The One Thing

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It took a long time, but the snow has melted from my front lawn. The temperatures have been warm and wonderful the past week and I've been able to get back out at our local Audubon center and walk a few times during the week. The sun has been shining and my energy levels are up. It's been great!

My activities have ramped up over the past few weeks as well. This is always a busy time of the year and it seems as if everything is happening all at once this year. I'm leading a leadership webinar next month so am working on that. I'm working on a program for this Friday night, prayer stations for our Good Friday service and getting ready for our district women's conference next month. I have a couple of articles to write. Whew!

These are all enjoyable activities, but I also am taking time each day to sit and reflect, to get outside and do the things I love such as walking, hiking and photography.


I have been trying to take time to do fun activities so that I'm not just working all the time. I participated in a county-wide upcycle contest and actually won! I took this old broken shelf that was headed for the garbage, repaired it and gave it a fresh look and turned it into something functional.



I've been busy doing crafty things as well which I have available at the local farmer's market - making soap and some sewing here or there. I have dialed way back on this as it pushed my "busy" over the top and then stopped being enjoyable. 


The farmer's market is this weekend so I will be making granola and packing up for that. It has been good to be out in the community a bit. A local farm and produce stand is carrying my plant-based cookbook and I am doing a book signing there and having samples from my cookbook there next Saturday.

I'm also taking time for family as well. I'm headed out of town next week for a couple of days to help my daughter and son-in-law. They have purchased a house and I'm going to help by doing some painting and helping them unpack a bit. 

I am thankful for this season I'm in where I have the ability to do many different things. I know that one day in the not so distant future my life will slow down a bit (probably a lot). But I am thankful I'm in good health and have been gifted with the energy to do these many different pursuits.

I was wide awake at 4 a.m. today. After tossing and turning, I finally got up and was able to spend a good chunk of time reading and praying. I continue to take time to do that each day because if I don't, I begin to run on empty. God has given me the ability to do many things, but if I don't spend time with Him then I find that I'm operating on my own strength and my own wisdom and that eventually I will crash and burn.

It's during my times in His word and in prayer that He gives me insight into different situations. It is the pause in my busy days that rejuvenates me and allows me to do all that I do. And it's also the time where God will often say, "Nope." "You need to let that go."

No matter how busy or how inactive I will be in my life, that is the one thing of which I will never let go!

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