It is such a busy and rushed world these days. Summer is now upon us,
the kids are out of school and we have plans, plans, plans.
I
raised my sons in a very rural part of Virginia. We were transplants
and hadn't been there long. We didn't have a lot of connections or
social engagements. A lot of our summers were spent doing very simple
things. We took walks, we played with various toys, we listened to the
insects singing in the evening and we had fun with the sprinklers and
our dog. Many times, I let my oldest son go out into the rather thick
woods next to our home, it was called 'Black Forest Estates' for good
reason. He had many an adventure, but thankfully never got hurt.
All
in all it was very relaxing. Don't get me wrong, we also had camp, play
dates, baseball practice and other fun things. I'm just saying that
every single section of our months weren't planned with big engagements
and vacations.
When asked what his favorite part of the
summers were, my oldest talks about the things above. He talks about
when I spent time with him, his time having adventures in the woods and
times spent together as a family.
Now he's in the
National Guard at Officers Training School. And when he's done with his
day, he likes to go and commune with nature. He loves hiking, hunting
and fishing. All of these activities are done alone and in the quiet of
nature.
I am an undiagnosed, but most likely ADD adult,
who is very distracted by noises, comings, goings, hustle, and bustle. I
must get away for a period of time each day to get a breather from it
all. I have done this for a long time now, have made my own ritual. My
dog, Evee, is an essential part of my present routine. I go on hikes
with her, away from the well-traveled trails of the local park. We go
out where fewer people venture. Less traveled, probably, because there
is wild life and one can never predict what one will come upon when
you're out so far. But my dog is a companion and she is a protector. We
help each other. I walk her daily and she protects me as I take a few
minutes in our travels to stop, sit, meditate and pray. It gives me
strength and fuels my creativity and my plans. I know there is an inner
voice that I am able to hear, listen to, and then to follow. A very wise
man and esteemed apostle said:
If
you don't have a time during your day to just stop and be at one with
silence, with the intent to listen to your calm, still, inner voice, I
highly suggest you try it. Try going out on a walk, in the early morning
or late evening. Find a nice, quiet place to sit for a few minutes. If
you aren't too distracted by things around your home, find a quiet place
specifically for quiet reflection and meditation. Set it up with
whatever you need to sustain calm, focused, thought. Spend at least
10-15 minutes thinking about calm things. Let the thoughts be healing
and positive in nature. Focus on your relationship with God. Pray, if
that is in your practice. You will be enriched after you make it a part
of your routine. You will
begin to crave it, because of the strength and focus it brings into
your life.
____________________
I
like to take a break from the regular routine on Sundays. It gives me a
chance to clear my head, re-set priorities and appreciate the many
blessings I've been given. I rest, reflect, and I try to find
ways to inspire me to be a better mom, wife, Christian, and person.
Sundays are my day to take a short sabbatical! If you have a post that
you'd
like to share that is a little different from the ordinary weekday post,
feel free to link up here! We'd love to have you! Although I don't
ask anyone to follow anyone else or promote, I'd love it if you'd leave a
comment! Of course anyone is more than welcome to check out
the other links and sites! That's what you do on a Sabbatical!