January 29
2014
Wednesday Musings…….
It is Wednesday again
It is snowing heavily again
Hummmmmm….perhaps we need a fresh blanket of snow mid week to freshen up the landscape and cover over the mess underneath?
Just a thought that occured to me this morning 🙂
Perhaps we also need a time during the week where we are pushed into “slow down” mode: drive slower, get to work more slowly, leave work more slowly, get stuck in the house and be unable to go out and “run” errands that may or may not have been a priority – think more slowly as you slow down and curl your hands around a warm cup of something.
S l o w D o w n
Kitty cats know all about slowing down. Once Nico was up, had his breakfast, had a drink out of the sink, had a good bath, and I had made the bed…..he was ready to go back to sleep. And he was insistent that I go with him (but he isn’t spoiled, really). He cried and cried and then tried the pathetic, cute, wide eyed, look on me……and the side profile pose 🙂He has since given up on me and gone to sleep without me.
It is my day off. Technically. But there are always many things to do. The list is endless:
Housework
School work
Home paperwork
Banking
Cooking
Cleaning
What about that list of half done crafts (like my sister’s wedding quilts…..oh my!)
What about some Bible Reading and Devotions
Or just a novel
The dances that need to be choreographed
The web sites I wanted to check out
Tea and quality time with friends
Monday evening I was drained. As we sat on the couch I tried but couldn’t relax. So I ended up catching upon all my Oran’s (thanks Hughie, I love them!), Nursing Magazines and the Flyers for the week.
I was only several months behind……
Why in the world do we think that all of this is possible in a 24 hr day and a 7 day week?
I read recently that contentment in life is all about expectations.
If my expectations are beyond my grasp and unrealistic I’m setting myself up for a fall
If my expectations are too low I’m not living life – just existing
My question is: How do we know? Who sets those expectations? Me, those around me, media, facebook?
Ann Voskamp on her site aholyexperience.com talks this week about carving out space…….making a space, a space to do the things you KNOW you need to do. And what does that space look like? She says:
So your space won’t look normal, and so your space won’t be comfortable, and so your space won’t be standard or steady or safe. Make your space and play anyway.
It is all about expectations…….my question in reading this was:
Am I willing to create a space that may not look or feel “normal”, may not be understood by those around me or even myself?
And so I find myself sitting here, blogging.
Nothing on my to do list has been touched for the day
There is laundry waiting to be moved from the washer to the dryer
I have no idea what to have for supper tonight
And I haven’t opened my school bag, let alone done any work prep.
But I dug out my camera earlier, took some snow pics and photoshopped them
And here I am….blogging
Music playing loud in the background.
I’m carving out a space…..
Am I comfortable with this space?
My physical body is not – my very “organized brain” shouts “this is not on your list!”
But my spirit dances and sings
The small whisper in my ear reminds to be take my time folding the towels and to notice how warm and soft they are – to appreciate the steady sound of the washing machine in the background and to take a moment to go to the window and watch the lazy snowflakes fall and cover up the mess.
Am I comfortable with this space?
Not entirely, but I am carving out a space
An important space
A creative space
A sharing space
A space to slow down, reflect, take stock and appreciate
Thankfulness
I talk to my mother on the phone – another space carved out
We make plans for our trip to Cape Breton to say good-bye to my Auntie -time to remember and grieve
We also make plans to be together and visit and celebrate life
Carving out space for life in the midst of death
Jesus tells us:
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28
But even that requires carving out a space – a time. And how do we do that when it feels like there is no time.
We must choose to do so.
Take the time, choose a spot, rest in the arms of the Saviour
He will redeem your time and give you that rest you seek
The rest we seek that causes us to be driven……driven to get it all done so I can rest…..
We have it backwards – you must carve out the space to rest and then it will get done
Maybe not all done
Maybe not all done 110%
But done
And you will be still and rested
In the Lord
Thankful for snowy Wednesdays!