The Two Words that are Saving my Motherhood

I'll be honest, this whole being a mom to littles and having one with special needs thing is exhausting.

Especially since I'm one of those weird extroverted introverts.

I love and am so grateful for my friends, but I NEED peace and quiet to recharge so that I can keep loving my friends. ;)

I get frustrated with myself that my family gets the worst of me. But, for an introvert, it is so hard to have people around CONSTANTLY. And, when you're a mom of littles, there are no breaks... especially when one of them has health issues that require more hands-on than most other kids require.

So, I've had to develop some coping mechanisms.

One of those is simply showing myself more grace. Being ok with being the World's Okayest Mom.

But, another one of the BEST things I've done as a mom was actually pointed out to me by my husband a few nights ago. I honestly didn't even recognize that I had started to do this.

He thanked me at dinner for starting to do this simple thing with our kids because he knows it has saved a lot of frustration, impatience and yelling from happening in our home. (By the way, I'M the yeller,... not him)

My secret?

When the kids are whining or being rude or not speaking how we've taught them (i.e., please, thank you, etc), I simply ask them to "try again."

I'll say that over and over until they ask me the right way.

We've done this enough now that they get it and are usually giggling when they rephrase their question or ask it with a better attitude.

Also, I'm stubborn. (my pooooooor kids)
So, I don't budge until they've tried enough times to get it right.

There's no nagging, no impatience, no frustration.

Just, "try again."

And, then we all get what we want.

I get polite kids who are learning how to respect adults and get to experience grace.
They get a calm, kind, gentle momma who is learning to show grace to others (and herself!).

Win-Win

Try it out in your home. I bet it'll work for you, too.

-kt

I'm fine.

How often does this happen to you?

You run into someone... could be an acquaintance, could be a very close friend... and you ask, "How are you?"
And, they reply with the super vague, "Fine!"

It seems the closer you are to the person, the less likely you are to be happy about such a flippant answer.

But, let me give you something to consider.

As a mom of a child who has had a long battle with epilepsy, sometimes "fine" is all I've got.

Please don't take it personally.
It's really no disrespect to you.
It doesn't mean I don't trust you or that you are not close enough for me to be honest.
I'm not purposely withholding information from you as some sneaky judgment against you.

Often times there is just not a simple answer to that question. Kids with long-term health issues have such complicated daily lives that, especially in a store or a restaurant where I've run into you, I don't know what to share and what not to. I never know how many details people want.

Every parent with a kid who needs extra care has seen that look of terror in people's eyes when you start to share too much too soon and you realize too late that they were actually hoping things were just "fine."

And, do you want to know how she is or how I am or how our family is doing? Because none of those are mutually exclusive and ALL of those can be loooong answers.

If you really want to know, I'm happy to share. It's always a relief to have someone truly listen. I can put on the tea kettle or a pot of coffee. Just give me a 10 minute heads up so I can make sure my kids are also ready for a guest. (and bring donuts... or muffins... *wink*)

And, there are times when "fine" is the truth.

Every moment my daughter is not seizing on the ground, I am fine.
Every moment my phone is not ringing with school on the other end, I am fine.
Every day we get her out of her morning clusters in enough time to get to school on time not too late, I am fine.
Every day the red-tape isn't an issue and all the paperwork goes well, I am fine.
Every time I get to hear her giggle, I am fine.
Every day there isn't a new procedure or test or medicine to try, I am fine.
Every moment that her brother and sister are happy and feeling loved despite all of this, I am fine.

It doesn't matter what is going on with me most of the time.... I AM fine.

*NOT GREAT*

But, I'm fine.

The truth is, life is hard. We live in a fallen, pain-filled world. God didn't promise that life would be easy. He NEVER promised that He would protect us from more than we could handle. The exact opposite really. He confirms over and over in scripture that this life would be hard and full of challenges and He encourages us to face these things with courage and bravery, knowing He'd be right there with us, every step of the way...

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."   Jesus speaking in John 16:33
"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith,..."   1 Peter 5:8-9
"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."   James 4:7
     *See? It's our responsibility to actively resist the enemy.*
"I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living! Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!"   Psalm 27:13-14

So, I'm fine.

God is with me.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."   Joshua 1:9
"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."   Psalm 147:3

Therefore, I'm fine.

I am fine.
   *promise*

So,... how are you?
-kt

Simple Saturdays - Finish What You Started

This simple phrase has been a game-changer for me.

How easy is it, as moms, to start something but find ourselves pulled in a million other directions?

