We met when we were pregnant with our first boys. We were pregnant together with our second boys and when I told her I was *surprise* pregnant with Witt, she turned up pregnant about three weeks later. (She is currently pregnant with their fourth son, but I just couldn't join in this go-round!) We've often said we were leading parallel lives.
She's light years ahead of me on positive thinking and simplicity, though. (Other things as well, but that's where I want to focus today.) Her blog just oozes simplicity and focusing on the positive. Honestly, sometimes I have a hard time reading her blog because what she writes about is what I want for my life and yet I feel so far from it sometimes.
Then she wrote this and it was all put into perspective for me. Her blog is about the things she wants to remember... the positive things she wants to meditate on.
Philippians 4:8
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
She is using her blog to remember the LOVELY things.
I use my blog pretty much as a journal - the ups and downs of every day life. Her life has ups and downs, too, but that's not what she's recording. Then there was my Ah-Ha moment: "She's NOT perfect!" (I know Laurel is probably laughing right now as she reads this!)
Her post got me thinking about choosing to focus on that which is lovely, pure, and of good report. I've been thinking of incorporating into my blog somehow because I, too, want to be sure to remember the simple, pleasurable things.
Lucky for me, she's starting some sort of series on Exercises of Awareness. I think I'm going to play along, so here goes...
List your 10 most important things (not including animals or people).
In no particular order:
1. Home
2. Nutritious and delicious food
3. Educating the mind
4. Peaceful mornings
5. Rest
6. Prayer
7. Lunch dates
8. Laughter
9. My Role as wife and mother
10. Truth / God's word
This was so much harder than I was expecting it to be. All of my important things include people in some way. I don't have attachments to many things. Nonetheless, this was a very interesting exercise to focus on what is important to me.
How about you, what are your 10 most important things?
3 comments:
I think it's perfectly fine to write about the ups AND the downs.
Nowheymama~
Me,too. I hope I wasn't coming across that I think it's not ok to write about both the ups and downs. In fact, for ME, I think it is quite beneficial and therapeutic! :)
It was just an ah-ha for me when I realized that she is CHOOSING to write about the positives. For a while I was thinking her life was all positives. It was just good for me to know that it is a choice of her's to record only that which is lovely. :)
I just feel like lately I've been in a downward slump and I need to focus more on the positives around me.
As I already said, I have been in a downward slump for six months or so. It is really easy for me to have my own little pity party. But I get tired of hearing the negativity in my own head, so I think it is safe to say that others don't want to hear it either! :)
This is just a season we are in, and when things are better, it will be even sweeter in comparison. I am glad we can encourage each other.
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