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8/8/2021 0 Comments August 2021 MusingsSweep and Shine August is upon us and summer is coming to a close. I am already looking forward to Fall with its crisp, clear days and painted leaves, to the delicious feeling that Christmas is just around the corner, and to curling up on the couch and writing in the afternoon with a cup of coffee and an afghan over my knees.
I spent a good deal of this summer cleaning- not my own house, I can assure you! I clean spaces for others in the never-ending quest to buy groceries and pay bills, and I have learned a few tricks to share with you. Not cleaning tips necessarily, but living tips. Cleaning a house can be surprisingly analogous to living a life if we are open to learning the lessons. Lesson number one: Take a minute to sweep the front porch first. A cabin that I clean has a beautiful front porch. Before I do anything else, I sweep it clean and wipe down all the rocking chairs. It doesn’t take long, but it makes an important first impression. This is going to be a clean place, a comfortable place, a place where one can thrive. In the same way, try to pay a little special attention to the first few minutes of your day. Praying and reading a Bible verse is a wonderful way to start the day. Read or write for a few minutes, or exercise, whatever makes you feel motivated and happy. Start with the hope that it will be a good day, a positive day, a day where you will thrive. It won’t always work out that way in our difficult world, but when it’s hard you can look forward to your own special time again the next morning. Lesson number two: Scrub away. Once I’m in the cabin, it’s time to scrub away all of the germs, dirt and grime. To get rid of anything that makes the space unpleasant or unappealing, and leave it fresh and inspiring. We can do something similar with our lives. Scrub away all of the unimportant, the obtrusive, the things that steal your peace. Say no, whenever possible, to being busy. You can say no- you’re allowed, you’re an adult and it is your one life. Of course, we mustn’t be selfish and there are times when we are called to put others first, but don’t be afraid to cut out the things that are unnecessary and smother your joy. Lesson number three: Shine. Windex or vinegar in a spray bottle works wonders to leave a space shiny and sparkling. Windows and faucets will catch the light and let a visitor know that this space is cared for; this is a nice place to spend some time. What can be shined up in your life to make you more excited about it? Sometimes it’s the cosmetic touches that make more of a difference than a deep clean. Maybe a visit to the thrift shop is in order for a couple of inexpensive new blouses that you feel special in. Or maybe you can move furniture around in your house to create a nook where you feel inspired to read or write or create beautiful art, or even just catch a little nap each day. What aspect of your life you shine is up to you, but even thinking about doing something for yourself can be motivating. Lesson number four: Fluff. The finishing touches to cleaning a room can often be fluffing cushions and pillows. We fill them with air so that they look comfy and inviting and you want to stay in that space for a while. Try the same technique on the people around you, but fill them with affirmations and love. Leave a space better than you found it. A smile, a kind word, empathy, these things are magic to struggling people in a crazy world. And when you’re loving others, don’t forget to love yourself too. You’re awesome and amazing, and you have a purpose in this world different from everyone else, and that makes you special. I’ll see you next month, and we’ll be moving into Fall, so make your last month of summer a blast. Do a little cleaning, of your space and your life. Be inspired, and shine, shine, shine! Love, Stac
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8/8/2021 1 Comment July 2021 MusingsHAPPY BIRTHDAY It’s July again, my birthday month, and every year it seems to come faster and faster. Maybe it’s because the older I get the more I appreciate life and live in the moment, so the days tiptoe by me while I’m looking the other way. Or maybe it’s just because I’m a busy mom with so much to do and so much to fit into one day that time feels like an illusion. One constant with the beautiful height of summer month of July however, is that I always look FORWARD to it.
