Write Now!
This blog started as a 'Lenten Writing Project', where we wrote each day in Lent. Now that Summer is here, let's keep up the discipline of writing with a weekly writing challenge! A prompt will be posted each week and anyone is welcome to join in and post their writing here or participate just by reading it.
Every writer has their own special light to add to this blog and all of your writing offerings are appreciated, whether poetry, prose, essay, thoughts, lists or comments and encouragement.
One walk by the Kirkland shoreline helps me to de-clutter in many ways.
ReplyDeleteWhile I watch the tides rise and slide
While I watch the sun set on me
While I watch the birds get back home
While I watch the pets enjoy their swim
While I watch the kids make peeble castle
While I watch the castle wash away......
….all appears to end, but it all appears to begin in a new way
With a new beginning, all over again.
Few times when hopelessness takes me over, a silent walk by the waters helps me re-assure my once hopfullness and postive attitude.
by Pat Mason
ReplyDeleteSometimes the best answer is "No".
No, I cannot take on that extra project, event, program, planning session or service project.
Well intentioned all, but there are times when, like the previous writer says, 'a silent walk by the waters' is the most valuable use of your time.
Clutter
ReplyDeleteToo much clutter.
Too much stuff -
Too many things to think about
Too many plants to water
Too many problems to solve
Too many books to read
Too many miles to go
Too many commitments to keep
Too many people to greet
Too many bills to pay
Too many prayers to pray
STOP! TOO MUCH!
One thing at a time, ONE THING.
Pick 1 thing.
Decide that is the ONE THING you will declutter right now. Set a time limit - take a break after XXX minutes.
Wow! Look how much you got decluttered!
When I first read this I thought of the stuff in my life that just lays around. I have a goal to tidy that up but I'm not that committed to the goal!
ReplyDeleteMy second thought is that do actively try to declutter the routines of my life and see life from different perspectives. I try to sit in different places at church, I park in different spots at work, I do different things at lunch. I intentionally try to keep the routine things from being too routine. I've never thought of this as decluttering but I do now and I will tomorrow. Somehow it fits for me.
My third thought is that most mornings part of my routine is to clean the kitchen. It's not my one of my 'chore's that I have been assigned. but it is just something that I've found feels good to me. I like starting the day with a clean kitchen - even if I am leaving right after I finish (strange really). It's one of those things that feels good and turns out to be a nice thing to do. Till I started doing it a couple of years ago it would have made no sense to me. but today it does - starting the day with part of my life in order - I love it! (kind of creation story...)
The Sands Through the Hourglass Cause a lot of Clutter in and of Themselves. Who's Going to Clean that Mess up??
ReplyDeleteI’m scheduling dinner early so that I can hand off the kids to my husband and go to the Lent Wednesday Service (by myself – too late at night for the kids, especially after 3 days/nights in a row at church for various activities.) The house is so messy that I am sure my husband will leave me when he sees it, which he no doubt already has. This is not something that is in his nature to do, but still, I’m sure that a quick carbon dating of the crumbs on the floor will drive him over the edge. So I cleaned the house all day and have only gotten one level under control. Well, vacuumed anyway. The kids have played well together for the duration of my vacuuming, but I have to read directions for the new inhaler for Charlotte after talking to multiple sources to advocate for her that the first one tasted too icky for her. I am also trying to remember the last time Clara pooped (other ongoing minor health issue). Yesterday? The day before? Does she need her other medicine for that? Are we running out? Well, clean house – sort of - check. I printed off a list of writing prompts to give to someone special in the congregation so that they can participate. I am looking forward to hearing a close friend of mine sing and play the guitar at the service and embarrass her by clapping afterward (in a Lutheran church). I am meeting with someone else about Sunday school stuff after the service. I feel like I should attend this Lenten service to remain relevant in this Lenten writing exercise. Also, it is a very inspirational and thought-provoking time for me. I have finished putting together a Hot dog spaghetti caserole (It’s actually an asiago and red pepper chicken sausage, but it’s all about marketing, right?) It has some leftover – but still good - asparagus in it for vegetable & I’m just cutting the grapes in halves (for the 5 year old) and quarters (for the 2 year old) as youngest wakes up from her brief nap with flushed cheeks (fever?). She wants to be held and NOT put down. She doesn’t want to eat except for one piece of hotdog, one noodle and half a Samoa cookie. My oldest daughter tearfully announces that hot dogs give her chapped lips and has fled the room in yellingtears. Hormones this early? She’s 5. I go into her room, carrying the toddler, to explain my marketing gaffe to her - that it’s not really hot dogs exactly. Upon taking a bite, she announces in a rehearsed voice that only Eddie Haskall can usually do, spaghetti is delicious and only eats the hot dogs. My husband not home yet and the clock is getting closer to my departure time, but I know he is working late tonight on an important project...(to be continued)