I mean, just when I finally get around to *fill in the blank* the baby needs changing,
which makes me notice that the garbage needs taking out,
which makes me see that the rug needs vacuumed,
that makes me remember that I shoved things in the closet and I should put them back where they belong,
and then the toddler spills something,
and that makes me remember that I didn't wipe the table off after breakfast,
and the dryer buzzed so I throw the clothes on my bed and see that my coffee cup needs to be brought to the sink,
where I find more dishes that need washing,
but the kids are hungry so I need to make lunch...

and on and on...

and by the time the day is done, I have a bunch of stuff started, the house is cluttered, but nothing is done.

*sigh*

Enter my life-changing new mantra: FINISH WHAT YOU STARTED.

All it really takes is a little self-discipline.
You have to be ok with not getting A LOT done.

BUT, you get the satisfaction of knowing you actually completed something.

Some days, all I get done are the basics (preparing meals, doing the dishes, and general tidying).
And, some days, THAT'S OK!

This even applies to all those amazing working mamas.

Tonya Dalton of The Productivity Paradox (and the creative genius behind inkWELL Press) mentioned recently in her podcast that multitasking isn't really as productive as we might think.

"Experts estimate that switching between these tasks, this virtual tug of war that's happening right now in your brain, it can cause a 40% loss in productivity. You want to know the worst part? You tend to be more error prone. You're working slower and less effectively. People argue that multitasking is more efficient. They say, "I'm getting more done." But are you, if you have more errors, and it actually takes you more time? The more errors you have, the more you have to go back and fix those errors, instead of handling it one time, and being done with it. It's not really that efficient. The next time you go to multitask, ask yourself this, "Which is more important? To be efficient, or effective?" Because you cannot be effective, if your brain is continuing with this tug of war. Doing two things at once makes you miss obvious things." 

If I'm really being honest, I'd rather do a few things well than feel like I've started, but haven't completed, anything.

Don't you agree?

So, tomorrow, don't stress yourself out with a giant to-do list.
Finish what you started.

I promise you'll sleep better.
-kt

Rest

I figure that it's appropriate timing for this post since I started blogging regularly again at the beginning of the year and have since disappeared.

The last few weekends were crazy.

And, instead of stressing myself out to write something for all 5 of my followers, I decided to set an example of grace by showing myself some. Ha.

Plus, that first weekend was it was my birthday.

And, I'm tired.

Prioritizing sleep has been very important for me lately. The ironic thing about hypothyroidism is you can be completely exhausted yet unable to fall asleep. But, giving myself the opportunity to sleep is super necessary. And, as much as I hate to admit this, I get a much higher quality of sleep at night when I don't fall asleep to Netflix or Hulu. *insert sad face*

I am finding so much value in stillness and quiet. 

And, I don't just mean noise. But, quietness of heart and mind and soul, as well.

I try to take advantage of the quiet moments in my house so that I can quiet my heart and be more prepared for when the house gets loud and crazy again. Those moments are few and far between... and oh, so valuable. 

I am also trying to do so much more resting in the Lord and the unknown. Part of that simply looks like refusing to strive for the unattainable. So often I put more pressure on myself than ANYONE else does... including God. By showing myself more grace and giving myself more time, I also reduce the stress in my home. By not setting such unreachable standards for myself, I'm allowing my family to rest more, to enjoy our home, to just be.

(AND, one of the blessings of showing myself more grace and not filling up my schedule was that I had a whole day to work on curtains. Not the most glamorous of projects, but it makes our home so much nicer. I was able to hem our kitchen curtains, our bedroom curtains, and make curtains for our bathroom, bedroom and our girls' room! It's so fulfilling to have that off my perpetual to-do list.) 

Sure, I still want the sink to be empty of dirty dishes and the floor to be swept/vacuumed as often as possible. But, since those things are actually doable most days, it's ok! What's not realistic is to demand perfectly made beds and completely tidy, organized rooms constantly, or the opportunity to accomplish a bunch of tasks on my personal to-do list. There's no life in that. And, my kids are young enough that they're still learning how to do that anyway.

By being able to find rest in the mess (all the mess - spiritually, emotionally, physically, and in our home), we are learning how to really do life together. 

The time often comes for work. For decluttering. For teaching.

But, sometimes, all we really need is a rest. 

-kt

Current Favs - March 2017

I've never really been one to embrace something simply because it's trendy.

If I take part in a trend, it's because I actually like it.

