February & Intentional connecting

It’s February! The snow is falling here in middle TN which means no school today.  As a northern gal relocated to the south this always tickles me. 12 inches of snow in the North = 1 hour school delay LOL! Here, the city is shut down. But I get it…the roads are hilly and we don’t have the salt trucks and removal system that they have in the north. We seem to always get ice here too…usually beneath the layer of snow which makes the roads very treacherous. The 1 or 2 inches of snow  are beautiful though, glistening across the farm behind my house. Stillness.. I love those days that interrupt the busyness of life. We run here and there…going to work, PTO meetings, church meetings, grocery store….it can be a never ending cycle. Those of us that work from home don’t stop working on these days but I try to be present. Sitting by the window watching the snow fall while I drink my coffee at least.  Taking a few minutes to breathe ….Life is more than running here and there. God created a world and a life and people He wanted us to care for and embrace. We have families and friends and neighbors we barely see because we are rushing to or from somewhere. At least I have found that to be true in my own life. What about you? When is the last time you had a pause…to breathe, to connect with a friend or how about your spouse? Marriages fall apart quickly when we don’t connect. I see my husband every day but even we have to be intentional about pausing to connect together because life is busy and full. This is the week of Valentine’s Day. Sometimes we pause and have dinner or share a moment or bring flowers or candy for special days like Valentine’s but when was the last time you really connected intentionally with your spouse? Dinner and a movie at home? Game night? Trying a new hobby together? Trying a new restaurant or cooking together? It’s fun! In fact, what are the creative ways you connect with your spouse when life is busy? (outside of the bedroom)  I’d love to hear from you and maybe we’ll all learn to pause a bit more together!

Since it’s Valentine’s week and in the spirit of intentional connecting ….I will be giving away my romantic Jazz CD to one lucky commenter this week!

 

 

Unexpected Holiday

  HAPPY WINTER!  So sometimes life…er…nature gives you an unexpected holiday. I am writing from day 3 of a mandatory standstill if you will. 2 inches of Ice covered by 1 inch of snow makes for treacherous roads here in the south. Especially because we don’t have the kind of snow removal that northern states have. So no school this week and many businesses closed. The kids are just slightly excited in my neighborhood as they laugh and frolic in the snow. You don’t have to tell them to seize the day! My 16 yr old went sledding one day. He’s just glad to be able to sleep in for a change! I know it’s probably stressful for some of the moms who have kids bouncing off the walls. I have adult friends who are bouncing off the walls too. They are used to a fast pace…running and doing. Me too, but I LIKE the slow down. I am seeking to not run so fast through each day and be more present with those around me. Now that I’m fast approaching an empty nest…at least it feels that way when your baby is driving and is never home…. I am learning to appreciate these moments just a wee bit more. They fly by so quickly. So if you get an unexpected slow down sometime soon, take a breath, forget the housework for a few and play with those kids of yours, have a snowball fight, or a pool /beach day (depending where you live!) or watch a funny movie with your spouse. Life is too short to ignore these moments. We have to stop living to work,work work. If we don’t, we will miss these precious people in our lives. So if life gives you an  unexpected holiday, you should take it....when you’re 80 you’ll be glad you did!