Tag: #stillness

Finding That Balance

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For brunch, I chose a different chair to sit in at the dining room table. One I don’t normally use. Still disrupting patterns.

This dining room chair offered a spectacular view of the front yard. A warm breeze was blowing, and I noticed the Whirligig, with it’s one side spinning. It’s double-sided, but only one side of it spins. The other side stands still.

My daughter reminded me that the Whirligig fell over in the yard once, so it must be bent. I’ve tried fixing it, to help it spin to no avail, so today I took a more gentle approach, to observe.

whirlygig

I didn’t see anything majorly bent, but it was off balance.

I saw it as two sides of life. Sometimes it’s moving rapidly and spinning freely, and other times if feels as if nothing is happening, and it’s still. I studied one side, and the other, then noticed this difference. The side that spins freely, has some extra space.

Where one set of circles end, and another set begins, there’s a gap. I put some space between the circles on the non-spinning side by gently separating the ends. It began rocking back, and forth, like it could finally breathe and find it’s balance.

Putting space between our thoughts, creates pause between our actions. There’s a balance. If we move too quickly after the thought, it’s an impulsive move. If we keep putting it off, it can fall into procrastination, or soon be forgotten altogether.

I’m using the self trust cultivator to move more promptly with my thoughts. If it seems like a good idea, or something that can easily be accomplished, I do it and it becomes a part of the done list.

balance

But I had to create space first. Up next, creating that space.

A Rested Heart

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heart

Taking care of your own heart.

It’s something nobody else can do for you. It’s yours, and can only be cared for by you.

It’s trying to get your attention. What it wants, and what you need, are one in the same.

You just may not realize it yet.

My heart is saying it’s time for rest.

A fresh start with a rested heart.

Watching It Unfold

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I woke up early for a Saturday.

That my darlings was an answered prayer. I’ve been wanting to find that habit of waking up early again, and my Higher Power is helping me.

white and grey ceramic mug on brown wooden table
Photo by Honza Kurka on Pexels.com

I’ve noticed something about my dogs.

My favorite time to write is in the stillness of morning. Their dog beds are laying on the floor beside my desk in the den, and they are curled asleep as I type. They will lay there for about an hour, or until I click publish. That has been what I’ve noticed the past few days.

Maybe you’re thinking it’s because I’m still, they are still. No my lovely…they curl up first, like setting the stage for a Blog post. Even walking over to the coffee bar to refill my cup doesn’t phase them. They know coffee goes well with this.

I can write any time of day, but this morning I want to thank my dogs for showing me that favorite time to write. It’s worth waking up early to have an opportunity like this.

Now, it’s time to shower and get ready for the best part of the day. Watching it unfold.

Wait For It

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I forced myself to stop Blogging.

When I challenged myself to post a Blog a day in December, over time I hit a stride. That groove of posting everyday became a daily ritual, but was it fulfilling?

On into January, I was still posting everyday, but began to slow the pace. After posting The Mindless Activity I made the decision to stop for one week. That’s not easy once an action becomes ingrained.

It was as if I had created a new daily habit, but I don’t wish to become a daily Blogger.

I thought about it everyday, but told myself to wait. I’d hit the pause button and let the Blog ideas go. I knew from past experience not to pause too long. It’s very difficult to come back to it, with that struggle of paused to restart.

Some wait too long and don’t come back. That’s not for me, but I do want to hit a stride that works. Timing means a great deal while writing. To wait for that stillness, that deafening silence once the dust settles from the day or the week. Even if it drops to once a week, I’m going to wait for it.

The Mindless Activity

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The best ideas occur while showering.

They used to form while vacuuming, but this house doesn’t have any carpet, so the vacuum isn’t used often. While washing dishes is another good mindless activity.

These are things we do without thinking. They don’t take concentration, so the mind has room for an idea to surface.

In my case, I was showering when the idea popped into the forefront of my mind. The idea was not new. I’ve done this same idea 15 years ago. It doesn’t have to be new to be good. The great thing about doing it 10 or 20 years later, is what I learned the first time.

With age comes wisdom.

excited

With age also comes hesitation.

My daughter and I have had an electric dishwasher in every house we’ve lived in. They never get used. There’s something about using your hands that releases the idea. The best ideas occur when we’re not thinking. Dreams of the heart don’t leave, they get buried.

Maybe this explains my love for the Chemex. Using my hands to bring about the first cup of coffee. Look around and see what you can do with your hands. We’re not looking for new, because God always starts at the beginning. What’s on your heart that’s waiting to begin?

Use your hands in a mindless activity.

Do For Themselves

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I always know when it’s time to write.

Whether it be in a journal, my book, or here.

The dogs become quiet and the house falls into a deafening stillness. The birds are singing in the front yard even though there is no bird feeder.

The squirrels left, but the birds stayed.

quiet

It’s been a little more than a week since I began praying over my daughter everyday. These are serious prayers that will bring breakthrough. I’m already beginning to see cracks in her armor.

She hasn’t been anxious or depressed that I’ve seen. The only thing she has mentioned is, she is tired. I believe it’s from carrying the burden for so long.

I’m using Stormie Omartian’s book, “The Power of Praying for Your Adult Children.” My daughter sees it laying out and it relocates day to day, so she knows it’s being used. I didn’t have to announce my mission. She knows I’m on a spiritual war path.

The only thing I’ve mentioned to her was something I read in the book. Omartian writes, “Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad.” (Proverbs 12:25)

This gave her food for thought.

If you want to pray but not sure where to begin, a good start is Stormie Omartian’s books. She has one for every topic and has written one for Emotional Wholeness and Wellness. I will use that one next.

That book has a chapter for anxiety and depression, but my daughter will have to pray that for herself.

As a parent we are living examples and do for them until they are ready to do for themselves.

Moments of Happiness

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Fresh flowers, coffee, and Bella Grace. 🙂