(Which is why I'm always a few months behind. Ha. I'm a BIG fan of leggings now, but it took me a looooong time to even try them.)

So, I thought I'd share some of my current favs with you.
These are some of my tried-and-trues.

Clothing:

As I'm simplifying everything, I'm finding that I'd rather have one nice thing (versus multiple cheap things) because then I always know where they are. I'm less likely to misplace something because I'm probably using it.
So, these slippers won. They are wonderful. TOMS recommends sizing down if you normally wear a 1/2 size. 7 1/2 TOMS fit me perfect so I got these in 7s and they fit wonderfully.

Sorry they are hard to see. It's the best picture I have.
You can find similar ones here discounted on Zulily today.

Makeup:

Several of my friends have talked about wanting to find a tinted lip balm because lipstick can be drying and lip gloss can be sticky.
I found it!
This stuff goes on light, is not sticky, and adds a nice subtle color. I got mine at our grocery store, but I'm guessing in more populated areas, they are easier to find.
This one is Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Rose.

Podcast:
The Memory Palace

There is just something about this guy's voice and the music he chooses and they way he tells these forgotten stories that makes me listen to every... single... episode. He takes a topic that most people would know a little something about and finds a nugget of history associated with it that most people have NO idea about. Plus, they're short. They usually are no more than 15 minutes. Look it up. Listen to it. You won't be disappointed.

Music:

Elevation Worship station on Amazon Prime. I've had to "thumbs down" several songs and there are a few songs I skip past, but for the most part, this is goooooood music. 

Food/Drink:
Pomegranate Tea with a few drops of Lemon Essential Oil and a half of a packet of Truvia. I'm obsessed. John even asked why I was having this drink every night now. Truth is, I'm trying to snack less at night and this is a good way to have something sweet, fruity and delicious.

Blogger:
I have loved Emily from Jones Design Co, for a long time now. She has beautiful free printables and as I'm getting more into watercolors and hand scripting, I definitely enjoy her posts. Plus, she's adorable and a fellow young mom. Check her out.

I hope you like these things as much as I do!
-kt

Simple Saturdays: The Easiest and Yummiest Shredded Chicken Ever

This is absolutely the easiest (and one of the tastiest) recipes I make.

Four ingredients.

Chicken, water, onion salt and italian dressing mix.
That's it!

And, it's super versatile.

All I do is place enough chicken for our family in a slow cooker (this time it was one breast and 3 thighs, but it's totally your preference).

Add 1 cup of water (we need the extra moisture here at our high elevation).

Then, I sprinkle the chicken with a generous amount of onion salt and 1 package of this italian dressing mix. The whole packet.

If the chicken is frozen, I put the slow cooker on high for an hour before switching it to low.
It's a pretty standard slow cooker meal, so high for 4 hours or low for 6-8.

Then, shred and add more water as necessary.

Our favorite ways to have this are over rice or mashed potatoes or on rolls as chicken sandwiches.

My kids GOBBLE it up. All three ask for seconds, and thirds...

I like to double the recipe so I can do sandwiches one night and over rice or potatoes later.

Hope you love it, too!
-kt

Spiritual Health

How I'm simplifying in order to flourish....

I'm finding that there is a lot of self-discipline needed to maintaining a healthy spiritual life.

I have to be intentional about setting my mind on things above (Col. 3:2), letting no unwholesome talk come out of my mouth (Eph 4:29), putting the Lord first in my heart, mind and actions (Matt 22:37). We are to rely on God for so much, but we have to CHOOSE that.

It is not an easy thing to do as a young mom, when so much of my time and mental energy are taken up by other things.

So, as I'm simplifying the rest of my life, this is getting a makeover, too.

Worship:

One of the best things I've done recently is finding some new Christian music that I actually really like.

I'm a little picky when it comes to music. My husband calls my favorites my "weird music."

Sure I still skip a song here and there on the Amazon Prime station, but I love the sound of Elevation Worship.

My kids are even starting to learn some of the songs. I love that they sing along with me.

Music is such an easy way to keep truth circulating in your home.

And, I'm back singing on the worship team at our church... which just makes me feel so, well, like "me". I get slammed with doubts and insecurities all the time. I have no formal training. But, I grew up hearing my mom sing the harmony parts while we were in our pew at church and that became a natural thing for me. I know I need to branch out and sing the melody more often and with more confidence, but that will come.

Bible Study:

This is another area where I can't stress enough that you need to FIND WHAT WORKS FOR YOU... so you'll be less likely to give it up.

