So today, I set out to notice the details. Well, candidly, I just didn't. It wasn't a day of avoiding the details -- I just didn't look at my list much today, and so, it didn't remind me to notice the details. And, I don't notice the details of things, unless I have my head completely into a project. So, I will have to put this on my list another day.
So, for February 16, I think my to do list should be "look at to do list." I guess that wouldn't help much--if it would, we all would be efficient at managing our time and setting our goals!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Valentine's: A day early
So, today I put on my list of to dos:
I sat quietly in the morning, my usual quiet time with God and me, praying. And, I ended up writing a little something about my morning prayers on my other blog From Mountain Tops -- I shared a bit about how I am figuring out how best to show my son I love him. A son who is living miles and miles away, sharing little about his daily life, and grappling with his faith.
Today I also told a few very special people about my blog. I decided that, in some small way, trusting them with this knowledge would show them I love them. You see, my other blog is about my faith mostly. It reveals much about who I am--the beautiful and the ugly and the broken. It reveals who I am on the margins of the to do lists of my very ordinary life.
Hope you have a happy Valentine's Day -- make it extraordinary. You won't regret it.
Be intentional about showing my love for others
I sat quietly in the morning, my usual quiet time with God and me, praying. And, I ended up writing a little something about my morning prayers on my other blog From Mountain Tops -- I shared a bit about how I am figuring out how best to show my son I love him. A son who is living miles and miles away, sharing little about his daily life, and grappling with his faith.
Today I also told a few very special people about my blog. I decided that, in some small way, trusting them with this knowledge would show them I love them. You see, my other blog is about my faith mostly. It reveals much about who I am--the beautiful and the ugly and the broken. It reveals who I am on the margins of the to do lists of my very ordinary life.
Hope you have a happy Valentine's Day -- make it extraordinary. You won't regret it.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
To Do: Saturday, February 13, 2010
To do today (along with the tasks on my list). . . .
Note: I've decided to only put one to do on my list for the next few days. I want to see if I can be more focused on that one point--be more intentional throughout the day. Let's see how it goes!
- Be intentional about showing my love for others
Note: I've decided to only put one to do on my list for the next few days. I want to see if I can be more focused on that one point--be more intentional throughout the day. Let's see how it goes!
Friday, February 12, 2010
Rainfall
The rainfall makes me listen
it babbles like a brook down the gutters
it taps tirelessly on the skylights
The rainfall comforts me
it prompts me to light a fire
it reminds me that I am sheltered and warm and safe
The rainfall makes me feel
the warmth of my cup of tea and the steam on my face
the presence of my husband next to me
The rainfall makes me see
the green and brown and gray of the day
the puddles of mud waiting for yellow children's boots
The rainfall makes me pause
to listen
to feel
to see
The rainfall gives me comfort
that I am alive
it babbles like a brook down the gutters
it taps tirelessly on the skylights
The rainfall comforts me
it prompts me to light a fire
it reminds me that I am sheltered and warm and safe
The rainfall makes me feel
the warmth of my cup of tea and the steam on my face
the presence of my husband next to me
The rainfall makes me see
the green and brown and gray of the day
the puddles of mud waiting for yellow children's boots
The rainfall makes me pause
to listen
to feel
to see
The rainfall gives me comfort
that I am alive
To Do: Friday, February 12, 2010
Today I will . . .
Taste and smell what I eat
Spend time listening, really listening to the day
Taste and smell what I eat
Spend time listening, really listening to the day
So, I had on my list of to dos today. . .
I was surprized at how many times I recognized my change in emotions..many...many times throughout the day. Here are a few.
The short, but heartfelt, minutes of grief as I thought about a family who recently lost their 26 year old son in a climbing accident on Mt. Hood.
How grateful I felt when a student stopped by to say thank you for helping to advocate for a school policy change that I helped initiate. I felt appreciated and valued.
How excited I was to hear that my teaching assistant was offered a "dream" internship. Her face just lit up when she told me.
Thinking about my feelings, I've decided is a good thing. I'm certain many slipped by that I didn't notice. I'll have to make this a habit: to intentionally take note of my feelings throughout my days.
I also made an effort to let friends and family know how I appreciate them. I did a fairly good job here, but I'm not one to just plan to tell someone. So, I didn't "pre-plan" who I would tell or what I would say. I just let it happen spontaneously. So, I told three people how much I appreciated them for different things. I hope it had a positive impact on their lives. It did on mine.
Notice the feelings I have at different times
Tell the people I am close to what I appreciate about them
I was surprized at how many times I recognized my change in emotions..many...many times throughout the day. Here are a few.
The short, but heartfelt, minutes of grief as I thought about a family who recently lost their 26 year old son in a climbing accident on Mt. Hood.
How grateful I felt when a student stopped by to say thank you for helping to advocate for a school policy change that I helped initiate. I felt appreciated and valued.
How excited I was to hear that my teaching assistant was offered a "dream" internship. Her face just lit up when she told me.
Thinking about my feelings, I've decided is a good thing. I'm certain many slipped by that I didn't notice. I'll have to make this a habit: to intentionally take note of my feelings throughout my days.
I also made an effort to let friends and family know how I appreciate them. I did a fairly good job here, but I'm not one to just plan to tell someone. So, I didn't "pre-plan" who I would tell or what I would say. I just let it happen spontaneously. So, I told three people how much I appreciated them for different things. I hope it had a positive impact on their lives. It did on mine.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
To Do: Thursday February 11, 2011
Today I will . . . .
