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First days and fresh starts – Four practices for fall (part 2 of 2)

September 9, 2016 by Rachel Zupke Leave a Comment

First days and fresh starts – Four practices for fall (part 2 of 2)

Like I spoke to in part 1, getting into a rhythm is something I’m desperate for. As with everything, if I put first things first, the rest usually fall into place. My wise cousin posted this article from the Atlantic a few years ago and re-posted it again yesterday regarding how natural it feels to do resolutions in autumn rather than with the change of the calendar year. I completely agree so here are the final two practices I want to incorporate into my new rhythm for fall.

first-days-and-fresh-starts-part-2-of-2

Reading with my children every day

We have a lot of books. Probably too many books, though others may argue that is never a possibility, but there is no shortage of things to read around here. We also have a box we fill up at the library once every couple of weeks so there is always fresh material should they kids somehow get bored with any of their old standbys.

I was a voracious reader growing up and though I don’t have very many memories of being read to – I know it happened – I read a ton on my own. I’m sure this love of reading came from early exposure to lots of books and the fun their stories can bring. This is something I want my kids to develop a love for as well and the only way to make that happen is to read with them. I love Sarah Mackenzie’s heart over at Read Aloud Revival and following her on Instagram (my most preferred form of social media) daily reminds and inspires me of all the amazing books out there to read to our kiddos.

Some days, like yesterday, we read a ton of books. It happened to be the day we got a new batch of library books so they kids were suuuuuuper excited to look through all of them…and read a more than few. We check them out by the box, remember? I don’t know what the check out limit is but I’m sure we’ve approached it a few times!

Allowing for rest

Ah, the dreaded R word. I left this for last for a reason. It’s more like a dirty four letter word in my mind if you know what I mean. Ask me what’s on my plate and you’ll think instead that I have 17 plates all stacked on one another with each plate having two or three things. I’m notorious for taking on too many tasks and being involved in too many activities. Some people even call me SuperMom (which I really don’t like and I’ll explain why in a blog post that is currently in draft form) to which I respond that I’m doing what I feel called to do and what I enjoy doing. While that is true, I still do too many things, which is why I am taking the year off of coaching basketball this year. Instead of coaching all year at the local high school, I’m only assisting for one season (this one, cross country) and leading (aka head coach) for another (spring track and field).

Rather than signing up my kiddos for what would end being twice weekly swim lessons crammed in our three-days-a-week preschool schedule, I’m opting to wait until we get into the rhythm of the school year to look at adding even more to our schedule. Once we hit our stride, though, the new baby will be here and we’ll have to spend the next few weeks and months learning how to be a family of five instead of just a family of four. Perfect time to add new activities, right?

Swimming lessons is just one thing I’ve wanted to add instead of subtract. I also have several other things I want to either start up or restart that are currently be assessed as to whether or not they allow for rest. Thinking about leading a group of local moms group through a parenting book like Gloria Furman’s Missional Motherhood (we don’t have a MOPS at our church and the women’s Bible study is on a difficult evening for me to make consistently), starting to teach classes about fermented foods like sourdough and kombucha (which have been scheduled but I haven’t prepped for yet), continuing to host essential oil make and take classes (of which I’ve done a few and really enjoyed and will start again this month), and, of course, blogging, are all things that I’m either thinking about or currently planning.

I realize, however, that they can’t all happen if I am to allow time for rest. A wise man once told me that when you’re doing nothing, you’re doing something. And I need to do more of nothing.

How to do more of nothing?

Cut out the stuff – yes, that silly, nonsensical word “stuff” – that consumes my child-free time. For me, that’s the show on Netflix that consumes you rather than accompanying you while you do something productive. This is particularly acute for me because I justify things like that while I wash dishes, fold laundry, etc. What would be more encouraging, life-giving, and gratifying is the alternative I’m turning to as I attempt to initiate this new rhythm: listening to uplifting and challenging ebooks like the one I’m currently on, Lysa Terkeurst’s Uninvited.

It may not be the same for you – maybe it’s a magazine, social media, or some other distraction. Whatever it is, let this be an encouragement to cut out at least one form of “stuff” from your life over the next few weeks. For me, it will be limiting myself to 2 Netflix shows each week. This doesn’t count family movie night or cuddle time with my hubby. But it does mean that when I think I need a distraction or a reward for getting things done (cleaning cloth diapers, anyone?), I will fill my mind with something better, like a recorded sermon a dear friend sent me or another chapter of my latest Audible pick.

By wasting less time on things that don’t matter in the long run, I make myself available to have time to rest.

