Single Purpose

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
--Chinese Proverb

Last night I had about a hundred things to do, chores that never end like laundry, picking up, cleaning, blogging, writing, etc. But, what I really wanted to do was learn to crochet. I am not good at crafty stuff. I am missing the part of my brain that understands simple craft or sewing instructions. It is a source of much frustration to me.

But last night I got it out and began to learn one slow stitch at a time. I ended up working on it for three hours and during that time I had to stop myself from thinking about all the things that were left undone while I was doing this project. I also had to ignore the uneven ends and uneven stitches....sometimes I want things to be perfect so don't even take a single step because I can't do it perfectly. It doesn't have to be perfect!! Why do I always think it does?

While sitting there crocheting, I had time to think, time to talk with whomever wandered into the room. Things I can't do while I am writing. This kind of activity is necessary for me to be still and I know my kids get tired of chasing me around the house while I am working to talk to me. So be quiet laundry...I am crocheting...

Too much stuff

Happiness is not having what you want. It is wanting what you have.
--anon.

I went to the bookstore to look at the homemaking books and to size up the literary competition. I didn't find any homemaking books at all in the section, but rather, found books devoted to the organization or getting rid of, clutter. It seems that we Americans are unhappy not because we are poor and wanting, but because we have too much stuff. We have to go buy books on how to not have so many material things. There is a science to managing the obnoxious wealth that we have in our country. Too much stuff...I am certain that there are millions of people in the world who wish they too had too much food, too many clothes, too much medicine, etc.

Simplify what you do have and do not replace all that junk. Then work on wanting what you have. Clean and organize what you do have and you will love it more, I promise.

I Thirst Thursday

As the bus slowed down at the crowded bus stop, the Pakistani bus conductor leaned from the platform and called out, "Six only!" The bus stopped. He counted on six passengers, rang the bell, and then, as the bus moved off, called to those left behind: "So sorry, plenty of room in my heart - but the bus is full." He left behind a row of smiling faces. It's not what you do, it's the way that you do it. ~The Friendship Book of Francis Gay, 1977

How is your heart? Does it have plenty of room? Are you showing people that there is room in your heart?

After my 9th child was born, I suffered from postpartum depression. Every day I went out into the world and encountered rudeness and unkindness that sent me further into the darkness. I could not find the sun, a lamp or even a candle to light my darkness. Be a candle in someone's darkness today....better yet be a brilliant light, be the sun and shine the way for those in need. It only takes a kind word or a thoughtful gesture. There is joy in compassion

His Mirth

There was something that He hid from all men when He went up a mountain to pray.

There was something that He covered constantly by abrupt silence or impetuous isolation. There was some one thing that was too great for God to show us when He walked upon our earth; and I have sometimes fancied that it was His mirth.
--G.K. Chesterton

This is my all time favorite quote about Jesus. I love to think of Him as seeing us as His children and that he found us funny, childlike and sometimes absurd. I love to think of Him as lighthearted and joyful.

We take ourselves to seriously. Walk with Him today in JOY.

Enjoy the gift of life

I asked God for all things, that I might enjoy life. God gave life, that I might enjoy all things.
--Unknown

A friend passed away early this morning from cancer. He left behind two young boys and a lifetime of memories. When he was diagnosed and learned it was terminal, he set out to do everything he could on his bucket list. He took his children places, he spent time with them, they did things together. He them some beautiful memories to comfort them throughout their lives. He did not have a long life, nor did he have a life filled with riches, but he had a full, happy life and enjoyed the thing that matters most..his wife and his children.

Go out and spread the joy.

"Scatter Joy"
--Ralph Waldo Emerson


This is my goal for today...to scatter joy. Oh my goodness, I just love the words. Scatter joy. Is that the most noble calling? How will you do it, to whom will you scatter it to? Life is so beautiful, you cannot help but scatter it around you.

Simplicity Sunday

The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.
--Hans Hofmann

What can you eliminate today so that the necessary can speak? Clutter on your counters? At your front door? On your desk? In your closet?

Living simply means getting rid of all the "stuff" that clutters up our lives. There is no reason to hang onto something that you don't love or use. Be free of it.

I am freeing myself of a lot of papers today and filing them in a file folder. Things kind of piled up around Christmas. When things are organized people are less stressed. You are no longer wasting time searching for things all the time, you know where it is and don't have to dig for it. There is a lot of paper associated with a big family...documents, schoolwork, forms, etc. Make a folder for each child that contains all their documents (birth cert., social security card, vaccination records, etc) and never search again.