This time of year, our yards tell a story. It is dandelion season. The way I see it, there are three types of dandelion yards. The first is the I don't care yard. The owners have not made any attempt to stop the growth of the yellow things. The second yard is the I am really trying here, but my neighbor isn't so what am I supposed to do when all those seeds start blowing my way? The third yard is a pristine expanse of green not even marred by one single dandelion. Our neighborhood is host to all three of these yards and as I drive by them several times a day, it got me thinking.
Not everyone feels the way I do about dandelions. I hate them by the way. I try to get rid of them, but my yard is still host to several. The shift in my dandelion perspective came from the sweet children I care for while their parents work. This past week, I have watched them making wishes as they blow the seeds into the wind (sorry friends next door). I have been handed bouquets of yellow to the sweet exclamation of "here Miss Weegan, these are fo you". Just yesterday one of the boys I watch said, "Look at all the beautiful flowers!" My first response to him was, "well, they might be pretty, but they are just weeds." I realized that I was in danger of crushing his joy. He didn't see weeds when he looked at the dandelions. He saw beauty.
There comes a time in our lives when we stop seeing beauty. I am not sure why that happens. Maybe we become too judgemental and after a while, nothing can measure up to the standard. I am not just talking about the physical beauty of another human being. I mean the beauty in everything. Maybe we are too busy, too jaded, too asleep, too distracted. We see whatever it is we are looking at or experiencing as just a bunch of weeds. Somewhere along the line, maybe someone told us, "well, it's nice and you really tried, but it's just a bunch of weeds."
We need to reclaim beauty. We need to recognize it and celebrate it. We need to explore it and create it. We need to enjoy it and honor it. Beauty in ourselves, in others and in the world we live in. Because sometimes, it is more than just a bunch of weeds. Sometimes it is beautiful.
Monday, April 28, 2014
Friday, April 11, 2014
Toes in the Sand, Choosing Rest
Last month, I received a text from my friend Jill inviting us to get our families together. We both went through our calendars throwing out dates for possible connections. After several attempts to find a date that fit for both of us, we landed on a winner. Three full weeks away. I find myself in this situation often. Wanting to connect with the people in my life, but not being able to find a time in the foreseeable future to do so.
I have felt too busy lately. Like my calendar and schedule are controlling me instead of the other way around. I am made for full on, deep connection with others. It is hard wired in my heart to know and be known. I have felt depleted in this area of my life for a couple months. This empty tank in my heart slowly sucks the life and energy out of all other parts of my life. My job is harder, my parenting is lacking and my motivation to move forward wanes.
Enter: Spring Break. We spent the week in Florida. We had no agenda, no schedule and it was absolutely lovely. The six of us enjoyed lazy mornings, relaxing trips to the beach, fun afternoons in the pool and a week spent with my parents. We rarely looked at our watches and let our hungry tummies dictate our days. It was just the break we needed.
So often, we wait until we are in a crisis situation to choose rest. If your house is anything like mine, the weekends are filled with kids' activities and projects that need to be completed. Sitting down and relaxing is not something we take time for. If you are like me, you feel guilty for taking the time for yourself. There is always something else to do and people that need you, but all those things will still be there if you take the time to say no and rest.
Rest needs to be an essential part of our lives. God tells us to rest. We need to take a Sabbath. We need to turn down the volume on our lives and allow ourselves to be filled back up in the peace and quiet. When we do choose rest,we are better able to fulfill our purpose in our everyday activities. Rest looks different to everyone. What looks like rest to me might look like laziness to you. Investigate what rest looks like for you and try to fit it into your schedule every week.
Pictures from our Spring break don't include theme parks and adventure, but they do include smiles and the peace that comes from digging our toes into the sand, listening to the soulful sound of the ocean tide and choosing to take a deep breath and rest.
I have felt too busy lately. Like my calendar and schedule are controlling me instead of the other way around. I am made for full on, deep connection with others. It is hard wired in my heart to know and be known. I have felt depleted in this area of my life for a couple months. This empty tank in my heart slowly sucks the life and energy out of all other parts of my life. My job is harder, my parenting is lacking and my motivation to move forward wanes.
Enter: Spring Break. We spent the week in Florida. We had no agenda, no schedule and it was absolutely lovely. The six of us enjoyed lazy mornings, relaxing trips to the beach, fun afternoons in the pool and a week spent with my parents. We rarely looked at our watches and let our hungry tummies dictate our days. It was just the break we needed.
So often, we wait until we are in a crisis situation to choose rest. If your house is anything like mine, the weekends are filled with kids' activities and projects that need to be completed. Sitting down and relaxing is not something we take time for. If you are like me, you feel guilty for taking the time for yourself. There is always something else to do and people that need you, but all those things will still be there if you take the time to say no and rest.
Rest needs to be an essential part of our lives. God tells us to rest. We need to take a Sabbath. We need to turn down the volume on our lives and allow ourselves to be filled back up in the peace and quiet. When we do choose rest,we are better able to fulfill our purpose in our everyday activities. Rest looks different to everyone. What looks like rest to me might look like laziness to you. Investigate what rest looks like for you and try to fit it into your schedule every week.
Pictures from our Spring break don't include theme parks and adventure, but they do include smiles and the peace that comes from digging our toes into the sand, listening to the soulful sound of the ocean tide and choosing to take a deep breath and rest.
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