…spreading across my world right now and it delights me in the most beautiful of ways. Everything is sweeter, more inspired, more crisp. I am savoring. And remembering. And tucking away and taking in. I am loving every, single moment.
more to come 🙂 …
mm
This past month has been so very full. Bountiful, even, when I really think about it. Since Labor Day weekend, we have visited, explored, loved, celebrated, shared, welcomed, pondered, and worshipped. We have gathered, rested, prepared, prayed, planned, dined, laughed, held and cried. What’s more, we’ve delighted, swapped, harvested, decorated, photographed, listened, whispered, leaned, hoped, anticipated and loved. Life feels abundant, and it is.
I’ve not intentionally strayed from blogging in this season, but in the midst of the fullness of things, blogging has inadvertently strayed from me. This is temporary, of course. It’s just that sometimes, I really need to take a step back and take everything in for a while before I can write about it. I have a sneaking suspicion that it won’t be long before the flood gates open again and I am here with the regularity and familiarity that I was just a month or two ago. Meanwhile…
I put pumpkins in the center of the dining room table today, and plugged scents of Autumn leaves and freshly picked apples into the wall. (It’s amazing how so small a gadget as a wall plug-in can evoke memories and feelings–can imitate real life and change the perception of things, cozy-ing up a space in a matter of minutes.) The little orange “BOO!” sign went up in our front yard. This weekend, we’ll rake a little, pick the still-growing veggies from our bright little garden and trim back plants for winter. It’s October 7th today, and all afternoon it was 70+ and sunny.
I’ve never been one to coax winter along, nor to rush the chilly air into existence, but oddly, I’m itching for Fall and the change it brings at this time of year. I’m realizing that after an action-packed Summer and a very full September, I miss the settling that happens when the leaves begin to turn. Tonight, after visiting with a friend over dinner, I poured myself a second cup of tea, ate a candy corn (or two) and sat down in a very quiet house to the beckoning of a very lonely computer. I perused the usual suspects at first…email, Facebook, our bank account. And then, it happened. I settled in enough to want to cozy up right here, on this page, filled with thoughts. I started dreaming again, about the things I want to do or say–about more than just tomorrow’s task list or next week’s appointments, but rather the things that really fill this life up and do it well. The contents of my September, and the beauty in the memories of every little detail amidst the silence. The sound of settling, and Autumn.
I love May, June, July, August…but there is an incredible sweetness about this time of year. Especially now, in this moment. And I’m in awe of the abundance.
May you be filled up, as I am, today.
mm
Forgive me. I’m still here 🙂 But life has been so full of so many things over the past two weeks that blogging has, unfortunately, taken a back seat. I’ve thought about blogging, had things I wanted to say, told myself I’d find time “tomorrow,” etc. All of the usual suspects.
But this time, I feel like I really, legitimately have had so much going on that this little space for my thoughts has been put temporarily on hold. And while I do miss writing here, as well as the community that has blossomed out of being here, I know I’ll return to it more wholeheartedly again very soon. Then, there will be less to miss and all kinds of things to tell–like stories about watching miracles happen in real life, travel to fun places, visits to family, Kruger’s latest adventures…the list goes on.
I’m collecting words to spill here in the days to come. In the meantime, I hope you’ll join me in enjoying the sample-sized tastes of Fall in the air, the routine nature of back-to-school, and the coziness that comes with cuddling up at night under blankets with the windows open and a chilly breeze swirling in. What a delicious time of year, I think. Magical in its own way, on the tails of Summer, beach-y waves and sand amidst Farmer’s Market fruits and veggies.
I do love Autumn.
More soon…and until then, peace to you.
mm
It’s Sunday night, at the end of a lovely, stretched out weekend, and I am missing the outlet that this blog has become. Hello again.
The dog is stretched out on the floor in lazy, inspiring fashion. His posture says to me, “Live it up. Play hard, then rest with everything you’ve got. Live all that you can live out of the day, and fall into bed, content at the end of it.” Doesn’t seem too intangible after the past few…
At the end of my work week, Thursday afternoon and evening were spent meeting our friends’ sweet new babe, then catching up with a girlfriend over coffee. Friday was lazy–one of those days I felt guilty about at first, but was grateful for by its end. Yesterday filled up with Summer staples: the farmer’s market in the morning (tomatoes, cucumbers, butterball potatoes, fiery peaches, ciabatta rolls and my favorite fall blossoms by-the-plenty to brighten up each room of the house), lunch with family (visiting from Chicago), an afternoon trip to Frederick Meijer Gardens for more Chihuly and the Grand Valley Dahlia show (amazing!), appetizers for dinner at New Holland Brewery, ice cream at Captain Sundae and the tail end of the sunset at our favorite beach, topped off with a movie before bed. Today…awesome worship at church, lunch at home, a Sunday afternoon nap, dinner and reading at the beach, sunset and a walk with the dog when we returned. It made a world of difference to have the house picked up by Saturday morning, the yard all mowed and edged before lunchtime (Thank You, Jason!). And on this side of things, I feel rested and ready to approach another week. We worked hard, then we played hard, and we rested well.