Not consistently being in the Word over the last few years really threw my faith into a tailspin. If you are not focusing on truth, lies will sneak in and start to camouflage themselves as fact. It is vitally important to our spiritual health to be in God's Word and focused on who He is and what He is all about. You can't believe something you don't know.

What works for me is to pick a topic each month, find a Bible reading plan about it and read a few verses each day. My favorite lists have come from Rachel Wojo (who even includes cute little printables) and the Bible Girl. At the beginning of each month, I write the passages to read on each corresponding day in my planner so I have no excuse not to read it. It's sitting right there waiting for me.

Fellowship:

We've gotten back into a small group since we moved back to CO. It's VERY important to be in frequent contact with people who you trust to speak truth into your life. People who you can trust enough that when they call you out, you are able to listen instead of get offended. People who you know have your best interest at heart, even in the moments when the truth hurts. And, people who can celebrate life's victories with you and help to carry you through life's tragedies and challenges. We were made to do this life in community. Find your tribe.

(Two of my favorite books on this topic are Waking the Dead by John Eldredge and Kingdom of Couches by Will Walker. Both are books that I intend to reread very soon.)

Prayer: 

Again, self-discipline. And prayer. Ha.

I've literally been praying that God would make me into a person whose prayers are powerful and effective. That He would make me faithful to pray when I tell someone I will. So far, He's answering that. And, I'm grateful. I want to be a faithful prayer partner for people.

I've also started using a traveler's notebook and one of the inserts is dedicated to prayer. It helps when I write and it's very encouraging to have a record of God's answers!

I hope you can find something to take from this little list of things that are helping me.
Be encouraged.
-kt

Simple Saturdays: Sunday Reset

A lot of simplifying my life has come down to setting myself up for success.

One way I do this is by having a few key things I do on Sunday nights.
I call it my Sunday Reset.

Basically it's a way to make sure I get these certain things done at least once a week.

I know Sunday is the Sabbath and I totally respect that. I do more of my "resting" on Saturdays. There are plenty of times when I end up doing this "reset" on a Monday because our Sunday was so great! (And, because my kids have Mondays off school.)
If you are uncomfortable doing this on a Sunday, pick a day that works for you and your family to do your "reset."

Some things you could do on Sunday to set up for a great week:

• meal plan for the following week
• read one chapter out of a specific book
• water the plants
• have the house tidy and clutter-free
• put at least one good memory from the week in a "jar of joys"
• vacuum    *I vacuum daily, but I like to make sure my week STARTS as dog hair-free as possible*
• clean the coffee makers/diffusers
• write a new memory verse on kitchen chalkboard
• double-check calendar for main events to mentally prepare for the week
• empty all garbages
• ANYTHING else that helps you feel prepared

Doing these things on a weekly basis has been GREAT for me. 

I have a spot in my planner where I write the big ones to make sure that I get them done. 

Once again, you are getting a glimpse into the AMAZINGNESS that is inkWELL Press. 

If you're ready to try it, sign up for $10 off your first purchase of $50.

Find what works for you and DO IT!

-kt

My "Crunchy" Confession

This post may take a bit of a "crunchy" turn, but it is what it is.

(oh, and if you're a skeptic, that's ok.... this is just my experience!)

It was nearly 8 years ago that my sister-in-law first introduced me to essential oils.

I was happy (but hesitant) to learn about them because I was soon to have a baby and wanted something other than potent meds with crazy side effects to fall back on when we needed help for our health.

We use oils for practically EVERYTHING now but there are a couple that I use every. single. day.

The rollers I am constantly refilling are my sleep roller, my RLS roller and the roller I use on my face.

First up, my face roller. I was blessed to never get bad acne as a teen. However, instead, I get "blessed" with a few gnarly blemishes on a consistent basis as an adult. Since I started rolling a little bit of a blend of lavender, frankincense, and melaleuca onto my palm and mixing it with my face cream, I haven't had any issues with blemishes!

Next, my sleep roller: aka, my saving grace. Since having kids, I have become a very light sleeper. It also takes me a long time to fall asleep. I apply this sleep roller to my kids' feet as well as to my feet and wrists at night. While it doesn't make us fall asleep noticably faster, it does make me sleep noticeably harder - which means I wake up feeling better and more rested - which means my home is a much more peaceful and happy place in the morning.