I don’t look forward to my birthday like a child would, all excited about cake and presents. My seven-year-old son has a birthday just after mine on August the 3rd, and he has been telling me what he wants for months! (It’s a Godzilla action figure, UnspeakableGaming merchandise, and a weed eater.) Now, I enjoy the occasional present as much as anyone else, but that’s not why I look forward to my birthday. I look forward to my birthday even though it means I’m another year older because it’s such a good time to take stock, to evaluate, and to check in on those hopes and dreams and see how they’re doing. There is a peace that comes with getting older, despite the extra aches and pains. Your looks matter less and less, and you feel connected to nature more and more. You have a better sense of what’s important, and more courage to say no. And you realize that there is no time like the present to live the dreams that have been calling to you. I still have a dream to visit Cornwall one day that never dies because I read my collection of Rosamunde Pilcher books over and over through the years. It’s a big dream, but I’m not giving up on it, and you shouldn’t give up on your big dreams either. I also have a dream to be a published author, and I’m working on that one every day. How about you? Have a cup of tea and take a deep breath and ask yourself what your dreams are. Is there a big one that you can take tiny steps toward making come true? How about little dreams that are always floating in and out of your head but usually get pushed away. Have you always wanted to do something completely different with your hair but just never found the courage? Give it a try. You may love it and feel refreshed, and if not, it will grow again! Have you always wanted to start a new hobby, or take a class to learn how to do something you are interested in? Look into opportunities in your area or online today. And if you are exhausted and wading through a difficult season of life and just can’t muster up the energy to do anything right now, how about going to the library. Find some books on the things you love, and don’t forget to check out some awesome fiction. Through books, you can travel the world from your couch, and you can live some of your dreams through the eyes of the characters. No matter what your age, your birthday is a good time to celebrate being alive. So if July is your birthday month too, then have a very Happy Birthday! And if it’s not, each day is a gift, so get out there and celebrate anyway. Love, Stac 8/8/2021 0 Comments June 2021 MusingsIF ONLY In the mountains of North Carolina where I live, we are having a heatwave. You may know the kind of heat I mean. It’s barefoot kids with red, sweaty faces running in and out the back door all day long for water kind of heat. Or cooking supper in the kitchen feeling like you’re melting away kind of heat. You could even say it’s ripping off your yoga pants and putting on shorts and frightening your kids half to death with your wobbly, white legs sort of heat. And if your air conditioner is breathing out it’s very last cool breaths into the world like ours is, well then, you are very familiar with the sweltering summer days I’m talking about. And all of this moaning and melting has me musing on something this month that you may be familiar with as well- IF ONLY. Because I remember during the winter one thought that wound its way through my mind like the Kudzu vine in my front yard slowly taking over the chain-link fence. If only it wasn’t so cold, I would think, then I could have a good day. Then I would be motivated to get out from under this afghan and clean this messy house. I thought the coming of warm weather was going to lift my spirits and change everything for the better. Except now the weather that I dreamed of is here, and I keep thinking- if only it wasn’t so hot, it would be a great day. I would be motivated to tackle this epic to-do list. When the cool fall weather comes back my spirits will rise like the smoke lifting lazily into the sky from the wood stove pipe. But it occurs to me, and not for the first time, that life is crazy and the weather is never perfect. Part of the year is too hot, and part of the year is too cold. Guess what, Goldilocks- nothing is EVER just right! Oh, we will have a few perfect days. Those fall days when the breeze is cool and the sun is warm on your back and you feel invincible, like you could tackle any project or solve any problem. Or the spring days when the Daffodils are lifting their yellow faces to the sunshine and you take your sweatshirt off and tie it around your waist and feel free and easy in your t-shirt. Those are good days, and you have to drink them in and store them up and laugh and love and live like there is no tomorrow, because one day there won’t be. Most days, though, will be mediocre days. Days that make us think, if only… But how about we make a promise to each other this June. How about we catch ourselves every time we think if only, and choose to roll with what we have instead. I know that’s not possible for all of us. Some of us are in seasons of life full of drama or trauma or problems that won’t go away with thinking positive. We’ll encourage each other through those times too. But if you’re stuck in a cycle of waiting for something to change so that you can be happy, let’s kick that something to the curb. It’s empowering to realize that nothing will ever be perfect, but that it can be good enough. Hot, sweaty kids mean popsicle stained smiles. Hot kitchens mean summertime cold salads and watermelon. And bringing our winter legs out of hiding can mean shorts and flip flops and the delicious feeling of kicking our legs in an icy aquamarine pool. So here’s to June- I hope you have a wonderful month, and a wonderful summer season! And so long if only, we’ve got some living to do. Love, Stac |
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