Notice the feelings I have at different times
Tell the people I am close to what I appreciate about them
Notice the feelings I have at different times
Tell the people I am close to what I appreciate about them
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Today I saw things I would not have noticed
So today, I had on my list of to dos, to
Today, the first thing I noticed that made me really smile was a small purple crocus with bright yellow stamen just opening. I'm sure it was there yesterday, but I must have walked right by it. It was beautiful on this gray, almost-white with frost day. A reminder of spring and how new life emerges from the deepest winters of our lives.
Other colors caught my eye today, too. I noticed--and smiled at--very old 50s looking turquoise sedan with skinny tires rambling in front of my modern Outback wagon. Turquoise. What a great color for a car. It gave it its own personality -- peppy, silly, sassy, and carefree. I wondered what the driver and his passenger were like. I wanted to meet them and have tea.
I should wear turquoise more often.
I also noticed people I might have just walked by otherwise. But, honestly, I should have known this wasn't the day to list this as a to do item. After all, I was at work, cloistered in my office for 11 hours today. But, walking by students on their way to class, I made more of an effort to acknowledge and smile at those I didn't recognize. I usually notice everyone and always try to make eye contact with those I know, acknowledge them, call them by name and say hello or ask how they are doing. It is just who I am. I'll have to add this to my list again, on a day when I know I will be around people who I don't know.
Make eye contact with people I might otherwise just walk by and
Notice color
Today, the first thing I noticed that made me really smile was a small purple crocus with bright yellow stamen just opening. I'm sure it was there yesterday, but I must have walked right by it. It was beautiful on this gray, almost-white with frost day. A reminder of spring and how new life emerges from the deepest winters of our lives.
Other colors caught my eye today, too. I noticed--and smiled at--very old 50s looking turquoise sedan with skinny tires rambling in front of my modern Outback wagon. Turquoise. What a great color for a car. It gave it its own personality -- peppy, silly, sassy, and carefree. I wondered what the driver and his passenger were like. I wanted to meet them and have tea.
I should wear turquoise more often.
I also noticed people I might have just walked by otherwise. But, honestly, I should have known this wasn't the day to list this as a to do item. After all, I was at work, cloistered in my office for 11 hours today. But, walking by students on their way to class, I made more of an effort to acknowledge and smile at those I didn't recognize. I usually notice everyone and always try to make eye contact with those I know, acknowledge them, call them by name and say hello or ask how they are doing. It is just who I am. I'll have to add this to my list again, on a day when I know I will be around people who I don't know.
February 10, 2010 - to do
To Do List for Wednesday February 10, 2010
Make eye contact with people you might otherwise just walk by
Notice color
Make eye contact with people you might otherwise just walk by
Notice color
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
A word about lists and an invitation
I write lists. These lists are my daily reminders of things I need to do -- tasks mostly. . . .
Pick up the mail
Call about phone bill
Write thank you to Allegra's teacher
Work on new assignment
Photo copy documents for insurance company
and so on...
But, lists sometimes controlled my day so much that I forgot to live in-between checking or scratching off the tasks from the list. The day became a group of tasks that I proudly completed, and then came the sunset, and the day was gone.
It wasn't every day, but some felt that way. And, the problem wasn't that the tasks didn't need to be done. It was just that they become the focus and the day became about the tasks. I felt like the destination was a completed list and that somehow, in reaching the destination, I had missed the beauty of the journey.
I wanted the journey and all the things that go with living in the moment. I wanted to live and feel and enjoy the moments--the loving, laughing, listening, feeling, seeing--that happen when we journey out into the world and enter into relationship with others and God.
So, I starting making my lists not just about tasks, but about living the journey. My first list included the following along with the usual "to dos":
Seek God in little things
Listen more carefully to everything
I found that I did those things. And the other "to dos" on the list took on more meaning--when I cleaned the kitchen, I heard the beautiful sound of water running and my heart beating. I heard the music in the dishes clanging as I stacked them in the cupboard. And, while I was working, I heard the birds sing and praised God for their presence and music.
And, so I thought I would share my daily list. Just two things everyday that I would add to my to do list. And, then blog about how -- or whether -- I accomplished those little "to dos"-- and how they made life a little more about living.
I hope you will feel free to join me in my journey. Make your own "to dos" or follow mine daily--and add your own observations about how they made life a little more about living.
Pick up the mail
Call about phone bill
Write thank you to Allegra's teacher
Work on new assignment
Photo copy documents for insurance company
and so on...
But, lists sometimes controlled my day so much that I forgot to live in-between checking or scratching off the tasks from the list. The day became a group of tasks that I proudly completed, and then came the sunset, and the day was gone.
It wasn't every day, but some felt that way. And, the problem wasn't that the tasks didn't need to be done. It was just that they become the focus and the day became about the tasks. I felt like the destination was a completed list and that somehow, in reaching the destination, I had missed the beauty of the journey.
I wanted the journey and all the things that go with living in the moment. I wanted to live and feel and enjoy the moments--the loving, laughing, listening, feeling, seeing--that happen when we journey out into the world and enter into relationship with others and God.
So, I starting making my lists not just about tasks, but about living the journey. My first list included the following along with the usual "to dos":
Seek God in little things
Listen more carefully to everything
I found that I did those things. And the other "to dos" on the list took on more meaning--when I cleaned the kitchen, I heard the beautiful sound of water running and my heart beating. I heard the music in the dishes clanging as I stacked them in the cupboard. And, while I was working, I heard the birds sing and praised God for their presence and music.
And, so I thought I would share my daily list. Just two things everyday that I would add to my to do list. And, then blog about how -- or whether -- I accomplished those little "to dos"-- and how they made life a little more about living.
I hope you will feel free to join me in my journey. Make your own "to dos" or follow mine daily--and add your own observations about how they made life a little more about living.
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