I don’t know what this feels like *yet* but I do know that it will be the right thing. The thing that Jesus has been wanting for me since He made me a mother 4 years ago. He wants me to be present in the little everyday moments, in the mundane happenings of marriage and motherhood, in the holiness of the simplicity of the family He’s blessed me with.

What rhythms do you hope to establish this autumn? What are you craving deep in your spirit? I’d love to hear from you.

Filed Under: Faith, Family, Homemaking, Marriage, Motherhood, Parenting Tagged With: Priorities, Rhythms, Routines

First days and fresh starts – Four practices for fall (part 1 of 2)

September 7, 2016 by Rachel Zupke Leave a Comment

First days and fresh starts – Four practices for fall (part 1 of 2)

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted here on the blog. And that’s okay. I go through cycles of available time (no, this isn’t a main source of income for our family) as well as motivation and consideration (does anyone read it? should I be writing about x, y, or z or is that something that should be kept off the interwebs?). After nearly two months of quietly brainstorming topics – read: a very full notepad on my phone titled “blog post ideas” – I am back on the road of yes, that should be put down in words and shared even if some of it is only for the purpose of getting it off my chest and into the light for potential accountability.

first days and fresh starts part 1 of 2

As for the title of this post, yesterday was/today is the first day of school for several districts around these parts. We follow the traditional academic rhythms in our home due to my husband being a high school teacher and me being a coach. Now that our children are growing up and attending school themselves (okay, I only have one in preschool, but still), we’re jumping in with both feet to the fresh start the school year brings. We are also preparing to welcome another child to our family in a little over a month, God willing, and that has also sharpened our focus as to what truly needs to matter as we begin a new school year.

Today I’m sharing 2 of the 4 things I’m hoping to focus on this fall (you can read part 2 here). While quite practical in nature, they also have deeper ramifications for what I’m truly hoping to seek and find through putting them into practice and hopefully, by winter, making them an integral part of my daily life.

Prepping for tomorrow today

My husband is fully capable of making his own lunch. He actually probably makes a better lunch because he enjoys getting out a million things to make a beautifully piled sandwich and I can’t stand having to get out more than peanut butter and jelly let alone bread. That said, making his lunch is something I have taken it upon myself to do over the last few years of being a mostly stay at home mom (it’s something I want to do, y’all). It’s taken me a few years to figure out how to make this a part of my daily routine and, honestly, I’ve only succeeded, at best, 50% of the time. What that means is that I’d startle awake about 5 minutes before he needed to leave and frantically shove whatever I could get my hands on into a cooler bag. Or better yet, tell him with my head still on the pillow that we’d deliver his lunch during his prep period (aka a total cop out to give myself an extra few minutes of sleep).

No longer. I’m only a few days in (teachers work before the year starts, remember?) but so far I’ve been able to make his lunch the night before and have it ready in the fridge. I can’t begin to tell you how much less harried it’s made mornings around here. Not only is the practical stress gone it has also lifted my internal stress of not following through on my commitment. I know that doesn’t work for everyone but it works for our family.

I’ve also tried, over the past few weeks leading up to school starting, to at least think about the next morning’s breakfast the night before. Whether that means confirming we have yogurt and granola on hand or readying sourdough starter for pancakes, I wake up less frazzled knowing I can confidently nourish the little lives God entrusted to us in a timely and healthy manner.

Starting the day with Jesus

Prepping the night before allows me to work on maintaining the practice of starting the day with Jesus. I’m not a coffee drinker so you won’t find me have a cuppa with my Bible and devotional but I have found that the rhythm of writing out a few Bible verses in my journal before I even get out of bed has helped tremendously with my overall attitude and perspective on the day (see this Instagram post). I am ashamed to say that I’m an up and down Bible reader/prayer/meditator/devotional completer (every study I’ve ever done has more than a few incomplete entries) but I do acknowledge that I must start somewhere. And so far, this September, I’ve read and written a few Bible verses every morning. I bought myself a pretty journal cover, nice journals to fill it, and scrounged up a nice pen (that I knew I had, thus, no need to purchase).

Some mornings, the kids have gotten up early and come into our room to look through a few books in the reading corner. Instead of waking me up, they see Mommy reading about Jesus. While this definitely doesn’t click with the younger one, our preschooler has started grabbing her children’s Bible as her first thing to “read” in the reading corner. That makes my mama heart so happy and is a huge reason I want to make this a practice that is non-negotiable in my life. Our first ministry is to our family and they learn about Jesus from us as their parents.

Ready for part 2? Read it here!

What two things (or even one!) can you focus on today to make your fall season a bit more intentional? I’d love to hear in the comments!

Filed Under: Family, Homemaking, Motherhood, Parenting Tagged With: Bible reading, Jesus, Rhythms, Routines

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