The coffee is still warm, but my brain hasn’t caught up

Pinterest and French press are my companions this morning now that J-Dub has ventured off to work.  Em and Chase are always laying about, so if I don’t mention them, one can safely assume that one is begging for food or attention while the other is flopped somewhere in near-death boredom.  They take turns at these activities.  My blessings, my charges, my God-given character-builders are still slumbering away, and I am half-listening for footsteps as I type.  Now that the scene has been set, I have a question for you.  Why on earth have styled bookshelves become a thing?  The obvious answer would be related to decor and personal style, but still, I wonder, why do we not have enough books in our homes to fill one small case?  Must we fill in those empty spaces with coordinated knickknacks instead?  Frames and empty vases and collections galore?  Here is another question – how in the world have all of these women convinced their husbands that having well-styled rooms is a worthwhile endeavor?  I’m jealous.  Plain and simple.  Pinterest, you are both my friend and foe.

On another note, I picked up a book at the library yesterday (more than one, actually, but that’s beside the point) by an apparent author and somewhat-famous interior designer.  I seem to have caught the annual “spring cleaning and nesting” bug, so here I am in all a rage to clear out our home and make it more livable.  I admit that as things accumulate, even simple housekeeping becomes a grand frustration.  This book, Seven Layers of Organization by Christopher Lowell, caught my eye, as doing things in chunks and in an orderly fashion appeals to me.  The first two “layers” that Mr. Lowell addresses deal with assessing the what/where/why/how of the extra junk and clutter in our homes, then separating our emotions from our stuff so we can purge the extra and create space for living.  Often times, I don’t think we realize how connected we can become to things.  We hold on for dear life to these things that can be burned down in a day, broken in seconds, lost in a moment and never seen again!  The relationships in our lives should be of greatest importance, and having a home conducive to nurturing those relationships is one of the goals I have for my life.  Might I encourage you to make it one of yours as well?

~V

Good Morning

Praise and glory to God alone, I am not only able, but also willing, to wake up with my husband each morning, a good two hours or more before the kidlets rise. This time has become precious to me over the past weeks, as I am able to accomplish things that are important to me, in a way that I am comfortable doing. Today is fast becoming a typical morning: Wake at 0500, shower and dress by 0530, get J-Dub his breakfast while he gets his things together for work, chat for a few before he leaves, Bible study/devotional/prayer, read a section of a book, set up for the day’s activities, and if I’m super lucky I will have finished an entire cup off coffee by this point.

Now about that devotional. I use the YouVersion app on my phone, which is simply loaded with all manner of devotionals, though one must take care that what they are studying through is biblical. I am currently going through the Made to Crave: a 21-Day Challenge devotions, though I haven’t read the book by Lysa TerKeurst (www.madetocrave.org). If you are tempted to overeat, or really over-do anything that is good in moderation, I encourage you to check out the materials. Something that stood out to me this morning was the question of how often I have given into a short-term desire that worked against a long-term goal. This thought goes so much further than eating too much junk. How often do we act on impulse? How often do we cause our own setbacks due to our unwillingness to tell ourselves “no”, and pray for help to focus on that which is superior to instant gratification?! Please leave a note below, I welcome you to share your point of view.

These are a few of my favorite things…

The Sound of Music has turned out to be a bigger part of my life than I would like to admit a movie could. Is it just a movie, though? I mean, there is the light history lesson, and the beautiful music, the moral integrity and focus on the importance of a solid family unit. Anyway, the first thing that stuck with me from the first time I watched the lovely Julie Andrews console her charges during the thunderstorm, was to consider my blessings and focus on that which brings happiness, especially in times of uncertainty.

Philippians 4:8 (NKJV)

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

Here are of few of my favorite things, and I encourage you to share some of yours in the comments below!

Clean sheets. Programmable coffee makers. Public libraries. Freedom to worship as I choose. Crock pots. Waterproof matches. Stormy nights. Baby/toddler hugs. Holding hands with children. Pretty baskets. Forgiveness. Greenhouses. Sun-warmed soil. Just-picked vegetables and berries. Indoor plumbing. Candlelight.