Trying to do stretches when young children are present is always an interesting experience. In my occasional attempts, I have been climbed on, sat on, tickled, poked, and generally forced to stop within a very short amount of time.
Here is a new one:
Last time I tried doing my stretches, my one-year-old assumed I was about to sing Johnny Appleseed, and then insisted that I do so.
Thursday, 4 January 2018
Mommy Moments: Heart Attack
After being busy with Kenneth for a few minutes, I re-enter the room where Steven is quietly playing.
He is cutting up one of his drawings with a pair of scissors.
Me: Steven, where did you get those scissors?
Steven: By the sharp knives.
I hurry to check that all the kitchen knives are present and accounted for...
He is cutting up one of his drawings with a pair of scissors.
Me: Steven, where did you get those scissors?
Steven: By the sharp knives.
I hurry to check that all the kitchen knives are present and accounted for...
Wednesday, 3 January 2018
A New Year
The turning of the year gives us an opportunity to reflect on the past year and look ahead to the new one. This New Year's Eve, I didn't feel particularly inclined to reflect or look ahead. I was actually feeling pretty gloomy—sitting alone in bed, with nothing but my journal for company. Now, my journal is generally pretty good company, but the muffled sound of fireworks outside, and the social media that I couldn't help but check kept reminding me that it was a night for celebrating, for being with family and friends, for happy memories and new starts.
The contents of my journal from that evening are not particularly cheerful.
But I did take some time to reflect on something that has been on my mind a lot recently—the power of words, specifically the inner words that I say to myself and dwell on and repeat again and again. Lately, my internal dialogue has been pretty discouraging. There's a lot that I'm struggling with, and it's easy to feel like that's just "the reality of life". But while I do believe it is important to be honest about the hard stuff, I also think that I've been focusing on it too much lately, at the expense of being thankful or remembering that God is with me in the mess.
So as I move forward into this new year, I want to be more disciplined about what I let my mind dwell on, and what kinds of things I repeat again and again in my internal dialogue. I know that's a super vague goal that isn't "SMART" (or whatever the acronym is... specific, measurable, whatever), but that is the best that I can do at the moment.
One tangible thing I am doing this year, though, is being a part of a group of people that will be reading through the Psalms over the course of the year, reflecting on them, and sharing our reflections with each other online. I'm really excited for it, and it will one way that I can be filling my mind with God's word, rather than my own worries. You're welcome to check it out too, if that is something that would interest you: A Year in the Psalms
I wish each of you a Happy New Year. Thanks for being a part of my life through this blog.
The contents of my journal from that evening are not particularly cheerful.
But I did take some time to reflect on something that has been on my mind a lot recently—the power of words, specifically the inner words that I say to myself and dwell on and repeat again and again. Lately, my internal dialogue has been pretty discouraging. There's a lot that I'm struggling with, and it's easy to feel like that's just "the reality of life". But while I do believe it is important to be honest about the hard stuff, I also think that I've been focusing on it too much lately, at the expense of being thankful or remembering that God is with me in the mess.
So as I move forward into this new year, I want to be more disciplined about what I let my mind dwell on, and what kinds of things I repeat again and again in my internal dialogue. I know that's a super vague goal that isn't "SMART" (or whatever the acronym is... specific, measurable, whatever), but that is the best that I can do at the moment.
One tangible thing I am doing this year, though, is being a part of a group of people that will be reading through the Psalms over the course of the year, reflecting on them, and sharing our reflections with each other online. I'm really excited for it, and it will one way that I can be filling my mind with God's word, rather than my own worries. You're welcome to check it out too, if that is something that would interest you: A Year in the Psalms
I wish each of you a Happy New Year. Thanks for being a part of my life through this blog.
Thursday, 28 December 2017
2017 in Review
As we come to the end of 2017, I thought I'd share a few highlights from my blog this past year:
Disruptive Children
This was by far the most viewed post on my blog, not only this year, but of all time! It was a little overwhelming to have such a emotional post receive so much attention, especially since after a couple of days I was able to process everything that happened and I wasn't feeling hurt anymore. But I found that this is a subject that many people could identify with, and I really appreciated hearing from so many people who shared encouragement and similar experiences that they have gone though.
