31 Days of Less and More

This is Day 20 of our 31 Days of Less and More series. To read all the posts in order, start with Day 1 and check out our overview page to see the topics for the entire month.

Running, to him,  was real.   It was all joy and woe, hard as a diamond; it made him weary beyond comprehension. But it also made him free.”  ~John L. Parker Jr.

Taylor and I headed out on a six mile run a few weekends ago.  I love that boy-a-mine.  And running is something we like to do together when he’s home.  He’s fast, he’s young—I’m slow, I’m old-ish.  He got so far ahead of me that when he finished, he came back and ran the half mile with me.  Now, that’s a good son, right there.  It made me so thankful, that over the years, for all the mistakes I’ve made, he has picked up something from my life that will serve him well.

Three or four mornings a week, I leave my house while it’s still dark, lace up my tennis shoes, crank up my music, put in my headphones, and head out for a date with the pavement. Some days, I can’t wait to get out there and some days, I’d rather stay in the comfort of my cozy house. But, I’ve learned over the years how desperately I need this, more for my heart and soul than anything.

My commitment to exercise is more out of my desperate attempt to preserve sanity than anything else. Running tames my wandering spirit and helps me stay focused in my writing. Running is a way to release the stress of the week as well as a way to renew my energies for my big long to do list. I’ve been running for so long that my runs are like old friends to me. There’s a familiarity in the strike of the pavement and the rhythm of the breathing that I’ve grown to love. But, every single run is hard.

It might get easier, but it never gets easy.

And the hardest part of the run is always the first step out the door.  Leaving home is always the hardest part for me. That’s the part that you have to make as easy and  as automated as possible,  because there are a million obstacles.

I’m too tired.
I don’t have enough time.
I’m so out of shape.
Whoever invented running shorts?
Why even try?
It’s too cold.
It’s too hot.
It’s too humid.
I’m too old.

You recognize those excuses, don’t you?  Well, guess what?  I have a million more.  But, if I can get myself out of the door, I’ve overcome the biggest hurdle and I have never one time regretted doing it.

So, if you still have the capacity to get outside and get some exercise, take advantage of it.  It won’t last forever.  Whether you run or not, I’m a huge advocate of getting some exercise outside if possible. We need the fresh air, the fresh perspective, the sun on our face and it’s good to ask our bodies to work hard. We need it for so many reasons.

Asking my body to do hard things reminds me that I’m weak and undisciplined.  It reminds me that there are so many things in life I have yet to learn.

Running keeps me humble.  It’s so hard and unforgiving sometimes.

But then there are those days—those days when nothing else will do, when the only answer to the struggle of the mental and spiritual battles is to ask my body to do the same.  Blood, sweat, and tears.  It’s not just a good metaphor for life, it is life—with all its valleys and battles, and mountaintops.

For those of you who have never (or not in a long time) done any regular exercise, let me encourage you to start. Just getting out to walk a few times a week would be a great first step. The couch to 5K program would be perfect, if you still have the capacity to run. Whatever you decide, decide to do something. And be thankful you still have the chance.

Just do it.

Day 20 Challenge: For the rest of the month, cut your coffee (or caffeine) consumption by half. Try drinking decaf or tea or even just water instead. Then sometime today, walk or exercise for at least 15 minutes. Consider making a bigger fitness goal, then share it with us on Facebook!

Be sure to read Ruth’s corresponding post, Less Caffeine.

 

This is Day 19 of our 31 Days of Less and More series. To read all the posts in order, start with Day 1 and check out our overview page to see the topics for the entire month.

(Fall in a bowl—Pumpkin Chipotle Soup with Barley)

“There is no spectacle on earth more appealing than that of a beautiful woman in the act of cooking dinner for someone she loves.”
― Thomas Wolfe

THE DAY after our house fire, my sister took me to Knoxville so I could get the bare essentials.  I bought cowboy boots, makeup and a Le Creuset dutch oven.  That’s not a word of a lie.  She gently reminded me, when I insisted that I needed the dutch oven, that I didn’t really have a stove. Or a kitchen for that matter.  But, some of the things we have just remind us of who we are and apparently, I’m a woman with a good dutch oven—kitchen or not.

Needless to say, I didn’t use it for a while.  We ate out a lot and good people brought us lots of food.

We’ve all been guilty of taking the easy way out.   We worship at the altar of fast and easy.  It’s been a hectic day/week/life, we haven’t planned well for feeding our troops, and we cave to the allure and convenience of fast food.  I usually regret the decision, but every now and then, you just need a greasy burger.  I get it. But, for the bulk of your food, it pays to learn early in life to cook and cook well.  If you live to be 70, that’s 50 years of adult life and if you eat 3 meals a day, you’ll consume 54,750 meals.  That’s a lot of thinking about, planning for, and consuming food.  Or that’s a lot of McDonalds.  SO.  Here are some thoughts on learning to cook and enjoying it more.

