Professor Mom

Let's Hear it for a Sanity Break

Has it been 6 weeks since I have posted?

Too long... my baby blog does not like to be left alone, so here I am mulling what has happened.  Does anyone else out there ever find that sometimes backing away from life a bit helps them to prioritize a little better?  That has been the case for me over the last few weeks.  I have been teaching online courses and trying to create a standalone curriculum, all while homeschooling kids, keeping up with family and home, and trying to stay involved in our various communities.  Just typing all of that makes me realize that I need to start taking my own advice.

I need to refocus. 

I have realized that there are certain themes that pop up in my life... certain passions, if you will.  I have spent the last 6 weeks doing some soul-searching.  My journal is full, and I have moved on to scraps of paper lying around the house in order to capture the deluge of thoughts that have been trapped inside of my head.  Do you want to know what I have discovered?  Life is awesome!  When I say that, I don't mean the "like, totally, dude" variety.  I mean, the meaningful and overwhelming kind of awesome that simultaneously incapacitates and inspires.  My world has so many options, so many opportunities.  I can log on to the computer and be anywhere in the world in about 3 seconds.  I can write posts about world hunger, organizing a kitchen, or corralling a cat and there will be someone, somewhere reading them.  I can order clothes from any store in the United States and most of Europe without leaving my living room.  I walk into a grocery store that stocks foods I have never even heard of.  News is available anytime, anywhere with a PDA.  What wonderful developments, what incredible technology! 

Believe me, I am grateful.  But, I have been getting the feeling that there is just a little too much.  Too much to think about... too much to care about... too many causes to get in, over, around and behind.  Does it ever make your brain hurt? 

That "brain pain" sparked my commitment to refocus.  I took a break mentally and stepped back.  We are all here for a purpose, and I have been reevaluating mine.  I looked for patterns in my activities, my reading, my "electronic interests" (TV, internet, blogs, eZines), my conversations, etc.  I found that most of what I value falls into primary categories - in no particular order: productivity, family life, and the importance of academic and character growth for today's youth.  Do I have more interests than these?  Yes.  However, at least 85% of what I feel called toward falls into one of these categories.

Productivity - I have said this before, and I will say it again.  I love paper.  I love calendars.  I love notebooks and planners and office supply stores.  I love making lists and lists of lists.  Don't ask me why, but it's in my blood.  (You can ask my mother, who provided me - at the ripe old age of 5 - with stacks of old office paper.)  My bookshelves are stocked with books written by David Allen (Getting Things Done) and Julie Morgenstern.  Steven Covey is an old standby, as is Jack Canfield (The Power of Focus).  Organizing is therapuetic for me.  The more I absorb effective productivity techniques into my own life, the more I want to share that peace of mind and home with others.  Full disclosure:  I am not perfectly organized, I simply strive for what I can and enjoy the process:-)

Family Life - If you had asked me 15 years ago if I would leave a successful career to stay home with my kids, I would have politely looked at you as if you were one stick short of a matchbook.  Now, though, I am amazed that God has actually trusted me with these little people.  My husband and I both have found that we have put up some cushioning between our nuclear family and the rest of the world.  Our time together gets more precious each day, and we know that these times won't last forever.  When our nest is empty, we'll probably be more accessible.  For now, we have our hands full with the teaching and training and bike rides and boo-boos.

Education - Again, when I was in the corporate world, the value of education was not even on my radar.  Between my time teaching at the university, researching academic options and teaching my own kids, I now find little else that weighs so heavily on my mind and heart.  I feel as though I haven't enough years left (and I am not exactly pushing up daisies yet) to make a positive impact on how we educate our children.  I want every parent in this country to recognize that character and academics are the true goals of education.  I want every adult to recognize that kids are capable of SO MUCH more than we expect of them in 2008.  They have huge brains and huge hearts, and it is up to US to train them how to use them best.

