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Welcoming the White Space
It’s quiet now. That time of the year when we finally catch our breath. The Christmas parties and family gatherings have mostly concluded. It isn’t quite time to ring in the new year. It’s the white space. I used to think the week between Christmas and New Year’s was one of the most boring of the year. All the excitement of one holiday wrapped up. The anticipation and planning for a new year not quite here yet. But over the past few years, this week has become one of my favorites. Our family lets out a collective exhale. We sleep in and make cinnamon toast. We clean out and deep…
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Creating Space When Your Season Feels Too Full
Life only gets busier. People told me that in seminary. Moms said that to me in the newborn stage. I knew it was coming in the pre-k years. Now it’s here. With three young and growing kids, I spend my days running from one thing to the next. I struggle to create space for my soul to rest and reconnect with the Lord. So I’m getting creative. It’s a work in progress to be sure. But I know I need space. Here are five ways I’m creating it in a hectic season. Get up early. I know this one isn’t for everyone. If your children wake up at 6am or…
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un-cursory
Victoria Monet shares a poem relevant to many conversations about race on social media. In her poem "un-cursory," she highlights themes of humility and redemptive relationships in light of racial reconciliation.
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Untangled
New Year's resolution #1: simplify my life. This year my goal is to cut back, say no more, and slow down. Last year felt so crowded and confusing. So this year my objective is to create space and catch my breath. Yet as I consider my soul’s craving for rest, I'm shocked by the compulsion that arises from within. I long to be wanted and needed. I find busyness thrilling. I fear I might miss out on something monumental if I take a break. So I make lists. I work late into the evenings. I seldom sit still. And as I toil, I let the really gratifying parts of life…
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Unhurried
The house sits quiet and still. The presents lay in the corner, waiting to be set in their places and hung on their hangers. The tree stands dim, hoping to be lit a few more times before it’s placed back into its box. There’s something about the pregnant pause between opening Christmas presents and ringing in the New Year that beckons us to slow down. There are no more gifts to purchase. There are no more hams to glaze or pies to bake. There’s no rush to pull down the tinsel or rearrange the house. This last week of December calls us to reflect on the way we lived in…