Wednesday, June 15, 2016

doing the anti-work

That pile of laundry in the basket over there is staring at me. I should have finished folding it by Saturday because that is laundry day for me, the day I get it ALL done so that I only have to think about it on that day and no other day of the week. But here it is Wednesday and I think I've done a load or two every day this week as I've played catch up. This is NOT the business for me!

What can I say? Summer vacation is just as busy as the school year for me, just in a little different way... I really can't complain. Instead of teaching my kiddos their homeschool curriculum, I'm hanging out at AgFest, watching my nieces with their critters and eating/drinking fair food. Instead of having a full schedule of piano students, I'm reading books and spending time with my galfriends: HOLLA! Instead of doing laundry, I'm working on projects like painting (feeling those artistic and creative roots STRONG this summer).

But the hardest part of this busy-ness and the best part of this busy-ness are the same thing: allowing myself to enjoy it: the reading, the painting, the projects, the hanging out with people I love, the tanning by the pool, the stuff that isn't work. The anti-work!

When my mind tells me to be more productive, my heart tells my mind to shut up. When my brain tells me to catch up on all the chores, my heart tells me it's okay to rest and enjoy my lunch as I read a book. When my brain tells me that I'll never accomplish all the things I want to on my summer to-do list, my heart tells me that  to-do lists are over-rated.

These verses might just say it best: "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul." Psalm 23:1-3

"Refreshes..." Yes, that is the word.

When I face the guilt of not getting everything done, brought on by my own reeeeeediculous expectations, God tells me that it's okay to refresh. In other words:  "He makes me lie down on the lounge chair, he leads me beside the pool, he refreshes my soul while I read a good book...." (That's the KCV - Kat Cragin Version).

In this world of hustle and chores and being the best at being perfect (oh, Facebook, you slay me with your lack of reality!), it's tough to sit back and relax while the imperfect happens all over your house, but in my opinion, the refreshing is more important than the to-do list.

By the way, I'll be finished with this next book within 24 hours (only 382 pages to go), so do you have any recommendations on what I should read next? I've got lots of reading to catch up on....

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