As you now know from the title of my forthcoming book, we seek to live a slower life—a "not so fast" life. Plenty of people are living far simpler and slower lives than we are, but we're making choices that do set us apart in our suburban area. One simple choice is to use our bikes as often as possible.When my four kids and I head out through the neighborhood on bikes, we … [Read more...]
Not So Fast
For two years, I've been working on a book.I've mentioned it occasionally. In fact, you may recall the following photo I posted of the manuscript. I submitted this ream of paper to my publisher last year:As you can see, I was, well, a little wordy.I had to cut it way down. Susan, my editor at David C. Cook, and I tossed out entire chapters in hopes of getting it to a … [Read more...]
Through the Garage Door
Three first-time guests were coming to my house for a women's ministry planning meeting.Before their arrival, the kids and I scooped up clothes to hurl into the laundry room and tossed toys into hiding.I'd shove stacks of papers and boxes of books into the kids' arms."Take this to the garage," I'd instruct. "We'll hide it there.""Where?" they'd ask."It doesn't matter. … [Read more...]
Make-Do Mondays: Make-Do Heritage
Make-Do Mondays is a carnival dedicated to sharing the creative, frugal or even humble ways we’re making-do.To participate in Make-Do Mondays, simply explain some way that you’re making do. Join in the discussion via the comments or Mr. Linky.The Mr. Linky for WordPress.com isn't as slick as what Typepad and Blogger can use, but I figure I should make-do with that, as … [Read more...]
Choosing What is Best
Friday's entry in My Utmost for His Highest explained that when the Spirit fills us, we're transformed. By beholding God as in a mirror, we become a mirror for others. "Beware of anything that would spot or tarnish that mirror in you," Chamber writes. "It is almost always something good that will stain it— something good, but not what is best."So many good things tempt us … [Read more...]
Barber Chair Reflections
After I posted "Freshening Up," it occurred to me that my choice of a barber chair to represent haircuts and trims might have come across decidedly unfeminine.I suddenly realized, Why, that's a man-chair!Why didn't I choose a compact mirror with powder or blush to illustrate "freshening up"?Or lipgloss application?Even a women's hair dryer, for that matter?Why the … [Read more...]
January 2009 MMM Monday Progress Report #3
I realized this week that I simply must start making smaller buttons. To that end, I have taken a moment to shrink the brain (coral) and offer you an alternative. Here it is:Use whichever size best suits your blog.Now, what kind of memory progress have we made (or not made) this past week? (Post a link in the comments, and I'll copy them in as soon as … [Read more...]
January 2009 MMM Monday Progress Report #2
Part of the appeal of Mega Memory Month (MMM) to me is that it offers some very public accountability to my attempts at memorizing.By signing up at the main MMM page, we've announced our overall intentions.Now you can also check in each Monday with Progress Reports. I'll post the Progress Report pages on Mondays, but you can link up any time. Put your links in the comments … [Read more...]
Do It Again!
As I mentioned in a recent post, I only read a few early chapters in Acedia & me, by Kathleen Norris, before I had to return it to the library. However, I found myself pondering some of her words. For example, she wrote, "The difficult thing about days is that they must be repeated" (p. 12*). Acedia, it seems, struggles with the sameness and … [Read more...]
Hospitality to Oneself
Kathleen Norris and her new book, Acedia & me, must not have a strong Web presence. I presume this because a rambling post I published after hearing Norris speak at the Festival of Faith & Writing last year seemed to gain a lot of hits for people searching "acedia" or "Kathleen Norris acedia." I can't imagine the post was all that informative. Fortunately for … [Read more...]
Make-Do Mondays: Building Self-Confidence with a Roll of Duct Tape
Last week, I launched Make-Do Mondays, a carnival dedicated to sharing ways we’re making-do.Right away, Jenni pointed out that this carnival can do more than entertain or inform--learning to make-do can also empower:I love this idea! I don’t think that people realize how empowering it is to come up with creative ways to use things lying around, or just to summon up the … [Read more...]
January 2009 MMM Monday Progress Report #1
To provide a little accountability and encouragement throughout Mega Memory Month, I'm providing weekly checkpoints--Progress Reports--where you can drop in, link in, and check in with others who have taken the same memory challenge. Progress Reports will be on Mondays.This is the first one.It's not even been a full week, so I can't imagine we've made a lot of progress. I … [Read more...]
January 2009 is Mega Memory Month
It's back! Just in time to support your New Year's Resolutions!Mega Memory Month (MMM): January EditionHere’s how to participate: Pick something you’d like to memorize. Something long. Something formidable. Something mega. (Mega to you may not be mega to me–simply challenge yourself relative to what you’ve tackled in the past.) Could be poetry, a famous speech, or a … [Read more...]
The Irreparable Past Meets the Irresistible Future
In today's devotional from My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers excerpted from Isaiah 52:12, which reads:But you will not leave in haste or go in flight;for the LORD will go before you,the God of Israel will be your rear guard.Chambers assures us that as we go forth into the coming year, "let it not be in the haste of impetuous, unremembering delight, nor with the … [Read more...]
It's Almost Here: The Return of MMM!
In a very short time, we'll ring in 2009.To help launch the New Year and its accompanying resolutions, I'll be hosting:Mega Memory Month: January EditionThis is not the announcement. This is just a teaser--January 1st is MMM Opening Day!If you're new to Mega Memory Month, you can familiarize yourself by visiting the initial post for the first-ever MMM in October 2008.Each … [Read more...]
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