We all have days, weeks, and seasons of undue stress and fullness in our lives. Our lives seem to come in waves of this and it is often difficult to celebrate the art of making time in the chaos. I find myself convicted of these very thoughts as I hurdle through a long travel season. For a little throw back Thursday action, here is a post I wrote last year. I thought it would be a pleasant reminder for us all.
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It's no secret our lives are busy, oh so busy. Yes with mostly valid commitments like work, Church, meetings, and people but also with Facebook, naps, video games and other zone out activities.
I don't know about you, but I definitely notice when the craziness of life starts to seep in and the things that take time but are fulfilling to me get placed on the back burner. Here are 9 things I remind myself to intentionally make time for because I know they restore me...
1. Baking from scratch. With the amount of time I spend traveling for my job, away from my kitchen, and eating processed food I crave time to try out new recipes and bake from square one. Not to mention it usually turns into a form of giving or hospitality which I love.
2. Calling friends and family just because. This is something I have been trying to get better at. Me being the orderly schedule follower I am, having spontaneous phone calls with loved ones used to be a foreign concept as I planned out every phone date. Now I am learning to enjoy the treasure taking time for calling just because.
3. Sleeping in. Oh the joys of sleeping in, how refreshing even an extra half hour can be to a weary body.
4. Going for a walk. Living in the Midwest I have the blessing of experiencing four distinct seasons all so different in beauty and nature. To truly enjoy each season for what it is worth and take time to be in the presence of God's creation it is important for me to go walks. Not to mention the restoration of some fresh air.
5.Writing letters of encouragement. There is something special about snail mail.The excitement of opening a letter and being encouraged by the contents inside is something I have been rewarded by friends in my life and is something I desire to give back to others.
6. Keeping a journal. Along with writing encouragement to others, it is valuable for me to write to myself and the Lord. Writing in a journal is something I have done for a long time each night before I go to bed. On an accumulation of busy nights when sleep becomes a priority, I definitely feel the weight of not writing out my thoughts and processing them through journaling.
7. Creating surprises. I am someone who absolutely loves surprises. I thrive off of them. So creating surprises for others and taking the time to think through how to brighten their days fills me.
8. Making small talk. There's no doubt in the world with my 30/30 extrovert score on the Myers-Briggs test that I am a people person. Something that is so life giving to me is making small talk with strangers. Yes it sounds strange and no you don't need to be worried for my personal safety but simply taking the time to say hello, how's your day, where are you from, tell me about yourself brings me great joy.
9. Resting. Sure we sleep 7-8 hours each night and feel ready for the next day but are we truly rested? Lately I have been convicted of the need to truly experience rest in my life. To rest my mind, to rest in God, to rest in relationships, to be fully and completely rested.
What do you need to make time for in your life to feel whole?
What are some things you especially enjoy to carve out some special time for?
I'd love to hear what is on your list!
Labels: a day in the life, Heart to Heart
