An April Blog Challenge

I'm doing the A-Z blog challenge for April and so excited! As part of the amazing 10 Minute Novelists group on Facebook, I took on the 365K challenge for 2015 and have been attempting to write 1000 words a day. Now, that hasn't gone as well as I hoped. I had good momentum and was getting a good habit going, but then February snow and ice killed 2 weeks of preschool. Not great. In March, just as I was about to get my groove back, I had unexpected crises in my business, two days of sickness, and a week long vacation. Yet despite it all, I'm proud to say that I have written almost 60,000 words in the first quarter of 2015!

However, although I've been hanging on by a thread, I am still chasing the lofty goal of 1000 words per day. And so this A-Z blog challenge is EXACTLY the kickstart I need!

I recently read the great book the Desire Map, and my desire words are:

• Aflame
• Allied
• Awestruck
• Anchored
• In the Zone

Notice anything? Aha! Four out of five are As! Coincidence? Clearly not. My subconscious obviously knew I would need some A material soon.

Now, what do they mean?

Aflame: I chose this because I am passionate about my work and my life.
Allied: I am deeply spiritual, a mystic Christian, and so the Holy Spirit is my constant ally.
Awestruck: The great privilege of my work is that so often, I get to see miracles. I see miracles in my clients' lives, and sometimes I even get to BE the miracle. I just love the awe inspiring, humbling experience of that.
Anchored: I am very pragmatic and practical: while I am a mystic, I also dwell in the material and physical world intensely. My spirituality embraces the goodness and joy of physical matter and sensation.
In the Zone: When I work with clients, when I write, when I create anything, I am so focused that time simply disappears. It's exhilarating, and while I can't think of an "a" word for it, it had to be one of my core desires. And there you have it for A!

Sabbath Rest

This week, my husband and I got really sick. On Tuesday, he came home from work early with a terrible stomach bug, and by Wednesday I was stricken as well. We spent most of Wednesday in bed, and about half of Thursday in bed as well. Just sleeping. Today I’m feeling completely normal again, and it’s amazing how motivated I am! I see the dishwasher has clean dishes and I’m eager to unload and reload it. I’m filled with energy to catch up on all the tasks that piled up while we were sleeping.

And it occurs to me that this is the purpose of Sabbath rest. If I were to take a break once a week, a real break, a true break, then perhaps on Monday I would be motivated to tidy up the house. Maybe, just maybe, if I didn’t squeeze in a bunch of tasks on Sunday, I would feel refreshed and ready to tackle the week on Monday.

Oh, I’ve made resolutions to keep the Sabbath before. But life rushes in. I go to the Farmer’s Market, and then feel the need to wash and cut up all the produce we bought. I plan the meals for the week and then go to the grocery store with a million other people. I rush around Sunday evening doing things for Monday morning.

But I’m recommitting to Sabbath rest. No more work. Church. Lunch. Rest and relaxation. Maybe the Farmer’s Market, because that’s a pure pleasure. I can’t wait to enjoy God’s good plan for a mini vacation every week.