The snow has finally retreated and life is not quite so frozen over out here at Lake Joy. The lake froze over enough that we could walk and slide around on it. It was amazing!
Christmas came and went and it was beautiful. Life seems to be moving right along with homework and and teaching and writing. It’s been a special time for me the last few weeks. I kind of had an Epiphany during the Christmas break, which is fitting since we’re right smack in the middle of Epiphany….
During the month of December I pulled way back on my social media interactions. I was feeling frayed around the edges and tired and worried way too much about what people think of me. I was troubled in heart and soul and pissed off and defensive. So, I got real quiet on the inside and prayed and listened to the deep things of my heart and tried to listen for the still small voice and … the short of it is I decided to start writing my next novel: the sequel to The Girl Who Calls the Wind.
I like writing novels more than I like doing anything else, but they’re risky and time-consuming, and just plain hard work. So I’ve been avoiding it. However, after much hemming and hawing, I remembered that I desire to live a quiet life and to be intentional about the things that really matter to me. I want to live with great courage and from my truest self. Writing novels is where I access my deepest and most true self.
I also want to be a thoughtful, intentional wife, mom, friend, and citizen of this world … starting right here in Carnation, Washington.
How about you? What kind of Epiphanies are you having as you start the new year?
I thought I’d share some of the fun and helpful things I’ve enjoyed lately. It’s January … time for resolutions, new beginnings, new strategies, and fresh ideas.
Last year one of my friends from the Redbud Writers Guild launched a liturgical day planner, called Sacred Ordinary Days. This is the second year I’ve bought the daily planner and I love it. I use it all the time. Every morning I read the daily scripture readings, jot down my to-do list, pray over a few important things, and then write down a favorite quote or a short gratitude list. It’s a great way to bring all the pieces of your life together and take steps toward integration. I buy the daily hardbound planner. If you look through all the options you’ll find they have all kinds of different planners. Their motto is “Lord, I offer my prayer as my work, my work as my prayer.”
Over the Christmas break I read The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. It’s a WWII novel about two sisters with overwhelmingly different approaches to life and to the war. One of the sisters joins the French Resistance and the other tries to stay safe. Both of the sisters grow and learn and become so much more than they anticipated or hoped to ever become, and somehow against all odds, make a difference and choose to do good things right in the middle of great evil. One thing I appreciated about this story was the reminder that there’s many ways to do the right thing if we’re willing to take a few risks and step away from self-preservation and safety and move toward courage and love. I highly recommend this novel.
I recently discovered the website and community of The Art of Simple. Um … I’m obsessed. It’s like a deep reservoir of all things simple and lovely and good. It’s empowering and refreshing, and practical. Where have I been? I love this blog! I even joined some cleaning product club as a result. Eco-friendly cleaning products are coming to my house in the mail! How fun is that? It’s time to clean and declutter.
Dani Shapiro is one of my absolute favorite writers. I come back to her work over and over. On Being Singular is a great post. These are the lines I’ve ruminated over for days …“I wanted to fashion myself after someone instead of hewing ever-more-closely to myself.” I’m starting to see that each of us comes to a place where our road becomes more unique and we no longer look like everyone around us, or even the way we thought we were going to look based on our hopes and dreams as young people … when that happens it’s probably a good thing, it means we’re becoming more like ourself.
Last but not least, I finally finished the book The Beginning of Desire, Reflections on Genesis by Avivah Zornberg. A friend of mine recommended Zornberg’s work to me about a year ago. It took me almost ten months to read this book and it was so worth my time. Every chapter, every character, every page held new insights. Zornberg has a nurturing way about her and it shows up in every word she writes. I started in on her second book the same day I finished her first.
I’m not someone who gets one word at the beginning of the new year. I wish I were. I feel like I’m missing out … but it’s time to hew ever-more-closely-to-myself and walk my own sacred path, so instead of wishing I was one of the people who get one word for the year, I’ve been praying that God that would establish the work of my hands and help me to take responsibility for my hope’s and dreams and move toward life.
P.S. I signed up for Brene Brown’s parenting course. Want to join me?
Have a great week.
Much Love to all of you,
Tina
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