Baby Kraken
One of my favourite crafts of the year.
The Power of Words
Sometimes I read through some of my old writing and find it very applicable to my current situation. This is one of those posts, so I thought I'd share it again so you can be encouraged by it too!
I Wish
This is one of my favourite poems from this past year. One of the struggles of being a very sensitive person is that I see when others are struggling, and I want to help somehow, but I also want to respect their space and don't want to say the wrong thing. Far too often I second guess myself for too long and lose the opportunity.
Fear, Your Day is Over
Something that many people don't know about me is how fear used to control so much of my life. I used to lie awake for hours, paralyzed with sheer terror, certain that I was going to die at any moment. Through God's grace that kind of fear is no longer a part of my life, but there are still days when it tries to creep back and gain a hold again. On one such day, this is what I had to say to it.
What are some of your favourite posts from 2017? I'd love to hear from you!
Disruptive Children
This was by far the most viewed post on my blog, not only this year, but of all time! It was a little overwhelming to have such a emotional post receive so much attention, especially since after a couple of days I was able to process everything that happened and I wasn't feeling hurt anymore. But I found that this is a subject that many people could identify with, and I really appreciated hearing from so many people who shared encouragement and similar experiences that they have gone though.
Baby Kraken
One of my favourite crafts of the year.
The Power of Words
Sometimes I read through some of my old writing and find it very applicable to my current situation. This is one of those posts, so I thought I'd share it again so you can be encouraged by it too!
I Wish
This is one of my favourite poems from this past year. One of the struggles of being a very sensitive person is that I see when others are struggling, and I want to help somehow, but I also want to respect their space and don't want to say the wrong thing. Far too often I second guess myself for too long and lose the opportunity.
Fear, Your Day is Over
Something that many people don't know about me is how fear used to control so much of my life. I used to lie awake for hours, paralyzed with sheer terror, certain that I was going to die at any moment. Through God's grace that kind of fear is no longer a part of my life, but there are still days when it tries to creep back and gain a hold again. On one such day, this is what I had to say to it.
What are some of your favourite posts from 2017? I'd love to hear from you!
Wednesday, 27 December 2017
Mommy Moments: I'm Raising a Squirrel
My almost-3-year-old had ripped apart a "shaker" made in Sunday School and was a playing with the beans that were inside. I thought nothing of it until I noticed that he was hiding them one by one in the crack behind the couch cushion.
Me: What are you doing, Steven?
Steven: Mommy, I'm putting the beans away for wintertime.
Me: ...
Me: Steven, we don't put beans in the couch. (Goes to take the beans away from him.)
Steven: I'm putting them away for wintertime! Mommy Mommy no! Go do laundry!
Me: ...
(I take away the beans.)
Steven: Mommy's going to put them away for wintertime!
Me: What are you doing, Steven?
Steven: Mommy, I'm putting the beans away for wintertime.
Me: ...
Me: Steven, we don't put beans in the couch. (Goes to take the beans away from him.)
Steven: I'm putting them away for wintertime! Mommy Mommy no! Go do laundry!
Me: ...
(I take away the beans.)
Steven: Mommy's going to put them away for wintertime!
Monday, 25 December 2017
Sunday, 24 December 2017
Isaiah 9:2
The people walking in darkness
walking in depression
walking in anxiety
walking in grief
walking in fear
lost and alone
Have seen a great light
a great hope
a great peace
a great joy
a great love
a Saviour
On those living in the land of deep darkness
the land ravaged by famine
the land torn by war
the land shattered by injustice
the land numbed by affluence
a broken and hurting world
A light has dawned
a hope has dawned
a peace has dawned
a joy has dawned
a love has dawned
God is with us
walking in depression
walking in anxiety
walking in grief
walking in fear
lost and alone
Have seen a great light
a great hope
a great peace
a great joy
a great love
a Saviour
On those living in the land of deep darkness
the land ravaged by famine
the land torn by war
the land shattered by injustice
the land numbed by affluence
a broken and hurting world
A light has dawned
a hope has dawned
a peace has dawned
a joy has dawned
a love has dawned
God is with us
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