...Continued...Finally he gets home, but too late for me to go to the Lenten service. I have people counting on me – I am also counting on me to follow through, but I need to stay and help sell Baby-boo on this inhaler and either be the one to hold her down or the one to attach the weird gas-mask part with a teddy bear printed on the side in a lame effort to make it less scary to toddlers. Nothing in this evening’s scenario is clutter exactly – just life. However – I clear most of it away and cancel all my plans. Our efforts with the inhaler not exactly successful, but we are a little successful in helping her do what is right for her body. This is way less fun than my original plans – especially the chorus of wailing in the background the whole time- daughter #2 lamentign, “you NEVER pay attention to me!!!” Really?? You’re going to haul that argument out right now? Daughter #2 has been sweet all day and yes – everyone that reads this blog – she gets plenty of attention, and no – people who read this blog – she isn’t always like this. Later on that night, she told my youngest, “Do you know about God? God is someone that believes in you.” Hmmm. And God believes that I can sort out what is needed at the right moments. It is crazy plate-spinning rabid monkey time for me right now. I have two girls and two cats (that act like roomates who resent us because they don’t have jobs so they can’t move out), one husband who is sweet and wonderful and a dedicated ally in the trenches of parenthood and one job between us all that actually pays any money and lots and lots and lots of clutter that I just don’t have time or energy to do anything but surf over it and try to determine where and when I am needed by those I hold most dear. I will miss this later.
ReplyDeleteI love this, Ruth. And, as much as I understand... you won't actually "miss this" later. You'll come to embrace new *clutter* with every stage of their/your lives, and you will, eventually, enjoy some freedom. Hang in there, Kindred Spirit.
DeleteI love you my dear; and it's better already, isn't it? Well, how about different?
DeleteLove, Your Mother:)5/24/12
Clutter
ReplyDeleteTo think of clutter somehow clutters my mind.
Maybe that is why I have difficulty de-cluttering??
Jackie D
Clutter by Marlene Obie
ReplyDeleteA disheveled disarray of a large number of something,
usually seen as junk, unused or worn out,
heaped into piles, scattered about,
a mess, garbage that needs to be thrown out,
a pitiful eyesore that indicates illness,
lasziness, outright defiance of
natural laws of order and Godliness.
YOU should really get help and
take care of this.
It's a little messy I know,
oh, that's yarn, needles and looms I'll
be using one of these days to knit with,
there's also pictures and scrapbook pages,
and kite paper I'm making window stars with,
two cups and a glass to take downstairs,
on that table, important lists and
writings I'm working on, but not today,
beside me on my bed, three books I'm reading,
my Bible and prayer journal, Kindle, Ipod
and boom box, this Sunday's crosswords
I'm still working on, my organizer and
camera, and that's the unorganized part.
On surfaces, lots of pictures, momentos,
and decorative pieces, mostly artfully
placed I, but some needing readjusting
(been a busy week).
It's all useful, necessary stuff,
that I'll get to soon.
So many things to think about,
political junk thoughts, appointments,
bills, people to connect and converse with,
a trip to plan, child to worry about,
and explore resources for, changing
technology in everything to learn,
gardening ideas and research,
thoughts to write down for articles and poems,
before my impish muse hides them,
beauty around to focus and contemplate,
funny stuff notice and share,
writing prompts to respond to,
prayer time, exercise, dance and
many new activites and places to
think about adding,
that's only a sampling of
intentional living, not clutter.
How do I get it all into the time
I have left? Or find a big enough
suitcase to take with me?
Clutter, I think, is a conundrum that
I don't want to clutter my mind with
anymore. Life's too short!
Lenten Prompt #8 Wednesday February 29, 2012
ReplyDeleteFor the first time in my life, I'm getting better at this(declutttering). This began after I began writing these Prompts; after much prayer and counseling, and help from family and friends; and after some Time had passed since my "time of excessive clinging to the Past." I am now learning to enjoy the Present, in all its glory. I'm learning to enjoy myself again.
I still have one room in my apartment (and one hall closet) that are full of special memories waiting for scrapbooks and long-term financial/legal files. My goal is to finally put them in order (I didn't say finish them) before Christmas of 2012--how about before the "end of the world-as-we-know-it-December-12-2012-Mayan-calendar"?
I will always have maintenance work and detail work to do, of course. That's OK. But, I think the biggest ever storm of my life has finally passed, and I can enjoy some relatively cirrus skies (for a while). I know that, once again, God has seen me through this storm; and will just as surely be with me through the next one. :)
s.h.