Doing this exercise - this breaking down of my life into main categories - I found something incredibly valuable... my focus.  When I looked at where my passions reside, I found my mission.  I am aligning my efforts to focus in on 1) Guarding our values as a family to train our little boys to become strong, true men of integrity... just like their daddy,  2) Helping other moms create their own life of peace and value, and 3) Using my experience and energy to inspire passion for knowledge and wisdom in every young person I meet.

I feel recharged and reenergized.  I know now how to guage what invitations to accept, which committees to serve on, and which commitments to add to my calendar.  I now have a yardstick.  By choosing activities that hone in on my mission, more of what I do will be effective.  Even my writing.  Although I missed you all while I was gone, I think you are going to find that this blog community will grow even tighter and more close-knit as we move forward.  I encourage you to think over where your heart is and what it is pointing you toward.  By using that as a starting point, you too can narrow your focus and widen your effectiveness.

Service: Small Effort, Meaningful Results

Sometimes, God speaks to me in little whispers.  Sometimes, He is silent.  Right now, though, He is shouting in both ears.  I read an article this morning that briefly mentioned sacrificial living.  Even though that wasn't the topic of the article, those words stood out big and bold to me.  Sacrifice and service are difficult concepts to get our arms around.  How do we find the time? 

I often wonder, "Why are people exhausted from their efforts, yet have little of the yield that they seek?"  For example, stress levels are high, time seems to be at a premium, and yet, rarely do you meet someone who is really enjoying their day-to-day life.  This isn't just a fringe phenomenon either.  Many people wonder how they got to middle-age without anything meaningful to show for it.  Yet, there are people who seem to live life with a joie de vivre that lights all they touch.  What is the secret to a life that yields results?  What results are significant enough to strive toward?  And, how do we measure our yield?

This question prompted me to do some research.  A quick (and notably unscientific) survey gave me some insight.  I asked a few people for the name of someone who embodied a life well-lived.  Once we got past the occasional Donald Trump or Bill Gates, the results were very telling.  Mother Theresa, a soldier who had earned the Bronze star, the couple who runs the homeless shelter, and (you may have already guessed this one), their mother:-) were the types of responses I was seeing. 

This little experiment just reinforced the message that God had placed before me.  Service and sacrificial living are still longed for in this society.  Meaningful living is still personified in someone like Mother Theresa.  Granted, we all won't have the same gifts or calling, but that spiritual light that comes from service to others is available to us all.  Maybe that is the not-so-secret secret.  Maybe, we have been looking at the wrong results.  Maybe our yield comes not from what we have or what we have achieved, but instead, by who we have touched.

Cicero once said, "It is our special duty, that if anyone needs our help, we should give him such help to the utmost of our power."  A simple duty, but not an easy one.  Life moves at full throttle most of the time.  Any spare moments that we have are often dedicated to getting that last email out or another load of laundry in.  Some days, we may not feel very power-ful.  However, by taking a moment to pray for a neighbor, sincerely and with passion, we have served another.  You have given a helping piece of your spirit, anonymously, to someone who may have no other person in the world lifting them up in prayer in that moment.  Powerful thought, isn't it?  By sending another mom a reassuring glance in the grocery store as their toddler throws an "I want candy!" fit, your goal is more noble than you'd probably guess.  You are communicating empathy and comfort in an environment that is probably feeling quite hostile.  What a gift!  By living in that one moment, we are striving to a meaningful result.

Even so, though, we don't really know whether the neighbor was healed.  We can't really tell if our message to the grocery store mom actually yielded what we intended.  How do we measure whether we are "succeeding" in our efforts?  As usual, the Holy Spirit has given us just the metric we need to determine whether we are yielding our intended results.  It is called the peace of the Spirit.  Just as measuring our yield in worldly terms often frustrates, measuring our yield in service and sacrifice instead bring an inexplicable joy and reverance. 

