What are you reading 📖, exploring, or creating this weekend? Happy September, friends! 😘🥰🌻♥️☕️📖📚🍃🐌🍁🤎📝📓💌📬🍎✨🌾🍄🌲
I’m mostly sipping coffee ☕️ {maybe Tazo’s Lemon 🍋 Loaf tea, later} and loving The Grasmere Journals by Dorothy Wordsworth 🥰.
To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work.
Mary Oliver
Focus Areas:
Spiritual:
I’m still plugging along with my Read Through the Bible Chronologically group. Habakkuk was challenging and inspiring. I’m loving the You Version app topical devotions. I went through one on anxiety, fear, and now, I found one for addiction! So good and challenging. I started a memoir, The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating and it’s been a powerful reminder of the value of the small in our life. A woman’s illness brings her life to a standstill and she reflects on life as she watches a 🐌 in his habit next to her bed. Sobering and beautiful. It’s speaking to me spiritually.
Physically:
I’ve been walking a lot and it’s LOVELY. We went hiking as a family recently and it was so nice. I’m working visits to our local state park into our autumn 🍂 homeschool plans. I also want to take my children to play basketball. It was a huge part of my teen/young adult years and I want to share my love of it with them. There’s a court right next to our public library, so we can make a fun afternoon of it. 😄♥️ My food choices aren’t great. I’m committing here *gulp* to go back to the ease and simplicity of what was working before with Bright Line Eating. I may need to get back into a support group.
Mental:
I’ve been LOVING the creative process of collaging pages about favorite reads. I recently did pages for The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova and Klara and the Sun by Kazau Ishiguro. We also got to visit an art 🖼️ museum and that was so mentally refreshing to me. I’ve been doing daily planning with stickers and it’s helpful and keeps me moving forward. I need to focus on creative output to encourage vs just continual passive input from Booktube or even excessive reading. I’ve been loving soaking in poetry by Wordsworth and Mary Oliver. 🥰🍃♥️
Emotional:
Being outdoors is crucial for helping me balance my emotions. I need to start searching thrift stores for a good coat/boots for myself. I’m considering comparing/contrasting Rising Strong by Brene Brown and Own Your Life by Sally Clarkson. Both have interesting, challenging ideas, but one is from a secular standpoint and another faith-based. Would you be interested in this? I sat outdoors one night with a bonfire, the moon, and no media. It was, honestly, the first time I felt really relaxed in I don’t know how long. 😔😌♥️🙏 I’m planning on picking some of my zinnias, black-eyed Susan’s, and Queen’s Lace and making a little bouquets in this pretty glass maple syrup jug and maybe in my owl vase! Just cultivating simple beauty. These things help set the mood for the day. ♥️ I saw Indian Pipe for the first time on our hike and I can’t tell you how much it blessed me!
Servanthood:
I need to really work on my heart here. The true servant gives without expectation of anything in return. ♥️ I hit the Discipline of Service chapter in Richard J. Foster’s book and wowsers, it’s powerful. I really need a reminder in how deeply listening to someone with compassion and sympathy can be the greatest form of service. The Lord Jesus is really helping me dig deep 😬😨🫠👀 in this area.
Verse focus of the Week:
…but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.
Matthew 20:26b – 28 ♥️
How are you, friends? Getting excited about end of summer, early autumn? 🍂🍃♥️📚🐌🍁🌾☕️🌻🧡🤎💛🩵I’d love to hear from you!
Love and peace to you, Amy🩷
There is wonder all around us…📚☕️♥️🌿🌲🌻
Listening… Johnny Cash – there’s a bit of truth for life I can pull out of this classic. Thinking on it. The things IN my heart are what come out.
Reading… Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc by Mark Twain. I’m interested in the history, but the portrayal of Joan is hard to swallow. So saintly she’s a bit bland? 😅 The writing is very flowery which I normally kind of like, but not loving it here. I’m going to see how much I can do by the end of this week and possibly attend Zoom discussion. Has anyone else read this?
Watching… I know very little about the Italian Renaissance. This was a fascinating chat about the history and some nonfiction book recommendations.
Noticing…the shift in the feel of the seasons – the crispness, golden-brown tinge, and gold fields against the blue sky. 🌾🌻☁️🌞🩵💙🤍
What are you listening to, reading, watching, and noticing? 🧡🤎🤍🩵💙
“Thank God, I can keep the shadows of my life out of my work,” she wrote. “I would not wish to darken any other life – I want instead to be a messenger of optimism and sunshine.”