And, lastly, my RLS roller. I'm not going to lie. I was kind of a jerk about Restless Leg Syndrome when my mom first started complaining about it. (sorry mom!) And then, my third baby gave me this *sweet* gift while I was pregnant with her. Along with the surprise stretch marks she gave me TWO DAYS before I delivered, the RLS hasn't gone away. Anyone who has it can tell you that it is nearly unbearable. Even if my husband gently grazes my leg, I freak out. This roller blend has been a LIFESAVER. It stops the tickle feeling almost immediately. But, it works best if I use it before the sensation starts. This one is a blend of lemongrass, marjoram (one of my favorites!), peppermint and coconut oil.

We use oils for MANY other things. They have helped me control my migraines, our allergies, digestive issues, keeping us well during flu season, making our laundry smell awesome without nasty chemicals, etc.

And, here's a fun tip - lemon oil makes it SUPER easy to remove stickers your kids happen to put, well, anywhere.

If you have any questions, please let me know!
-kt
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Simple Saturdays

First up, meal planning.

Oh, how this used to frustrate me (and sometimes still does, let's be real).

It was especially challenging while my daughter was on the Ketogenic diet for epilepsy.

During that time, we were also living on a very remote cattle ranch.

Running to the store because I needed something specific for dinner wasn't an option,... at least not an easy one.

So, I streamlined my meal planning.
(with the help of inkWELL press - see the end of the post for a discount code! *although, this is NOT a sponsored post. I just love this company)

It USUALLY looks like this:

Sunday: Snack supper (fruits, popcorn, cheese) or Sunday Supper (where we invite a family over and I do a whole big meal)
Monday: This is the one that varies. Often it's chicken of some sort - BBQ or slow cooker over rice or potatoes
Tuesday: Tacos/Nachos
Wednesday: Pasta (Usually either fettuccini or tortellini alfredo and broccoli)
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Grill out (summers) or soup (winters)
Saturday: Homemade pizza night!

Following this basic menu allowed me to take the pressure off of the planning. If we were sick of alfredo, we'd switch to regular spaghetti or a fancy mac&cheese. But, keeping that night in the pasta category limited my choices (in a good way).

Grocery shopping became simplified. I had a rough idea of what my cost was going to be (depending on current store promotions or special occasions). And, I RARELY forgot anything because I picked up basically the same thing every time.

After each weekly menu spread, inkWELL press has included a grocery list to fill in for the week. I love being able to add to it throughout the week BEFORE I shop. It's all in one nice, neat, organized space for when I'm at the store. I am now so much less likely to forget something! Plus, the menu planner is compact enough to fit easily in my purse and it will cover a WHOLE YEAR of weekly menus!

And, my sweet friend, Katie, had the brilliant idea of marking in the bottom right corner how much your groceries cost that week so you can compare week to week how much you've spent!

Now, I'm not saying you have to follow this exact plan.
But, pick your family favorites and build a menu from there.

My husband loves Taco Tuesdays and Saturday night pizza nights are one of his family's traditions, so we stuck with those. My kids love alfredo, so that's easy (and cheap!).

Kids never seem to mind eating the same thing over and over.
I love that mine get excited for dinner.
(and I LOVE not throwing away a lot of food from trying a new recipe and having no one like it)

Find what works for you and go with it!

Sidenote:
I have ALWAYS depended on a paper planner. My dad used to have this electronic one when I was little that he referred to as his "brain". I totally get that. People now tend to use their phones. For me, if it is out of sight, (like once entered into a digital calendar) it is out of mind. I need to be able to flip through and see everything at once. I have used a paper planner for as long as I can remember.

And then, one fateful day in 2013, I saw an advertisement for a NEW planner company that caught my attention. The planners were classy, beautiful, and looked totally functional.

I have been an inkWELL press customer since day 1.

Perhaps I will dedicate an entire "simple saturday" to their products sometime, since they have been instrumental in simplifying my life (no little notes to myself all over - my amazing planner holds EVERYTHING).

In the meantime, if you would like to try them out, use this link to sign up and receive $10 off your first order of $50.

You won't regret it.
I promise.
-kt

Why

My 2017 Word of the Year is FLOURISH.

Why did I pick that word?

Last year, I got sick. My stomach had frequent issues, I had a terrible time sleeping, my skin was awful, my hair brittle, I had anxiety and all sorts of issues. I was sad and disheartened. I felt like I lost myself. I felt like I was wasting my time and energy (what energy I actually had). I did not feel like I was doing anything of importance. My daughter was having her worst period with epilepsy yet. My husband's work left me alone... a lot. I was so down.