The Father, as usual, gives us all we need.  Sometimes, we just need to measure results with a different stick. As you go through your day, use seemingly insignificant opportunities such as these to serve.  Then, analyze what is left in your heart.  Are you still exhausted?  Or have you instead been given an abundance of peace in your spirit?    

How to Live with Life

Two women are walking down the street.  One looks as though she bears the weight of the world on her shoulders.  Her hair is stringy and her expression growly as she walks along in her mismatched sweatsuit with her shoulders slumped.  The two children she is almost dragging with her are fighting between themselves and doing everything they can to annoy her.  They have been rude to her, and she has let them.  She doesn't feel like there is anything at all she can do about it.  After all, she just finished delivering a dinner to Mrs. Johnson, grocery shopping, and taking Timmy to baseball practice and Margaret to her piano lessons.  She is exhausted.  Now, all three of the them are going home where they will see their father, a kind, but worn man who has spent the day at a job he hates.  He wants nothing more than to come home and retreat into his own little world.  The evening will consist of everyone eating chicken strips and chips in front of the television set.  When bedtime rolls around, the parents will inquire about homework.  The children will lie and say that it is done.  Then, they will argue to stay up and play one more video game.  The mother will sigh and say "yes" because she doesn't feel like fighting another battle.  Tomorrow will be another day.

The other woman is full of life.  She is dressed in a smart, but comfortable track suit, with her hair pulled back neatly into a ponytail.  This woman has a spring in her step as she walks.  Her eyes sparkle as she laughs with the two little ones at her side.  One of them has just found a sprig of grass growing up through the snow.  "How does a flower grow in the snow, Mommy?"  So, they all stop and talk about it for just a moment, then they continue on to their destination.  That destination is home, where they will get scooped up and bear-hugged by the father who loves them dearly.

They will all share a meal together, talking about what happened that day and telling silly jokes.  Afterward, the woman and her husband will catch up on their reading or projects.  They will be productive but still available if one of the kids needs a quick tutoring session.  Then there are the "chase breaks" to let off some pent-up energy.  After some play time and some story time, it's time for bed.  The children know the rules, and are off to bed with minimal fuss.  Mom and Dad spend some time talking over adult things and then relax a little before they, too, turn in for the night.  They are looking forward to morning... tomorrow will be another day!

Which of these women are you?  More importantly, which of these women do you want to be? 

Finding the energy for all of our adult responsibilities can seem just out of reach.  However, turn that around for a moment.  Remember that all of those responsibilities are pieces of what we like to call "life"!  Our activities can often be traced back to things we have chosen, things we have wanted.  Think about it, our children... we love them more than our own lives.  Our work... whatever it is, it gives us something, whether it is a clean house, money to pay for that house, or a house for our own creative endeavors.  Our service projects... how wonderful and blessed we are to be in a position where we can help others.  Do you see where I am going with this?

So, how do you live with life?

By looking at life from a new angle.  The old "look for the silver lining" may be cliche, but cliches are coined for a reason... they are often true!  Most of us are in an enviable position.  We have homes, families, clothes, food, recreation.  We are the master's of our own ships so to speak, in that we decide what comes into our lives and what we allow to stay.  So, why are we having such a hard time being happy?  Why can't we step out of the rat race even when we want to?  The answer to that really just boils down to perspective.

Guess what, ladies, you don't have to do everything!  That's right, I am officially giving you permission to step off your spinning wheel and say "no".  You can buy the brownies for the 26th children's event this month rather than making them from scratch.  You can tell the church social committee that you won't be joining them this year.  You can give your children limits on how many extra-curricular activities they can participate in.  Then, you use your time to do the things that matter and do them well!  That is how you live with life.

