In case you missed it, my word of the year is WELCOME, described by the acronym below. For more details on why I chose this word go here.
Worship – Making room for God
Embrace – Making room for my family
Learn – Making room to grow my mind
Care – Making room for my health
Offer – Making room for others
Minimize – Making room by clearing a thing or practice from my life
Everyday Blessings – Recording the little joys that occur when I make room
WORSHIP
Goal: Begin a prayer list.
Having a prayer list at first thought seems like it’s impersonal and the antithesis of a conversation which is my goal when I pray. However, I don’t want to miss the people and issues that are most important. So, I began a prayer list of things I don’t want to forget to bring to my Father.
I’m still following this Bible reading plan. Some helpful devotional books I read during my time with God were No More Faking Fine by Esther Fleece and Living Among Lions: How to Thrive Like Daniel in Today’s Babylon by David and Jason Benham.
It seemed like one of the themes of the sermons by both of our pastors this month was to not only offer obedience to God, but to offer it without grudging. Jonah was a good example of grudging obedience, and we’ve had several discussions about him as a family this month.
EMBRACE
Goal: Be intentional about family time and one-on-one time.
I had several dates with my husband in February, some at home and some spending an afternoon or evening away from home. I hung out with each of my boys separately. Nothing elaborate just something like tacking on a McDonald’s coffee drink to the end of an errand with just the two of us. We went out to breakfast as a family one Saturday, worked together on a family project a few Saturdays and made our traditional Valentine meal together for the holiday. We also just set aside a few nights to just hang out together as a family.
LEARN
Goal: Play through the rest of “Rhapsody” and finish Your Story Matters.
I’m still working on “Rhapsody in Blue” by George Gershwin.
However, I did hit a snag on one very annoying part of the music. At least, it’s annoying when you don’t know it well, which I don’t for the first 2,000 times I play it. So, I’ve been skipping some practice times. (If you want to imagine my family’s agony, think of the beginning practice sessions of 12:13 – 12:46 of the video above!)
I’m still reading Your Story Matters by Leslie Leyland Fields one chapter at a time in the afternoons I’m home. I do the writing assignments at the end of each chapter in hopes of honing my story writing skills.
Always, I’m learning through reading – one of my favorite pastimes. Anytime I recommend a book (or anything for that matter!), remember it is not infallible and I’m not recommending or endorsing every part of it. With that caveat, here are a few good books I read this month:
Non-Fiction: She Came To Slay: The Life and Times of Harriet Tubman by Erica Armstrong Dunbar and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
I learned many new details about Harriet Tubman with whom I was already familiar. Everything about the Henrietta Lacks story was new to me, and I found the ethical questions raised by her story quite unsettling.
Homemaking: Home Sweet Maison: The French Art of Making a Home by Danielle Postel-Vinay
This was such a helpful book. Rather than show me pictures of what kind of art to hang or help me decide my decorating style, it pointed to how to literally set up one’s home for functionality and beauty. The author spoke about how each room is to be used and how that informs the decorating of it.
Fiction: I know they can at times have predictable plots, but I enjoy a romantic suspense now and then. I read Irene Hannon’s Heroes of Quantico series this month.
CARE
Goal: Increase fasting averages each week and increase movement.
My fast averages have been better this month which means I feel better and see weight adjustments. However, movement in one of the coldest months is still above my level of personal discipline. I fit in my annual eye exam, at which I was informed to purchase a pair of reading glasses as I may need them soon. My family thought this very hilarious! I also fit in my annual physical and was glad my blood work seems to be healthy.
OFFER
Goal: Take part in a co-op and finish Biology dissections.
Besides the immediate goals above, I use this category to set time to spend with others outside our family. We hung out at my mom’s one afternoon for the boys to get haircuts from Papaw and for all of us to enjoy some of Memaw’s cookie bars with coffee. We also started a few small co-op groups with friends since ours is still closed for the pandemic. The kids attended a Valentine party, and we finished up Biology dissections with Jeffery, his friend and my sister. My family also threw me a lovely surprise birthday party.
MINIMIZE
Goal: Get rid of as much clutter as possible.
We have had several decluttering days as a family, and I have been chipping away at some of my own. It is a slow process, but we have at least begun it this month.
EVERYDAY JOYS
Most evenings, I write down three little joys from that day for which I’m grateful. Here are a few from this month in words and images:
Hour at the coffee shop~long talk with my sister~Jeff bringing home a slice of my favorite cake from the bakery~quiet day with chores mostly done~ALDI grocery pickup~funny quotes from my kids~petting a purring kitten~stack of books to read~homemade valentine from my son~phone call from an out-of-state friend~sweet texts from friends~seeing God’s creation through a microscope with my boys~present in the mail from my brother and his wife~surprise birthday party from my mom and sister~singing loud together in the car~hugs from friends (it’s been too long!)
Joey studying a dragonfly wing
QUOTES OF THE MONTH:
Christians are to be the chocolate chips in the cookie dough of culture. We are to mix in, not blend in – we keep our form, remaining completely distinct and separate – yet we should make the batch great!
David and Jason Benham, Living Among Lions
If you want to make a Christian work, then be Christian, and simply try to make a beautiful work, into which your heart will pass: do not try to ‘make Christian’… But apply only the artist to the work; precisely because the artist and the Christian are one, the work will derive wholly from each of them.
Jacques Maritain, as quoted in Your Story Matters by Leslie Leyland Fields
We get impatient for the next step, the provision ,the destination to be revealed…and forget that so often, in the stillness of the waiting, He is revealed.
MB Anderson, as quoted on a lovely card given by a friend
I hope you all had a lovely February celebrating your loved ones! I’d love to hear some of your goals in the comments or in an e-mail. I’ll be crafting my new goals for March, and I’ll update you on my progress next month.