I just don’t think there’s enough time in this life to waste opportunities to celebrate it with the people, places and things that we love. Amazingly, for all the additional time I’m allowing myself to just be, I’m also feeling more accomplished in the everyday things. It’s possible to clean in spurts, do laundry one load at a time, grocery shop in under an hour and grow evermore responsible with what we have and have been given, all the while better enjoying the life that’s in front of us. There’s more time to pray, more hours at home, more days with family and friends, more availability for others. And it feels so good.
Balance. Hard work. Enthusiastic play. Good rest.
As I look at the week ahead, I trust that it will be filled with good things. Unexpected blessings, healthy exchanges, new adventures. And it may contain curve balls I can’t predict, hard conversations or days that exhaust…but even those will be opportunities for growth, grace, love and celebration. This week, I’m going to choose simplicity. No frills. Even-keeled edges. I’m going to remove myself from spaces that aren’t life-giving, find outlets for creativity and energy and worship in the in between spaces. I’m going to work hard, in order to play hard and rest well. Join me, won’t you?
Here’s to the days ahead!
mm
Roughly four months ago, I transitioned jobs and schedules, and to my delight, swapped out 40+ hours a week for 25. The transition was a little harder than I imagined at first (I’ve never minded working full time, and I hadn’t much considered any alternatives), but it didn’t take me long to realize just how much more I could fill up my week with life-giving activities, relationships and projects on the new schedule. Instead of being available to connect with others on weekends and weeknights, with the occasional lunch mixed in, I suddenly have Tuesday and Thursday afternoons to offer, and Fridays all to my very own. This, I’ve quickly discovered, equals bliss (and growth) in my world.
My new found freedom could not have come at a better time, on the cusp of long, warm, summer-y days and a ramped-up pursuit of my doula (birth assistant) certification. I magically have time to say “yes” to things, to do grocery shopping mid-afternoon, to have laundry done by lunchtime, and to avoid the drudge of household upkeep on the weekends, when I’d rather be catching up with friends and enjoying the home/yard/church/downtown/community spaces that have become so much a part of who I am and where I’m at in life at twenty-something. The windows have flung wide open on opportunities to build better relationships, embracing loooong visits over coffee, lunch, dinner, dessert. I’ve found more time to play with the little ones I’ve come to love–children of my closest friends, who at newborn, toddler, two and three year old stages have taught me more about myself than I knew could surface. I’ve discovered that in my heart of hearts, I want to serve young women–women whose own hearts are beating with the possibilities of beautiful things: education, ministry, marriage, motherhood, faith, business and the day-to-day. And I’ve had the time to recall just how, incredibly, I’m able to find God in the things He has created me to do. Things like loving and serving and making myself available to the people He plants in my life. Things like taking time-outs on Fridays to write and pray, to find Him at the beach, in a good book, in art, in a song. I am flourishing in a new way, and to be honest, I’m amazed.
When we give ourselves time to embrace the things that truly matter to our hearts, it’s unbelievable what God will do. And when we surrender ourselves to seek Him and to know more of what He has for our lives, there’s no limit to what He can reveal about Himself and the divine stories He has to tell through us.
Today began with a brilliant run, alongside a friend, in the cool of morning while the dew still glistened. It continued with a little housework, dinner in the crock pot by 9:30am, time to myself, and a walk with the dog. From there, blueberry picking with another beautiful friend and her life-filled little boy, complete with mosquito bites, “look, a barn!”, and always-good conversation. Later, spicy Mexican food for lunch, lots of catching up and a pedicure with my dear and oh-so-expectant friend. (The world is waiting for you, little one! Come join us here soon, please.) The afternoon continued with great spiritual dialogue, delicious coffee, and dreaming and scheming with a fourth friend, before coming home to a house that smelled like grandma’s (thank you, crock pot), watering in the garden, dinner made from 100% local, good-for-you sources, and time to write.
Ahh, Friday. And to think that a few months ago I was living a completely different life.
When I stepped out into this new realm, not knowing what was in store, I imagined all this but wondered if it was possible. Turns out it’s more than possible. It’s my world. I’m living in it. I ought to be pinching myself on days like today just to make sure they’re real. I am so blessed by the richness of friendships and nature and creativity all around me, and because of it, I am coming even further into my own. Self-discovery Friday, I’m going to call it. It has become my very favorite day of the week.
In what ways is God showing you more of who you are these days? Or…in what ways might He want to delight you with the life that beckons? What day of the week is your favorite, and why?
joyfully,
mm
and a few visual treats from this past week…
veggies from the farmer's market
orange dahlia. it's the little things...
a rare blessing, to have the beach all to myself in the summertime.
blossoms and bell jars and sun streaming through the picture window. love.
blueberry picking. adorable.