Here's the caveat, other people may not like it.  Other moms may whisper that you were too lazy to bake.  The social committee may question your devotion to the Lord (which, by the way, isn't aligned with your service on any committee).  You kids may get down-right angry with you.  Let them.  At the beginning, it will be hard because you won't be pleasing everyone.  But, I have a not-so-little secret for you:

You aren't pleasing everyone anyway.  On the surface, you may think you are, but deep down you know what you could be doing better if you only had the time.  The more stretched you are, the more the quality of what you do suffers.  I have another cliche for you (I know, I know, bear with me!)  "That which is worth doing is worth doing well."  Now, my guess is that you have heard that one before too.  EMBED IT INTO YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW!  You will get more life out of that little sentence than you will out of 10 self-help books.  The trick is to apply it to every aspect of your life.  That means cutting back in areas that are not-so-important in order to focus on areas that are. 

Start by examining your activities using comparison and motivation/result.  Is it more meaningful if I back the cupcakes from scratch (pat on the back from other moms) or use the time to keep the house organized and tidy (more relaxed, healthy home atmosphere)?  Should I serve on the social committee (kudos from church folks) or spend that time exercising (taking care of my health so that I can serve in the future when the kids are in college)?  Is carting the kids around to a million and one activities (so they are "happy") really more important than guarding their time for free play, to rest, or even (gasp) to be bored (strengthening family bonds and fostering creativity)?

Just for the record, there is nothing wrong with being involved (this comes from a self-diagnosed extrovert).  But, you may find yourself so involved that you say things like, "If I could just get caught up" the minute you wake in the morning or "Why do we have to go to dinner at Pete and Marcie's tonight?" when, in fact, you love Pete and Marcie.  When that happens, you aren't living with life.  Your life has gotten away from you. 

At first, it won't be easy.  Likely, you will struggle with guilt and inferiority more than anything.  Pride will also rear its ugly head when it figures out that you may not be perceived as "superwoman" anymore.  But, if you shoulder on and commit to your true priorities, you'll soon find the sun breaking through the clouds.  Your husband may ask, "What happened, honey, you seem so relaxed?"  Your kids will say to their friends, "My mommy isn't grouchy, she smiles alot!"  Your friends and acquaintances will be somewhat envious and ask you how you can be so calm and pulled-together all the time.

That's when you simply smile enigmatically and answer, "I am just Living with Life!"   

 

Are you Jesus?

This morning, bleary-eyed and rushing around to get everyone ready for Sunday School and Church, I took a moment for a morning email check.  This is an excerpt from an email I received from my in-laws.  In all of the craziness of the morning, I have to share it.  Many of you may have already seen this, and I don't know who wrote it.  I hope it touches you the way it has touched me on this beautiful winter morning! 

"A few years ago a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago. They had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night's dinner. In their rush, with tickets and briefcases, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples. Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all managed to reach the plane in time for their nearly missed boarding. ALL BUT ONE !!! He paused, took a deep breath, got in touch with his feelings, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned.

He told his buddies to go on without him, waved good-bye, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor. He was glad he did.

The 16 year old girl was totally blind! She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one stopping and no one to care for her plight. The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display. As he did this, he noticed that many of them had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket. When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl," Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?" She nodded through her tears. He continued on with, "I hope we didn't spoil your day too badly."

As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, "Mister...." He paused and turned to look back into those blind eyes. She continued, "Are you Jesus?"

He stopped in mid-stride, and he wondered. Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul: "Are you Jesus?"

Do people mistake you for Jesus? That's our destiny, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world that is blind to His love, life and grace. If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk and act as He would. Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church. It's actually living the Word as life unfolds day to day.

You are the apple of His eye even though we, too, have been bruised by a fall. He stopped what He was doing and picked you and me up on a hill called Calvary and paid in full for our damaged fruit."

Let's have a day (week, month, year?) in which people we encounter will be asking us, "Are you Jesus?"

"She Speaks" Conference - Proverbs 31 Ministries

For all of you who are looking forward to summer and want to propel yourself forward in time to warmer weather, check out BooMama's post on the "She Speaks" Conference put on by Proverbs 31 Ministries coming this summer to Concord, North Carolina.  (BooMama herself is on the speaker's roster!)

