Hurry Up

Come on! Hurry up! We have got to go!
Why am I in such a hurry all the time? Where am I actually going?

I just finished a book about simple living. And it was really about simple living needs to start in your heart. It was more about taking the time to enjoy the people in your life and to enjoy being with yourself, instead of how to organizing or schedule. It was actually more about NOT scheduling. To really take a look at your to do list and activities and see what in there is life-giving. And what could - or should - be removed.

I have been trying to slow down over the last few weeks. Moving so slowly, that I couldn't get this blog finished. Haha. (Well, yeah.)

It's not that I'm always running late - well, I am sometimes. I have plenty of time to get where I need to be, but then I think I have more time than I actually have, and I add a task here and there. Oh, I could do this "really quickly" - and "really quickly" is much longer than I really account for. So then I end up in a rush - and then subsequently, end up being late. And that leads me to telling the kids to hurry all the time. Maybe sometimes we do need to be in a hurry. But why?

I really desire to be with my kids in the moment. And if I'm pushing them out the door all the time, there isn't much time to just BE. And after thinking about it, there are so many times that I am telling the kids to hurry - and there is NO reason to rush. There is really no where to be at that time. We aren't late. I'm just wanting them to hurry - and hurry for me. Where is my patience in my parenting?

I guess I'm just wanting to move faster then they are moving. I do have an inner momentum that is going at breakneck speed most of the time. So what I've been doing the past week or so is trying to slow down that inner rhythm. The one that is rushing me to keep going and do something. Even when I'm sitting down, I feel rushed to get on with the next thing. And in this slowing, it is really doing wonders for my day - and my mind. I am calmer. I can deal with the little things as they come along [and in saying that, this IS a work in progress, so there is work to be done!!] I don't feel bad if I spend time running through the house playing hide and seek with the kids and a few chores get left on the list for the next day. By slowing down from the inside, I am really able to see what matters. I am taking pauses during the day - to sit, with the kids or with a book. To have a cup of coffee. To just sit down!! Instead of just waiting to rest at the end of the day - basically sprinting to the finish, I'm taking a pause and recharging throughout the day. This pausing part is definitely a work in progress. I'm still not sure what this will look like day to day with little ones at home.

And to make this kind of slow rest be a part of our family, we are implementing Sabbath rest to our Sundays. Preparing for Sabbath throughout the week, so that Sunday looks different than every other day. Not only going to church for worship and fellowship, but being sure to rest and recharge our whole selves. No chores or errands - and maintaining the house (like doing dishes) kept at a minimum. We will be doing things that are fun, healthful and restful - individually and as a family.

It's going to be hard to slow down (and maintain it) during the week - and really hard to pretty much stop on Sunday. This is a new frontier that I am embarking on - and there is so much to learn. But it's something that I so want to do - and need to do. So I am now going to hurry up - and slow down!

New Year

Alas the year has come to a close. And the memories that we will have of the time that is past - are already made and remembered. A fresh new start comes with the beginning of a new year. My New Year's resolutions usually tend to lean more towards goals - like a change in attitude or perspective - instead of a more tangible goal of "doing" something. And changing when the calendar changes is a great opportunity. It seems easier to do things like this in the new year, because people are more receptive to change. Maybe it's expected more - because the new year is a time for a new beginning.

So this year I want to focus on living in the present. I'm not going to get this time back. These days with my little ones are fleeting. So I want to enjoy the moments. Living with the mindset of "will I regret it if I don't do THIS or THAT" may sound a little defeatist or negative, but it motivates me to do things. Because it is true. I'm not going to get today back. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is yet to come. So all that I have is today. So it puts a fire in my day - in my planning - in my doing.
I gave this philosophy a try this Christmas season. Thinking ahead - what do I want to do this season with my kids, family and home? What am I going to wish that I did - if I don't do it? So I made a list and put stuff in my calendar to do them! And it was fun! Baking, crafting, doing random silly things and watching fun Christmas movies - just to name a few! It added fun and magic to the season. And really created some memories and traditions for our family. I got to see what works and what doesn't really... And since I was trying and doing lots of things, there were many successes (like baking) and only a few disasters (baking again)! Instead of just wishing I could do a certain activity or just thinking it was going to be too hard or take too much time or just do it "later" (and "later" seems to never come) we just DID things - jumping right in! It was easy to practice this way of thinking during the holiday season. It will be interesting to apply it during the "regular" part of the year, doing "normal" activities!

I'm thinking that the first few things I'm going to focus doing things in the NOW and not the later are a few things for me - blogging and reading. I miss my creative outlets that are personal - I do plenty of creative things with the kids, but for me, my brain function needs a workout! Those are things that get pushed aside to the "later" pile - so why not think about doing it now!
The other thing is living in the space that I have now - with the things that I need and use NOW. This is sort of a carry-over from last year. Cleaning out what we don't really need or use. Having less. Using more of what we have. Being grateful for the things, but more importantly for each other and the time we spend together. I think that things - tech stuff, toys and even to do lists - get in the way of time spent together. I want to make way for the people by having less physically in the way. I'm not sure how this is going to work, what I am going to do, how far I'm going to go and if it's going to work. But it's going to be on my mind.

So over the next few weeks and months, I'm going to be thinking... How do I want to look back on this time that I have spent while my kids are in the little years? It's a unique time and I'm right in the middle of it!