Quote from L.M. Montgomery in Liz Rosenberg’s biography House of Dreams: The Life of L.M. Montgomery
♥️Oh, Maud, you ARE a continual source of optimism and sunshine to THIS woman. 🍃
There is wonder all around us…
Listening… Risking Enchantment episode on Studio Ghibli themes. ♥️🍃
Reading… I’m loving reading along with the Librivox audio to Jerome K. Jerome’s Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of The Dog) . This is a hilarious Victorian story full of sarcasm and British wit. I’m really enjoying it. I hope to finish it this week so I can attend a Zoom discussion on it.
Watching… I found Half of Carla’s tips here about reducing stress to be helpful!
Noticing…we’ve had a super dry summer, but are having a high humidity wave currently. I love the warmth, but it’s not fun to work in! I’m loving the mixture of yellows and purples on the roadsides. Late summer flowers. ♥️
What are you listening to, reading, watching, and noticing? There is so much wonder! ♥️
🍃♥️📚🕊️💦☀️📚♥️
Sunlight flooded the ancient schoolroom, and chalk dust danced in the slanting rays. The massive brass inkstand on my desk gleamed like gold, and little rainbows glanced from the glass over the photograph of our Queen centrally placed on the rear wall, in the most honored position.
Miss Read, Summer at Fairacre, p. 89
{previous check-ins and intro to series}
Don’t you feel a tug, a yearning to sink down into the silence and solitude of God? Don’t you long for something more? Doesn’t every breath crave a deeper, fuller exposure to his Presence? It is the Discipline of solitude that will open the door. You are welcome to come in and “listen to God’s speech in his wondrous, terrible, gentle, loving, all-embracing silence.”
Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline, p. 109
Focus Areas:
Spiritual ~ I was a bit sluggish this week about REALLY pressing into my quiet times and calming myself down enough to enter in. We came off a wonderful, but exhausting graduation party for my oldest son and it takes me a long time to recover from events. I kept up with my group reading plan, but didn’t deeply meditate and pray/journal as much as I want to. The end of this week has been better and it feels so good to soak in Matthew among other things. My sister reminded me of Pray As You Go app which helps me focus as I begin my prayer times. ♥️
Physical ~ I honestly struggled a bit with getting in the groove with my food. Just grazing and bingeing, even on “healthy” things. Out of exhaustion or anxiety, finding myself feeling hungry in my MIND not legitimately hungry in my stomach. I found that listening to the audiobook of Rezoom by Susan Peirce Thompson or Half of Carla’s YouTube really helped me calm down a bit. Not making or having unhealthy choices in the house really helps me, too. I did get out on my walks with my audiobook. I’m 56% through Klara & the Sun and 😯 it’s thoroughly intriguing. I bought a new tshirt and struggled with the mental battle about my worth because it was a bigger size. 😞 Just be brutally honest here. I am excited to receive it, though, and support my friend’s creative endeavor .
Mental ~ I had so much fun updating my book journal and purging/ organizing my reading stacks. I decided to focus on one particular stack of things I’m reading with others or have wanted to read for a long time. I gave myself permission to set aside books that were too silly, not grabbing my attention, or just weighing me down. I read a few poem’s every day (Oliver, Wordsworth, and Native Nations poems) and it was so nice. I’m super interested in learning about the “Balkans” area after finishing the historical fiction thriller The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova.
Emotional~ I had some hard relational talks this week that were good. I tend to avoid and stuff down which isn’t healthy. I really tried to keep up on some household rhythms and it’s amazing how much that lifts my mood. Just putting a fresh weed 😄 bouquet on a clean dining room table with tablecloth, washing the dishes after each meal, etc. Being outdoors really helped me! I also did a fun video about my favorite things and I wrote two snail mail letters. I’ve been trying to sleep a little in afternoons lately and it’s SO nice. I did get a little Totoro stamp set and some new, darling stickers which was a blessing. Maybe I’ll show them to you next week. Stationary is the way to my heart! 😂💕
Servanthood ~ this was tough this week. I think coming off the graduation party made it extra hard. I want to focus more on the little things I can do for those around me and do them well. Not be so distracted. I was able to do some fun things with others last week and it was wonderful to connect in those big things, but I can see some daily practices I believe Jesus wants me to give more in. ♥️ He is so gracious and faithful to help and strengthen us. I do want to start gratitude journaling again to practice thankfulness and get outside my head. Look for a Joy Journal entry soon, hopefully.
Verse Focus for Coming Week:
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30
How about you? How did your week go? Bless you all! 🌿🌟❣️✨🌙🌻🌧️🍎🥦☕️🌳🌱
{Introduction here to this series}
For a habit is a delight in itself; poor human nature is conscious of the ease that it is to repeat the doing of anything without effort; and, therefore , the formation of a habit, the gradually lessening sense of effort in a given act, is pleasurable.
