It’s a Monday morning. We are all moving slow. The kids would rather play computer games and I would love to sit on the couch with a good book. The weekend was very busy with household tasks, catching up on laundry, activities with cousins, farm chores, shopping, and church. Now we must move into our…
This week I will make 15 meals for my family. Lunches, dinners, and a few fancy breakfasts. I will hand wash dishes at least 10 times and spend several hours in prep. In a month, I will spend 68 hours on meal prep and feeding my household. How much time do you spend in the…
[Here is a favorite from the archive. I hope it helps you as we move through this season.] It is spring. The Palo Verde trees are blooming and it is heating up during the day. As I rummage for my flip-flops in my closet, I begin to think about our summer plans. What will this…
I have been reading about and studying Sabbath for a few years now. This whole idea is so countercultural and radically different from what our society holds as important. The rebel in me loves to be a bit different and do something that most people consider odd. I also love doing a deep dive into…
Most of what I see on Instagram or Pinterest is about how Spring is a beautiful time of year. I do not agree. Spring is hard for me. If I am being completely honest, spring is a lot of work. It is finishing the school year well, deep cleaning the house, organizing my home (and…
A problem that we can run into is making good habits stick when we are on vacation. How do I keep moving forward in my health goals when I am in a different environment? What is the best way to plan for relaxation but not slide into old patterns? Decide the healthy choices that you…
We all have areas in our lives where we want to get things done quickly or “get in the zone” faster. Routines are the effortless solution. When we automate pieces of our lives with routines we: remove decision fatigue, we become more efficient, and we can relax into the rhythm of the tasks ahead of…
This process keeps me focused on what needs to get done. My weekly review helps me see the white space areas of my week. (Or of lack space.) I am able to make margin or say no to things that are crowding me in. Q: How do I organize my week so that it…
All the household things do not come to a halt just because I have decided to rest. I still have to feed my family (or someone does anyway). And unfortunately, the house does not get magically cleaned by forest creatures. It seems counterintuitive to have to prepare for rest. But, Sabbath prep is NOT about…
This weekend I climbed a mountain. This was very significant for me for a lot of reasons, but first I want to mention that it has been a long time since I’ve been able to climb a mountain. When you become a parent your limitations and the things that you can do are often determined…
Photos are either taken by Mary Edwards or April Edwards.
Most are uploaded from the awesome site Unsplash.com.