1.  Remember that feeding people is perhaps THE most important way to love and care for them.  It can feel like a drudgery or you can see it for the beautiful mysterious gift that it is.

But, the only way to get more comfortable in the kitchen is by getting in the kitchen.

When I first started learning to really cook, I watched the Food Network and read lots of cook books.  You will learn to love it by doing it and getting better at it. Fifteen years later, one of my favorite things to do in this world is put on some good music, pour a glass of wine  and chop up some ingredients for a soup, or start some homemade bread.  Work that we do like that with our hands is rewarding in so many ways.  Start slow but be intentional about getting in the kitchen.

2.  Gather a few good supplies.  You need a cutting board, a good knife, a dutch oven and a flirty apron.  I have almost no fancy kitchen gadgets.  I don’t have a garlic press and I have a 1930’s style potato masher.  I hoard spatulas and wooden spoons, but that’s beside the point.  You don’t need much to get started.

3.  Stock your pantry with good ingredients.  I made a list for your here and you can download it and print if off.  If you have a well stocked pantry, cooking is SO much less frustrating.

4.  Organize your pantry and your baking supplies so that they’re easy to access.  I don’t hesitate when I want to bake because my pantry is well stocked and my supplies are easily accessible.  There’s a whole post on this in my ebook that might help you get started and more is coming on this topic next week!

5.  Cook!  All this will be for naught if you don’t just start.  Here are a few easy recipes to get you going.   Try my meal planning guide for busy moms.

 Challenge Day 19:  Plan a healthy, low sugar menu today for the next week.  Use some of the ideas from the post, if you’ve never done this before.  Think about your schedule and what night’s would be better for something in the crock pot or oven all day.  Make your list and then grocery shop tomorrow for what you need.  You CAN do this!! You’ll be so happy and organized with your week’s menu all planned out. Share some of your menu ideas with us in the comments below or on Facebook.

Be sure to read Ruth’s corresponding post, Less Sugar.

This is Day 18 of our 31 Days of Less and More series. To read all the posts in order, start with Day 1 and check out our overview page to see the topics for the entire month.

(photo by Patty)

All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today.

I have something to confess.  I’m not a planner by nature.  I’m a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants girl who’s always looking for a better offer.  I’ve spent the better part of 20 years trying to find some sort of day planner/calendar that would work for me.  I’d do it faithfully for about 3 weeks and then hurl myself off the wagon.  I don’t know why, but that’s just the way I’m wired.  My spontaneous, creative spirit cannot be tamed. But I have found a few strategies that seem to work, even for my right-brained, wild and free, always distracted by something shiny self.  The first one I call Sunday  Speed Prep.

Here’s how Sunday Speed Prep works.

On Sundays after church, we rest and relax.  We watch football, read, nap, sit by the fireplace, play outside or whatever else kind of refreshment we can drum up.  For the past few years, since I started homeschooling, I’ve taken an hour or two on Sunday evenings to prep for the week. If I haven’t already done it over the weekend, I look over my menu plan and make any adjustments I need to make, based on what’s going on in the evenings.  Every other Monday, I’m the lunch lady at school, so I make sure and do a crock pot or slow cooking meal on those Mondays.  Since I’ve initiated my meal planning guide, using my iPhone, it only takes a few minutes to make some tweaks to it.  Then, I throw a load or two of laundry in and clean a bathroom or two.

I try to work really fast, with the eye of the tiger.  I’m in it to win it.

I spit shine my kitchen sink using the Fly Lady’s technique and I get the coffee ready to brew the next morning.  I make a list of things I need to accomplish during the week, in order of priority or by day. I make my girls do the same thing at the same time.  We jump up, after a day of lounging— and prep like crazy for the week.  It doesn’t take that much time, but it makes SUCH a huge difference on Monday morning and for the rest of the week.

My other favorite planning tip, that even us non-planners can do, is to write down a list of three things, either at night or first thing in the morning that you want to accomplish that day.

Get in the habit of doing the hardest thing on the list first.

I learned that from reading a book called Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time (suggested by Ruth!)  because even though we all procrastinate, you don’t want to procrastinate the most important things.   I highly recommend reading this little book—it will help in your goal setting and productivity.  It’s made a huge difference for me!

 Challenge Day 18:  Starting tonight, write down three things each evening that you want to accomplish tomorrow so your brain is ready to go as soon as you wake up. Commit to waking up 15-30  minutes earlier than normal.  Use that time to plan your day and to do and to ensure that the rest of your day goes a little smoother.  This could include getting a head start on breakfast, putting dinner in the crockpot, eating a frog off your to do list, doing personal devotions.   Then, this Sunday, give my Sunday Speed Prep a try and see if it doesn’t make for a better start to your week.  Let us know what you did!

