
Long day. Longer night. Wish you were here.
I see the benefit of making connections and getting conversations started with a few quick lines. But I don't fo a moment think I can get to know someone by just glancing through the sum total of their Twitter updates. Further, I don't know them or understand their message if I just look at the pictures and am too intellectually lazy to actually read what they have to say. Honestly, I don't think you can really know a blogger even if you read every word and scrutinize every picture. I know I've been very surprised, both for the good and the bad, to discover that someone isn't at all who they appear to be online.
All that said, if we are going to communicate with one another primarily in a digital world, I think there is a place for big thoughts, for carefully constructed language, for posts that fully explore an idea and invite thoughtful comments and conversations. I think we need to listen carefully to one another. This weekend, when I visit blogs, I'm going to read all the words, hear as much nuance as I can, and respond thoughtfully. The latter of which will be a big change for me, because I never leave comments. Comboxes are terrifying.
My time online is super-limited--or at least it should be. If I'm here, I want it to have meaning. It might be counter-cultural, but really, I don't want to waste a precious moment of this life on twaddle. If you're a 500 word reader, it's time to click away. If you'd like to stick around, I'll write about what's real in this snippet of time.
No pictures with this post. I welcome you to use your imagination to paint one in your head: I'm sitting up in bed. The house is quiet because the little girls are still sleeping; Mary Beth spent the night with a friend; the little boys have left with Mike for soccer; Christian stayed up until 4 AM playing guitar in the basement and won't appear 'til late afternoon; Michael worked the night shift and will sleep long; and Paddy will roll out of bed shortly to go earn some money referreeing a basketball championship. I awakened with Mike and enjoyed a way-too-brief conversation before they headed out into the dark for warmups before an 8AM game. I saw them off and then I headed for the exercise bike, still in my flannels. I prayed the Morning Prayer with Divineoffice.com while biking in my nightgown. Then I went to the kitchen to fix a cup of tea. I noticed that there are dishes in the sink. There were no dishes when I went to bed last night: midnight foragers, no doubt. Not wishing to spend too much time in a messy dish world, I crawled back into bed to write. I've just replaced the flannel sheets with lovely white Egyptian cotton ones. The bed is a good place. The tea steams on the nightstand beside me, Vanilla Rooibos in a brown stoneware mug. It's quiet and calm and my world feels peaceful this morning in a way I haven't experienced in over six weeks. It's been a long, difficult six weeks. I pray the peace holds.
I have plans today to sew with my girls, to deep clean several troublesome corners, to fully engage in domesticity. Then I think I'll probably join Nicky and Stephen when they watch Dr. Rubio's team take on Joe Skinner's team in the basketball championship tonight. That's how I roll. That's me. I'm looking forward to being me in the peace. Please, God, let there be peace.
After last night's thunderstorms, I hear birds chirping outside. They are very inviting. Could it be spring for real? I really should pull all those weeds around the tulip shoots. Those birds are insistent. So inviting and insistent, that I'm going to wave goodbye to you, pull on a UVA sweatshirt and a pair of Paddy's sweatpants, and finish that mug of tea on the front porch.
Thanks for sharing a bit of morning with me today. Happy weekend, friends.
I'm Elizabeth. I'm a happy wife and the mother of nine children. I grab grace with both hands and write to encourage myself and others to seize and nurture the joy of every day. I blog here with my daughter, Mary Beth, a wholehearted young lady on the brink of adulthood.
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