Here is a blurb from the "She Speaks" Conference Director, LeAnn Rice: 

She Speaks is a life-changing conference for women of every generation seeking to explore the tug on her heart to reach out to the world for Jesus. Through She Speaks, Proverbs 31 Ministries encourages and equips women who are called by God to share our mission to bring God’s peace, perspective and purpose to today’s busy woman. Sharing God’s truth with love is not only a holy calling but a remarkable responsibility. We believe by equipping women to become more effective at sharing the Word of God, we multiply our efforts to reach a hurting world with the life-transforming hope of Jesus.

Speaking of BooMama, take a gander at her site, she has won a place in the heart of Professor Mom! Her site makes me smile and her love for her family is evident.  Happy reading!

Heart of the Matter meme

This week, Heart of the Matter's meme topic is "Favorite Homeschooling Product".  I have a current homeschooling product that I love, my kids love, even the cat is enamored with:-)  Hands of a Child produces terrific lapbook "unit study"-type packages.  Lapbook Project Packs come in a multitude of subjects... everything from the typical holiday subjects to a lapbook dedicated to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.  (Our family is going in April.  Being in Wisconsin, we don't have far to go!)

The Lapbook Project Packs are packed with information, books to read, sites to visit, even CD recommendations for music that fits the theme.  My boys worked on the Story of Ping lapbook and are now keeping them in their rooms so they can explore the Yangtze River in China.  The graphics are great, they are very well-organized and easy to pull together.  What a blessing for someone who is "craft challenged" (that would be me).  These ladies are homeschooling moms and they have done all the work for you. 

Most of the Project Packs are available in either the hard copy or eBook (downloadable immediately).  Definitely worthwhile if you aren't one of the lucky souls who can create stunning craft projects out of some leftover string and some old pipe cleaners.  Enjoy!

Using Journaling Software

Time to test out this new journaling software. I am going to try to use it for 45 days to determine if it will serve my needs. One of the biggest things that I am trying to do with this is determine whether this will provide me with any advantage over paper journals (which is where my heart and comfort level lie). I also want to see whether this helps me to corral some of my writing ideas. Finally, I'd like to really utilize this tool to track the kids homeschooling progress and activities. I'd ultimately like to see this online journal serve as a type of portfolio add-on for homeschool recordkeeping. It's a pretty tall order. The challenge is to see whether the technology adds value.

Subscribe to this feed to stay posted on the results of my experiment!

Update:  The review has begun! Read Part One and Part Two...

Online Journaling Review - Part 2

One goal of mine in using journaling software is to journal on a more consistent basis.  One of my best friends is a dedicated "journal-er" and I see daily the insights that she gleans from taking that time to reflect on her experiences and thoughts.  Unfortunately, I have an on-again, off-again relationship with my journal.  I will sometimes go for months without an entry.  I find that the busier I get, the more my journal gets sidelined.  That makes sense, right?  However, those busy, productive (sometimes traumatic) times are the ones I most want to record and dissect.  When I do get back to it, I often feel as though I need to catch up.  This creates more stress and really nuetralizes the benefit of journaling in the first place.

So, what am I doing to build the habit?  By focusing on three minor changes, I am revamping my personal writing experience.

1- Guard the Quiet.  I do my best writing in the evening.  Scott and I keep the house pretty quiet after the kids go to bed.  We aren't big television people, so the only background noise we keep is usually some soft music.  For some of you, the morning time or the children's quiet time works best and that is fine... do whatever works!  The secret is turning off the noise, any noise.  Even the clinking of zippers in the dryer can be distracting if you are trying to commit your thoughts and feelings to paper.  Sit on the couch for a moment and listen.  Can you turn off some appliances?  Is the ringer off so you are not interrupted?  Are the kids trained to stay in their rooms and keep to themselves for a set amount of time?  By examining your environment, you'll see areas where you can reign in the distractions.

