The quiet

What I am learning in these busy hours that weave into days and weeks around me, is that I must stop. I must find some place to be still and to follow opportunities to quiet places. Early morning walks in the first glow of sun, tea and candlelight waiting after prayers are said and kisses are smooched on foreheads; an hour here or there to spend with pens and crisp new paper, spilling out of my thoughts and prayers, these places of calm are essential to remaining the woman I want to be.

I have been waiting for these moments to come upon me, expecting them to appear and then take hold of them, but I am also learning that I have to build them into the foundations of this life our family is making. I have to create time set apart to be filled with the Word of the scriptures to confess my own depravity, to seek grace in quiet places so that I can cultivate grace in the busy ones.

Today, I am road building, brick laying, making grooves in my routine to fill my own heart, establishing anchors in my life that allow me to stop and rest and grow. The mother, I am finding, who does not take time to fill her own soul has very little to offer the souls in her care.

~Kristen

Hope With Feathers

I've had this quote written down on a scrap piece of paper for awhile, stuck in an old notebook. I just bought a new journal (inspired by the lovely Aimee), and have started to fill it with quotes I've had written on scrap paper. It feels good to organize it all in one place.

I've always had a love/hate relationship with journals. What should it be for? A diary? Thoughts? Sermon notes? Grocery lists? Reminders? I've given up on all that and decided to make my journal *my thing*. It can be all of the above. I've been rising early to read the Bible in 90 days, and afterwards I will sit with my journal and pray, seeing what the Lord is laying on my heart regarding all kinds of things. I will record that. I will record thoughts I have as I am reading. I will write what I need from the grocery store. I will write down the name of someone new I met at church so I can remember next Sunday. I will take sermon notes. Basically, it's a catch-all for me.

The journal spurs me on to finding those quiet moments in the beginning of my day (the best time for me) to think and as Kristen put so well: "these places of calm are essential to remaining the woman I want to be."

The quiet time I am trying to carve out in my day did not come easily, I will say. It's been years of trying to do quiet times at all times of day, trying to rise before babies and young children, and many, many times reading the Bible in the morning with a baby or toddler on my lap. The fact is, I just try to show up for the Lord. And it's only in the last year where I've seen a little light at the end of my tunnel. So I encourage you, wherever you are on this journey of seeking quiet, that do not give up. I do know that I have given up and been hopeless many times, but I just kept showing up and trying all different kinds of ways to find that quiet in my life because I knew it was essential to my mothering and also being a woman of the Lord.

If you feel stuck, here are a compilation of links about making a journal. Perhaps it will spur you on to seek quiet in your life in order to hear Him.

Tutorial on visual homemaking

Simple journaling
100 benefits of journaling
The benefits of keeping a journal
Linda's journal
Write it down
Journaling as a spirtual discipline
Visual homemaking journal
Setting up a visual journal

A new venture....

Many of you are familiar with Sally Clarkson and her blog I Take Joy. It is a tremendous source of encouragement and inspiration for raising a family and being a mother, among other things. She has written a post asking mothers what kinds of topics they would like to hear about for a new project she is working on. Make sure you go over and read it and leave a comment sharing what topics you would like to read about:
Accomplished, intentional, exceptional women feed the souls of others

Friday five: Five Must Reads

1. The time to thrive is now Yes!!!!!!!!!
2. Seven ways to keep your home strong The "must-read" of the week
3. It begins early in the home
4. 100 plus ways for your family to make a difference
5. It's all about the baby Helping children overcome jealousy in the family

1000 gifts...

Whew. It's been awhile since I've counted. I've kept the thankfulness going inside my head for most of the holidays, but now I can continue my list here on my blog.

#240-250

a week of early mornings

staying on track with reading my Bible

God's provisions to a dear family

sharing photos with friends on instagram

a prayer being answered for a friend

being excited about what God is going to do

quietness in the morning

babies that sleeep and let me have that quietness

friends spurring me on to good deeds (oh, how we all need that in our lives!)

supporting and encouraging friends (a gift)

a 3 day weekend with my husband

thankfulness that He provides

Beginnings.

I always have grand plans in January. I love new starts, I love beginnings. I always think I will spend a day in early January reflecting on my past year, assessing what I've done and experienced, and perhaps coming up with a few resolutions or "word for the year." In theory, I love all of these things. In reality, it is hard to actually do. I'm such an idealist.

But, thankfully, as Christians, we always have new beginnings. (Is that an oxymoron?) We can always be assured that we can start over, begin again, and have new starts. His mercies are new every morning.

Even though I didn't ritually sit down and plan to have new resolutions for the year, I do have some that have come about quite naturally.

1. Read the Bible in 90 days. I just started today. I did this last year with my friend Natalie as an accountability partner. We are now doing it again together this year. I strongly recommend an accountability partner if you are undertaking this. It's one of the best things I've ever done. I am hoping it jump starts me to a solid morning routine which I have been lacking in.

2. I began to knit a hat for my 3rd daughter. Last winter I knitted a scarf for my 2nd oldest. This year it's her turn for some mama-made. Clearly, I am a slow knitter. But she will get her hat sooner or later!

3. As if I didn't have enough reading for the year, I plan this year to do more of that. I've been keeping a yearly log of books I've read the past 3 years, and it's been so fulfilling. What a combination: The autobiography of Keith Richards and the Bible. What can I say? I like variety. I am also reading Honey for a Woman's Heart by Gladys Hunt. The nerd in me loves it. It's basically a book about books and reading.

4. I'm on instagram!! So you can follow me at birchmama if you like. I'm also doing the instagram photo a day in January. I love seeing everyone's photos. Check mine out at #instagramphotoaday.

5. Healthy eating and exercise. This is always a goal of mine. Mainly I am trying to tone up my body, and I plan to do a 2 mile race in March. Better start up my Couch to 5K again....

How about you? Any beginnings you'd like to share?

Happy New Year!

New Year's gives me an excuse to re-evaluate my life and see if I'm headed in the right direction. For me, that is important. Life moves too fast and the world catches you up, so I find if I don't do that, then I'm floundering.

Just sharing some recent reads that I found inspiring and enjoyed. I hope you enjoy this day and enjoy the reads as well. I am looking forward to seeing what 2012 brings....

Your house is only as big as your hospitality Really praying how to open our home this year.

Creating spaces of personal time focused on hearing hearts Sally gives great words of encouragement how to nurture our children's hearts by creating personal time with them. I would like to put more effort into this this year with my own children.

Rejoicing

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas!

I will be back in this space next week!