Charlotte Mason, Home Education, p. 121
My focus areas:
Spiritual: been really trying to keep up with my YouVersion apps Bible readings with friends. However, I decided I needed a slower soak also, so I began the New Testament this week and wow, it’s been so lovely. Just Jesus’ words. Journaling and meditating on it all. I’m reading a few devotionals and Mary Oliver’s nature poetry has been turning my heart 💜 to my Creator. I’ve been prioritizing spending my quiet time outdoors, too, because it adds so much.
Physical: I was able to get out for a long walk one day and listen to an audiobook. It was wonderful! Hopefully, going again today. I tend to be pretty sedentary, so walks are something I want to make time for. I adjusted my food a lot this week and checked in with my sister each night. I felt very ‘hangry’ at times and journaled etc to help. I’m admittedly seeing a few things that are creeping in that I can’t be moderate in. I will be just taking those out of my diet. I know this seems extreme, but for me, it works. I’m trying something I’m calling BLE Lite (Bright Line Eating), in which I follow the plan closely with a few planned exceptions. I’m definitely easing back in as this program is pretty intense and structured. However, I do think I work better with clear boundaries.
Mental: I’m trying to chose good books to read and journal/narrate/collage about them. Slowing down to create or discuss calms and soothes my anxiety. I participated in a Zoom book discussion on Anthony Trollope’s The Belton Estate. I can get too introverted and find myself “hiding” and I want to challenge myself and grow, not stagnate. I’m rereading a challenging book about home as a ministry and it’s so good. I’ve been taking naps with my 4 yo occasionally and this makes a huge difference physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Emotional: I took off the week from YouTube and it’s been so nice. I’m on a year break from Instagram. I enjoy aspects of social media, but I have to balance these delicately otherwise, I personally find myself anxious, discontent, and not present. Naps, nature, walks, etc all contribute to a more balanced emo 🖤 state for me! 😄 I also did a few creative things this week that filled my cup like collaging, filming book reviews, sending a penpal letter, and writing. I took myself on a coffee date and also picked up a favorite magazine. I want to be careful not to always associate buying things for comfort, because I actually find more genuine peace in the things that cost 💲 NOTHING. However, occasionally, it’s fun to get a special gift. 💝
Servanthood: I won’t be giving a ton of actual real life details here as this is a personal area between me and Jesus, but, I do want to share action steps I want to try. I want to include one or more children in whatever I’m doing around the house, ie – take a child grocery shopping or take walks with kids sometimes, etc. I want to plan some activities to do WITH kids that aren’t work related. The reality of life here with a big family is we are often working together. That’s good, but I also want to do purposeful fun activities occasionally.
Verse Focus for coming week:
…His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.
from 2 Peter 1:3
So, overall, a good week, and I’m hopeful! Planning on checking in next week. Thanks for being here. ❣️❣️❣️ Let me know how you are? Lots of love, Amy 🖤🌲🖤
There is wonder all around us…
Listening…to this playlist! And this podcast! Scroll to end of text and listen to beautiful piece about Charlotte Mason’s Ourselves.
Reading… I’m super excited to follow along with Elizabeth’s series here! My audiobook hold for Klara & the Sun came in from library and I started listening on a nice long walk yesterday. I think it’s going to be thought 💭 provoking.
Watching…my oldest and I are watching the kdrama ‘Home town Cha Cha Cha’. I’m really enjoying it. Disgraced dentist escapes Seoul to beach town that she has good memories of her mother before her untimely death. Kind, jack-of-all-trades handy man and a lovely cast of gossipy, but hilarious villagers become a found family. Silly, but heartwarming. I also recently really enjoyed this documentary about themes in Hayao Miyazaki’s animated films. It took me a bit to watch it in snatches, but it’s so fascinating!