Be sure to read Ruth’s corresponding post, Less Catch-Up.

This is Day 17 of our 31 Days of Less and More series. To read all the posts in order, start with Day 1 and check out our overview page to see the topics for the entire month.

“The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why.” ~Mark Twain

I am a woman of many passions.  I love good books, crisp journals, cowboy boots, good food, coffee, DIY projects, chocolate, and babies.  And that’s just the short list.  I’m am truly a jill of all trades, master of hardly anything.  It has taken me a long time to be okay with that—to truly accept who I am and how God made me, without wishing I had some other set of skills and talents and interests.  I am finally living in my sweet spot—the intersection between my passions and my giftings.   It only took me the better part of 40 years— but I have finally submitted to who I am and why I’m here.

I am an artist and so are you.  What gift were you made to give the world?  Who was your life and your art meant to serve?

Slowly realizing what I was made to do  has changed my life.  That doesn’t mean the journey here has been easy, because it hasn’t.  And you’ll work way harder when you discover your passions, because finally work won’t seem like work. While you are immersed in that thing that makes you come alive—hours will pass and yet time will stand still.  It’ll feel like you were in a dream, because you were.  The challenge is not so much to find what you were made to do as to submit to it. Offer yourself and your gifts to those around you.

When you are not living in your sweet spot,  you will always more tempted by distractions and coping mechanisms.  Until I realized the meaningful work I was created for, I shopped a lot and often bought things I didn’t need to fill a void.  I struggle way less with that now that I’m doing work I love. Your ways of coping may be different,  but I can tell you this—until you answer the big questions in your life, you will struggle to find your way.  When you finally discover what you were made to do, you will know it, because you’ll feel like you’ve come home.

So, why are you here?   What is it that makes you come alive?  What do you daydream about? Has your life spiraled out of control in some way?  Have you gotten into bad habits because of boredom or stress?  The truth is, you may be exchanging valuable days and hours for a life you don’t love.  It’s time to rethink your priorities and begin to do the stuff of your daydreams.  Start today. It won’t happen by accident.

Some resources that might help you find your way back to your passions are Quitter: Closing the Gap Between Your Day Job & Your Dream Job and Start: Punch Fear in the Face, Escape Average and Do Work that Matters by Jon Acuff.

Challenge Day 17:  Do you find yourself sliding into bad habits of overindulgence?  Think  back to the last time it happened and why.   Now, identify an activity or hobby you are passionate about, but that you may have given up because of time, circumstances, stress, or money.  Is there a way to incorporate that passion back into your life somehow?  Start today.  Then inspire others by sharing your story in the comments below or on Facebook.

Be sure to read Ruth’s corresponding post, Less Mindless Spending.

This is Day 15 of our 31 Days of Less and More series. To read all the posts in order, start with Day 1 and check out our overview page to see the topics for the entire month.

But surely the wife’s work is, in reality, the most important work in the world. What do ships, railways, mines, cars, government etc exist for except that people may be fed, warmed, and safe in their own homes? As Dr Johnson said, ‘To be happy at home is the end of all human endeavour’.  ~C.S. Lewis

We all have lots of work to do at home and that’s true whether we work elsewhere or not.  The time I spend here on this blog is significant and fulfilling, but it’s not the most important work I do.  And I think we’d all agree that the work we do elsewhere is mostly to support the important work we do at  home.  Work like buying food, cooking meals, raising children, making sure our families and homes are cared for, creating and nurturing family relationships, and so on forever!  And even though I supposedly have lots more time to do it than some, I’m always scrambling to get it all done.

As a stay at home momma, I can tell you without a doubt  the hardest part of my job?  Staying at home.  

I know it sounds crazy, but that’s where I struggle the most.  And I know too well, from all those days and months and years at home with my girls, that if you want to accomplish a lot at home, you have to stay home.  It is absolutely THE most asked question in my inbox.  How do you do it all?  Y’all.  I SO don’t do it all and I’m often plagued by guilt about all the things that go undone around here.  Lots of things go undone. But when I have those wonderful, productive days, it’s because I was able to stay home and do my work.

The secret to productivity at home is to discipline ourselves to stay home.  To stop running around like crazy people all the time. 

We all have errands that must get done, but because transportation is so easy, we’ve become lazy planners with how we use it.  And if you work during the day, the same could be said for how you use the evenings.  Can you set aside large blocks of time to be home so that you can make time for all the things that make home wonderful?  You’d be surprised how much you could get done, with a little planning and discipline.

We’ve all had weeks (or months) where we feel like all we do is run around.  It’s so draining.  But imagine a day where you were able to cook a great meal, do some cleaning, reorganize your closet, make time to read a book or play games with your kids.  That day is possible if you plan for it and guard the time at home like a momma bear.  We get caught up in the urgent and forget what’s important.  Make a date with your home!  You’ll be glad you did.