2- Have it Ready.  I often have ideas come to me when I am doing housework or during school time with the boys.  I keep a notebook on the kitchen counter where I jot down these thought triggers.  I can then sit down in the evening with starter thoughts, rather than having to stare at a blank screen.  (Hint: this also lets you maximize your quiet time, since it is often scarce and hard to come by:-)  Another good idea is to keep your journal and favorite pens, along with any reading material you may find inspiring in one space (pretty cloth magazine racks are an attractive storage solution for this).  This negates the need for a late night or early morning search for materials, which can be just discouraging enough for you to give up the good fight.

3- Freewriting.  When I used a paper-based journal, I was as much aware of how I was writing as what I was writing.  The beauty of The Journal software is that I don't have to self-edit as I go along.  I have the security of knowing that the thoughts tumbling out of my head and onto the paper can be cleaned up nice and pretty when the time comes.  Cut, Paste, and Spell-check are all my close friends.  I find myself relying on this feature more and more as I test out the software.  I really love the girly feeling that comes from a gorgeous leather journal, and I am a paper-lover in general, but having quality thoughts captured in an efficient way is really drawing me in.

The Web is full of terrific resources for developing your journaling habits.  One I found this week (and you morning ladies will love it) is on the Write to Done blog.  It is a quick and focused read, so I encourage you to check it out.  Most of these habits can be applied to any time of the day.  Remember, the quality of your journal comes from consistent interaction with it.  I am taking on the challenge... how about you? 

Does Multi-Tasking Really Increase Productivity?

It is truly the era of the multi-tasker.  Multi-tasking is a bonified dictionary term now, and there are few moms out there who don't employ it's use (and survive because of it) in one way or another.  But, does multi-tasking really increase our productivity, or does it drain the quality from our most important efforts?

If you knew me, you would know that I love all things time-management related.  I buy planners for fun and enjoy creating mind maps.  Categorizing a to-do list is my idea of a good time.  Personal productivity tools energize me in a way I can't even explain.  (All of you "paper lovers" out there can probably relate.)  Needless to say, any approach that maximizes my time and gets me working effectively draws my attention in a big way.  Over the years, though, I have become less enamored with the results I get from multi-tasking.

Goals by definition, are meaningful, focused outcomes, right?  If so, shouldn't we be working on a meaningful, focused outcome in a meaningful, focused way?  Maybe it's time to go back to the old adage of "do one thing and do it well." 

I do think multi-tasking has its place.  Nothing is taken from my phone conversations if I do a load of laundry or dust while I talk.  Similarly, if I go grocery shopping, it only makes sense that I stop at the dry cleaners and the library as well.

When I am writing an article or grading papers, however, I must focus completely on the task at hand or the quality of my effort suffers.  In order to produce my best work (and this also applies to the time I spend teaching the boys), I need to be in a focused state of mind.  A focused mind is clearer, it isn't cluttered up with the next three things on my to do list.  A focused mind is efficient, it doesn't waste valuable time and energy flipping between activities.  Most of all, a focused mind is effective.  By freeing the mind to concentrate on one thing and one thing only, it has more capacity for generating original thoughts and logically developing them. The yield... quality results and work I can be proud of.  Sometimes, I find myself in the "supermom" mentality, where I seek a greater quantity of activities, which makes me feel more productive.  But feeling productive and being productive are not one in the same.  To be productive, I want my efforts to yield excellence.

For instance, when I wrote the curriculum for my business communication course, I took chunks of time at night when the rest of the house was asleep rather than trying to cram it into my day.  I wouldn't have been able to focus on the task because it would have been competing with too many other tasks.  My thought process would have been continuously interrupted by the boys, the phone, the cat and the glaring eyes of my dust bunnies:-)

Instead, after getting the wee ones tucked into their beds, I took a hot shower, brushed my teeth (this always wakes me up!) and, with a cup of tea in hand, retreated upstairs to work.  I kept all of my materials in one basket where I could easily pick up where I left off the night before.