Noticing…the summer, sun-baked smells changing to the cool forest scents as you past by trees. 🌲🌳🌲 Another weed, Purple Loosestrife is blooming right on time. 🍃🌿🍃
What are you listening to, reading, watching, and noticing? 🖤🌲🍃☕️📝📚♥️🌿
Granny never seemed to worry what time it was. 🌲She got up with the sun and went home when it went down. She took things slow and easy, never hurrying at all. ♥️No matter how often Satsuki asked Granny to teach her something, Granny never complained🌿, and no matter how often Satsuki made the same mistake, she never lost her patience.🍓
My Neighbor, Totoro: The Novel by Tsugiko Kubo, original story and art by Hayao Miyazaki, p. 107
{What is whole person work, Amy? I’m on a quest for balance in life and ordered affections centered in Colossians 3:2. I’d like to share here occasionally for accountability and community. I share here not only to keep myself accountable, but also that it might encourage you, a moment where we join each other in this journey called life. I separated out some of my personal areas of focus, but I’m aware that all these areas flow together and are in relationship with one another. I’m also aware that there are ebbs and flows to life, but for myself, I need things that are purposeful rhythms and practices. There are some life things that can be “by-the-way”, but a balance of rest and rhythm practices work best for me. You are welcome to join me in any way and with your own areas of focus! ♥️🌿♥️}
I’ve been thinking about my past and what I’d love for the future. I had gotten off track in some health and personal rhythms that help me feel strong and able to serve well. ♥️ I was inspired by Half of Carla’s video to really examine where I’m at, not only with my health, but deep in my heart as well. I love her idea of finding the perfect pot of simmering soup that works for us personally. She’s talking specifically in the video about her weight loss maintenance journey , but it got my wheels turning about all of life areas. What’s simmering in YOUR pot, Amy? Honestly, I didn’t like what I saw. For me, it was reverting to unhealthy eating patterns, too much social media, not enough margin in my schedule, and allowing things here at home to stack up. I was finding myself without enough time to spend on the things I love: deep time with Jesus, on relationships, in nature, nourishing my health, and reading good books. It’s a nice idea that we can do everything in a day, but it’s false. We have to be purposefully pursuing what God has for each of us individually.
My Areas of Focus:
Spiritual 🌿🖤~ My Christian faith is extremely important to me. I practice at it by reading The Holy Bible daily, meditating , praying, and journaling over what I’m reading and hearing. I really want to guard this morning time by not letting YouTube creep into it and by getting to bed early enough the night before so I can get up earlier.
Physical 🌿🖤~ I made some drastic changes to my heath right at the end of 2019 and ended up feeling SO much healthier through the support of some wonderful ladies and a program called Bright Line Eating. Since 2022, I’ve struggled with maintaining that and have played around a lot resulting in steps backward. I’ve been working on treating my sleep issues and eczema naturally, also. So, I’ve a plan made for August to get back slowly and reasonably to health. I’m realizing that I work better in very specific boundaries and accountability.
Mental 🌿🖤~ When practices that I know are beneficial go by the wayside or need reordering, sometimes the mental chatter about my “worth” really ramps up. As a Christian, I believe a lot of this is a spiritual battle, but over the years, I’m beginning to be able identify lies vs. gentle truth about myself. One of the things, I feel like that I haven’t done well during the last few years is getting to the roots of why behind some of my destructive behaviors, especially surrounding food. I’m starting to find the anchors that aid me in this journey ~ slow prayer/Bible, journaling, writing, and being in nature. Having a little margin in my life to process everything is extremely important and helpful, too. I’m learning to face what’s bothering me instead of stuffing it down with excessive food or media consumption. I also need to be learning and growing, not stagnating in social media.
Emotional 🌿🖤~ Knowing that my spiritual, physical, and mental health really effect my emotional place is crucial to my whole person work. All things are in relationship and unbalanced living really takes a toll.
Servanthood 🌿🖤~ The giving of myself by listening, serving, and caring for others is hard for me. It’s not natural. I can become a bit TOO “navel-gaze-y” 😆😉 which this post could be in danger of. 😏🤓🤔 However, we have to aim somewhere or we hit nothing. I feel like I’ve been given SO much that I want to grow in giving back to others out of sheer gratitude. That’s why I use the word ‘practice’ a lot. I’m just practicing the things I want to become. Yes, I’ll never be complete, but prayerfully, I’ll move forward a little bit each day with God’s help.
All this to say, I plan on checking in each week here on my ‘whole person’ project. Just for transparency and accountability. I hope you are encouraged and find hope with me! 🌿🌲♥️🖤📚💌🥰☕️🍓🖋️📓☺️🥰 God’s richest blessings! 🖤🌿🌲🖤🌿☕️
There is wonder all around us…
Listening to… 8 Ways Not to Overreact and Remain Unbothered
Reading…Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster and Touch Not the Nettle by Molly Clavering are my two current reads I’m excited about. I also have Wild Strawberries 🍓 by Angela Thirkell waiting in the wings.
Watching… Cups & Thoughts Youtube ~ my new absolute favorite, so relaxing 😌🌿🖋️📚📓💌☕️
Noticing…reflection of clouds and pine 🌲 forest in still lake ♥️♥️♥️
What are you hearing, reading, watching, and noticing? 🌿🖤💕🌲
A.M. Pine - Hearth Ridge Reflections 