Challenge Day 16:    Get out your calendar and make a date sometime in the next week to spend some quality time at home.  Have you been wanting to cook more?  Plan a day where you cook and get your kitchen organized.  Have you been wanting to redecorate a room?  Decide what first steps you can take in making that project happen.  Missing your kids or feeling disconnected with your husband? Plan a night in at home with your family.   Find a way to stay home! Share your home date idea on facebook or in the comment below.

Be sure to read Ruth’s corresponding post, Less Running-Around.

We are thrilled to have Crystal Paine of Money Saving Mom joining our Less & More challenge this month!  Be sure to check out her thoughts on Less Television, More Reading,  from  yesterday’s post!

 

This is Day 15 of our 31 Days of Less and More series. To read all the posts in order, start with Day 1 and check out our overview page to see the topics for the entire month.

“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.” ~Charles William Eliot

George Orwell had a chilling, dark vision, that the roots of liberal democracy would be overcome by a terror from without.  But 1984 came and went and our way of life had survived.  Neil Postman points out that perhaps we had forgotten another,  no-less chilling,  prediction by Aldous Huxley in Brave New World.  Postman says, ” Orwell warns that we will be overcome by an externally imposed oppression. But in Huxley’s vision, people will come to love their oppression, to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think.”  His book Amusing Ourselves to Death  is hard to read without seeing the writing on the wall.  We are being weakened by our constant desire for entertainment.

“What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture, preoccupied with some equivalent of the feelies, the orgy porgy, and the centrifugal bumblepuppy. As Huxley remarked in Brave New World Revisited, the civil libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny “failed to take into account man’s almost infinite appetite for distractions.”  In 1984, Orwell added, people are controlled by inflicting pain. In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure. In short, Orwell feared that what we fear will ruin us. Huxley feared that what we desire will ruin us.” (Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death)

The statistics are pretty staggering.  The average American, over the age of 2, watches around 40 hours of  TV per week.  That’s a full time job.  And if I’m not guilty of the TV portion, then certainly my “screen time” is no less staggering.  We have shifted from an word centered to an image centered culture and the only way I know to protect my self and my family from the tyranny of constant entertainment is to instill in them (and myself) a love for the written word.  As Ray Bradbury says, ““You don’t have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.”

Books are powerful and life-changing, but they are demanding and require more from us than we’ve been accustomed to giving.  Developing a life-long habit of reading will not be easy and you will most certainly swim upstream in our culture to do it. But it’s worth it.  There is no better gift that you can give yourself and your children than the desire and ability to read great books.

Here’s a few tips on how to start.

1. Start with Neil Postman’s book Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business.  I don’t know if I’ve ever read a more compelling book on the state of our current culture and its obsession with entertainment.  You will be inspired to turn off the TV and the computer and pick up a book.  
2. Begin a reading plan that is doable.  Commit to 15 minutes a day and do it at the start of your day.  I try to start and end my day with books, even if it’s only a few minutes.  When I first began a serious reading program, I followed Susan Wise Bauer’s The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had.  It gives suggestions on a reading plan, with  specific classic books, that all educated adults should read.
3. Don’t be too hard on yourself.  Reading is a serious, demanding endeavor.  It’s like exercise, but for your mind.  You won’t be able to run a marathon the first six months.  Start our slow, but keep going.  Consider starting a book club with a few like-minded folks. And remember, “In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you.”  (Mortimer Adler)
4. I don’t agree that it doesn’t matter what you read as long as you read.  It does.  A lifetime of romance novels will likely not change your life.  But, Plato and Homer and Faulkner and C.S. Lewis might.  Here’s some inspiration to get your started.  Also, try this list of the 10 Books Every Christian Should Read. And remember, “It is what you read when you don’t have to that determines what you will be when you can’t help it.” (Oscar Wilde)
   

Challenge Day 15:  Make a commitment to stop watching television for the rest of the month.   Instead,  pick a book you’ve been meaning to read and make it your goal to finish it by the end of October.  Any book will do but we strongly recommend starting with Neil Postman’s Amusing Ourselves to Death.  Let us know what books you are planning to read this month!  Show or tell us on Instagram or Facebook. Use the hashtag #31dayslessmore

Be sure to read Ruth’s corresponding post, Less TV.

We are thrilled to have Crystal Paine of Money Saving Mom joining our Less & More challenge this month!  Be sure to check out her thoughts on Less Smart Phone, More Communication, from  yesterday’s post!

p.s. One more thing.  I’m giddy to announce that the Creatively Made Home Holidays course starts TODAY!!!! Hurry over and sign up and be inspired to make your holidays full of creativity and meaning.