“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
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? 🌿🖤💕🌲
There is wonder all around us…
Listening… How to Heal Your Relationship with Food
Reading… on the top of my stack: Seasons of Your Heart: Prayers & Reflections by Macrina Wiederkehr and Sense & Sensibility by Jane Austen. A wonderful, intriguing bit of Miyazaki to fill your joy cup.
Watching… slow, peaceful vlogs.
Noticing…summer flowers, clouds, barn swallows, warmth, and summer smells! 🌿
What are you listening to, reading, watching, & noticing? ♥️🥰🌿
The whole country about them abounded in beautiful walks. The high downs which invited them from almost every window of the cottage to seek exquisite enjoyment of air on their summits, were a happy alternative when the dirt of the valleys beneath shut up their superior beauties; and towards one of these hills did Marianne and Margaret one memorable morning direct their steps, attracted by the partial sunshine of a showery sky, and unable longer to bear the confinement which the settled rain of the two preceding days had occasioned. The weather was not tempting enough to draw the two others from their pencil and their book, in spite of Marianne’s declaration that the day would be lastingly fair, and that every threatening cloud would be drawn off from their hills; and the two girls set off together.
They gaily ascended the downs, rejoicing in their own penetration at every glimpse of blue sky; and when they caught in their faces the animating gales of an high south-westerly wind, they pitied the fears which prevented their mother and Elinor from sharing such delightful sensations.
“ Is there a felicity in the world,” said Marianne, “superior to this?-Margaret, we will walk here at least two hours.”
Jane Austen, Sense & Sensibility, p. 39
Our search must be for the grains of gold, and, as we amass these, we shall live and walk in the continual intimacy of the divine Love, the constant worship of the divine Beauty, in the liberty of those whose the Truth makes free.
Charlotte Mason, Ourselves, Book 2, p. 187 🌲
These three above selections were shared by my friend and this is what I think has been brewing for awhile in my heart, but started coming out as I simmered a bit over them. A collage of bits of letters, ephemera, and poetry for you! ♥️🌿
♥️Becoming ♥️
quilted by hand
mosaic shards
indigo dipped
puzzled over
collage pieced
~becoming~
sewn shut
stitched down
torn open
ironed flat
glued tight
~becoming~
rolled thin
poured out
mixed raw
washed clean
knit warm
~becoming~
idea inked
pencil erased
journal birthed
word soaked
being spoke
~becoming~
all together.
a bit of dust.
a bit of Divine.
swirl of a finger,
womenkind.
🌲🖤A.M. Pine🖤🌲
A.M. Pine - Hearth Ridge Reflections 