I then would decide how much time I wanted to spend on the project ahead of time.  Some nights I was ready to drop by 8pm (hmmm, anyone else out there know that feeling?)  Those are the nights I set myself to a half hour of easy tasks.  Other nights, I was really energized and could commit to three hours.  On those nights, I would see huge chunks of quality work just falling out of my brain.  When it was time for bed, I had a great sense of peace because I felt that I had truly produced my best work.

Over the next month, try focusing on your meaningful projects even just a little more.  Save the multi-tasking for the brainless, routine activities and concentrate the best parts of you on the work that will best fulfill the vision you have for your life!

SoulStretch: Centering Your Spirit

Point A - "So much to do, so little time."  True enough.

Point B - "The more you do, the more you do."  Also true.

So, what is the secret for taking your mindset from Point A to Point B?  In my Walk the Donut post, I touched on the significance of recognizing and focusing on your Core Elements.  The first Element is what I like to call the SoulStretch. 

Isn't that an uplifting term?  According to Webster's dictionary, the soul is the animating principle or actuating cause of an individual life.  To stretch is to reach out; to extend in length; to expand to fulfill a larger function; to become extended in length, breadth or both. Our goal in the SoulStretch is to take God's essence within us and extend it in both length and breadth.  By stretching ourselves beyond what we currently know, by challenging ourselves reasonably every day, we are able to grow in strength and in flexibility.  I don't know about you, but as a mom, I need both strength and a healthy dose of flexibility! 

It is ironic, isn't it, that the Element with the greatest potential for impact is the one we find it hardest to make time for?  God doesn't yell down the stairs at us... study doesn't call on the phone... prayer and reflection do not need to be nursed back to health.  We need to remember, however, that our time with God is crucial, study gives us fortitude, and prayer and reflection calm our thoughts and ground our spirits.  Though these activities don't fall into the urgent category, they need to be tended to regularly because they are the foundation that holds up all of our other, more urgent activities. 

Taking time to align ourselves with God is vital, but He isn't up there prodding us along.  He is a patient God.  Instead, He waits on us.  The kids don't, the bills don't and heaven knows the laundry doesn't.  Our chores and responsibilities sit prominently in focus, clamoring for attention.  Luckily, though, we can bring our lives to Him and use Him to stretch and strengthen our spirits.  With that extra strength and flexibility, we will be able to accomplish more with less stress. 

Let's schedule some time for a three-part SoulStretch...

Feed the Spirit:  Read the Word, read books about the Word, read articles that inspire and uplift, listen to inspirational music.  Any and all of these primes your heart and mind for time with Him.

Pray: Pour out your praise, fears, petitions, joys, concerns and questions.  He can take it!  There are no rules for talking to the Lord.  It is about loving Him and leaning on Him.  There are times in my life when I don't even know how to pray about something.  Sometimes, it is too deep or too painful or I just don't have enough wisdom to know what to ask.  Then, I fall back on the Lord's Prayer.  Just asking for daily bread is enough.  He knows your heart, and answering your heart is how he provides that bread.  He is always listening. 

Listen:  Now, it's our turn.  Be silent... I know, at times this seems impossible.  Every fiber of us is trained to DO.  But, the actual stretching of your soul comes not from doing, but from being.  Try not to seek an epiphany.  God does not often shout during these times of silence.  Sometimes he whispers answers into our spirits that we will only find later, when they are most needed.

Today, start with this.  Read an inspiring article online to feed your spirit.  Take 5 solid minutes of time just to pray.  Then, sit for an additional 5 minutes in simple silence.  This mere 15 minute exercise will stretch your spirit and give you what you need to DO all of the activities with peace.  And at the end of the day, thank Him for breathing his peace into you.