I don't think ANYONE actually understood how "off" I really was.

Since I've struggled with hypothyroidism for the last 7 years, I figured my levels were off again.
And, I made an appointment with a new doctor. 

In the parking lot, before my appointment, I tried to mentally prepare myself with how I would respond when I was inevitably offered meds for depression and anxiety.

I really didn't want to believe that this could all be managed with a pill.
In fact, I didn't want to manage these feelings at all.

I wanted to be fixed. 

The doctor, who I was seeing for the first time, shocked me when she asked what I do for myself.

Um,... what?

She wondered what I was doing to care for myself.

I had no answers.
I was a young mom at a home in a very remote part of the country, alone with the kids most of the time. I spent my life managing our family, making food, cleaning, driving long distances to get anywhere, cleaning, dealing with the Ketogenic diet for my daughter, cleaning up after little people, and doing all the home management things my husband didn't have time for (like dealing with insurance and doctor's appointments and school things and bills and budgeting and laundry, etc, etc, etc).
There really wasn't any time left for me.

Her prescription?
   To make time to do something for me - hire a babysitter if necessary, but do something I enjoy at least once a week. Moderate exercise that is NOT interrupted by the kids. Taking the time to prepare healthy, sustaining meals for myself. Honesty with my husband.

She wanted to see me in a month. If my issues weren't resolved by then, she'd run some tests.

I started being more intentional with my eating, taking my vitamins, and began to be more intentional with the use of my trusty essential oils. I began doing yoga (following a youtuber who doesn't focus on the spiritual weird stuff but more on the health and functionality of your body). I found a DOABLE daily scripture reading plan. I even began Bible journaling and my sweet husband made sure I had time to do it. I found my big girl camera and started putting her back to use.

This year, I want to build on that foundation.

But, not only build,... I want to flourish in the things I choose to do.

To flourish is to grow or develop in a healthy or vigorous way, especially as the result of a particularly favorable environment.

I love the idea of growing in a favorable environment.

But that implies that we have to set ourselves up for success.
We have to initiate our own health, habits and growth.
We have to narrow down our priorities to live the life we want.

Follow along as I break down how I'm doing this in my life in blog posts that are yet to come.
-kt

2017 Word of the Year

In my quest to simply EVERYTHING, I've still maintained the Word of the Year trend because it helps keep me focused.

This year my word is: FLOURISH

To flourish is to grow or develop in a healthy or vigorous way, especially as the result of a particularly favorable environment.

I want to flourish in some very specific areas of my life.

For example, I want to flourish physically. I want to fuel my body well by eating well. I want to be strong and capable so I can keep up with my kids.

I want to flourish spiritually. I need to get back to the basics. To study God's Word and remind myself of who HE says He is.

I want to flourish as a wife and mom. That means spending time investing in these relationships.

The key here is to set up a "particularly favorable environment."

So, how do you do that?

Well, I will be breaking each category down in subsequent blog posts.

Stay tuned!
-kt

New Year

New year.

Refined goals.

Renewed motivation.

This past Monday, we were talking at small group about what brings us delight and rest and how that is present in our current seasons of life.

My response was simply that I'm trying to figure that out.

I have goals, just like most people.
   We gotta get out of debt.
     I desperately want to purge our belongings and simplify our home and schedules.
        There are books to read and recipes to try and projects to get done and the list goes on and on...

I know that I have to have time to find myself, to pursue my passions, to "fill up my cup..."

But, my time is VERY limited.

I am a young wife and mom.

So, the challenge is to figure out what that all looks like practically for me.

Currently, it looks like evaluating.
It looks like ruthlessly purging my life, schedule, habits, mindsets, etc.

If it isn't an absolute necessity or it doesn't contribute to my self or my family or my marriage, it has to go.

I have a lot of likes.
It's time to figure out what I love - and what is therefore worthy of my limited time and energy.

It's going to take some time to figure this all out.
And, I'm ok with that.
There's no rush.
There's no pressure.
There's no reason to compare myself to other moms.
There's no reason to stress out about other's expectations on me (whether legit or imagined).
I can show myself grace because I want to wait until I know for sure what to spend my limited time on.

I want to do things well or not at all.

Until I figure out what those things are, step 1 is to start focusing more inward.
Towards myself.
Towards my marriage.
Towards my family.

Mother Teresa said it best when she said, "If you want to change the world, go home and love your family."

Perhaps we all should take that advice to heart.
-kt