The Secret of Not Getting Sick of Christmas

I was struck this year by how some people are sick of Christmas-time, before it's even Christmas. In several conversations I had, people were chomping at the bit to tear down their Christmas decorations because they were tired of this season already. 

There is a "secret" to not getting sick of Christmas: make the holiday wait its turn. People are racing past the season of Advent in order to start the Christmas season earlier each year, but then are ready for the "next thing" by the time that Christmas is actually here.

If we follow the Church Year, then we have 4 Sundays of Advent to prepare ourselves for the 12 Days of Christmas, before the Season of Epiphany starts. Christmas was not meant to be a month+ of celebration and excesses; it was meant to be merely 12 days of feasting after 4 Sundays of preparation (or 40 days of fasting, discounting Sundays, in some denominations). 

Instead of doing the convenient, the comfortable, or everything possible during the holiday season, intentionally map out and build your holiday to keep the focus on Jesus. 

    -Start by taking a sheet of paper and brainstorm everything Advent/Christmas/December related. 

    -Then on a new piece of paper, separate your list into sacred and secular. (This isn't to say that the secular celebrations of Christmas should be trashed, but rather to get a concise list of the sacred traditions of Christmas). 

    -Then on a new piece of paper, separate your list into Advent and Christmas. What traditions are about waiting and anticipating? What traditions are about celebrating and worshiping? 

    -Do the same thing with the songs of the season. Sacred-Secular first and then Advent-Christmas second. 

Instead of setting up everything Christmas related the day after Thanksgiving, slowly start putting things out each week of Advent (granted, some years, Advent actually starts before Thanksgiving). 

Instead of assembling a complete Nativity scene, or scenes as the case may be, make them progressive. 

    -Set out Mary and Joseph the first week of Advent.

    -Set out the angel by Mary the second week of Advent.

    -Move the angel to Joseph the third week of Advent.

    -Send the angels to the shepherds the fourth week of Advent.

    -Put Jesus in the manger on Christmas Eve.

    -Slowly move the Wise Men/Magi towards Jesus, but don't let them get there before January 6th (Epiphany). 

Instead of binging on the Christmas music, treats, and movies all month long (or all year long for some), limit them to one day a week (or one season a year) as a special treat.

Christmas is not something we should get sick of, yet after a month of Christmas in overdrive, we are worn out by the 2nd day of Christmas. 

What might you do to separate Advent and Christmas? 

How Many Clothes Are Necessary?

 Recently, I've been reading books about minimalism, living simply, and decluttering. 

It got me thinking, "How many outfits are necessary?" and also, "How many outfits do I have?" 

I started wrestling with this question at a state park, where I did not have access to my wardrobe, but I did have access to a journal, where I could list my ideals for each clothing category.

I asked myself, "How many blue jeans do I need?" (Now I have a need for nice jeans for my job and work jeans for when I volunteer at a farm, so this category had a higher number.)

How many t-shirts do I need? 

How many pajama pants do I need? 

How many sweaters do I need? 

How many skirts & tops or dresses do I need? 

How many costumes do I need? 

Once I got back, I took time to start looking at my wardrobe and counting what I had. 

Most of the time, I had more than I deemed necessary, but sometimes, I had less. 

Doing this activity helped me to see which areas of my wardrobe did not need any new additions when I go thrifting and which areas I legitimately need to find items to round out my wardrobe. 

Our materialistic society tries to constantly push new sales of cheaply made clothes, but the "fast fashion" clothes are not ethically produced (people aren't paid fair or living wages for their work) and aren't environmentally friendly (washing synthetic fibers causes microplastics to be released into the water). We are a nation of "retail therapy" participants; we shop without a need, but to get a thrill, escape facing our emotional baggage, and go after something novel. Yet, an overstuffed closet won't bring us peace. A new top or skirt won't bring lasting joy. 

We are trained to ask, in our consumeristic culture, "How many can I afford?" and "How many can I stash someplace in my house or storage unit?", but maybe the question we should be asking is "How many are actually necessary?" 

Alternative Gifts to Give

It may seem odd to have a post on Christmas gifts in July, but posting it during an Advent season seems a bit late, since some people buy gifts throughout the year for Christmas and birthday presents. 

We sometimes buy gifts out of obligation and buy trinkets to cross a name off our list. But what gifts have been meaningful and memorable? Why are we giving things that don't matter and we can't recall a year later? So let's hit the brakes on the gift-giving train. We don't have to keep up with the pace our culture is setting. We don't have to give the way our culture pressures us to give. 

The world tries to conform us to its image. It wants as many people as possible on the consumerism train, even if it is driving people to debt and stripping the earth we are supposed to be stewarding. I considered bringing up fair trade gifts again, but since I've already discussed it here, here, here, here, here, and here, we'll skip the fair trade talk this year. Instead of rushing to the mall to blitz through our shopping list, let us consider ways we can give differently. 

We can give of our time. Instead of just giving a coffee lover a gift card to a coffee shop, we can make appointments to go with them (or invite them over) for coffee. We aren't just giving them a gift of coffee, but time together as they drink it. We can give a gift of experience, and preferably join in the experience too. Instead of buying them solo tickets for the movie theater, we can again make an appointment to see their favorite movie together.

We can give things we made. We might have to spend time throughout the year making the gifts we want to give at Christmas. We might have smaller piles of presents, that were made with love and prayers, but they have meaning and value beyond the cost of materials, because they were made by someone we love. Let us stop considering how expensive a gift is and instead value a gift because someone made it for us. 

Finally, we can give from our treasures. Instead of buying a new book for someone, we can give them our well-loved copy of it. We have a tradition in our culture of waiting until after a funeral to share our material possessions with friends and family members, but we could let go of things sooner than that. We could thoughtfully match things we own to people who would appreciate them now. 

4th Sunday of Eastertide: Enjoying a Campfire

Our theme for Eastertide is finding joy as we faithfully do the small things, so today we will look at a campfire. 

During Pandemic-Tide, I have learned a bit about starting, maintaining, and putting out campfires. As we reflect on lessons about a campfire, we can also learn lessons about our faith. A fire is a good analogy, not just because John Wesley spoke of his heart being strangely warmed or because Paul warned (in 1 Thessalonians 5:19) to not quench/extinguish/put out the Spirit's fire. 

Starting a Campfire

A campfire must be prepared for before it can be started. Old ashes must be removed otherwise the fire is at risk of being smothered. Likewise, in our faith, we need to let the Spirit sweep out our old way of living & our former view of the world so a new work can be built. We do not want our faith to be smothered by our old habits and mindsets. This is not a one-time action, but needs to be routinely done, in small, faithful steps. 

The fire needs to be arranged well in order for it to burn well. From dryer lint and paper to cardboard and twigs before progressing to branches and logs. We can't just light up a log & get a merry fire. (In fact, we can't just decide to have a fire and just happen to have enough materials to burn. A lot of our material for our fires comes from our burnable recycling. Day by day, we set aside paper, cardboard, and other materials we can use for the fire. It takes time, intentionality, and effort to save up these items.) Likewise, in our faith, we need to start with the foundations to grow in as we stay close to God. Prayer, Bible study, and worship get us started and allows God to mold us for His work ahead. These aren't big, elaborate one-weekend-a-year commitments, but consistently meeting with God daily and weekly in small, faithful, and mundane ways. 

A campfire cannot be started when we are ready to cook the hot dogs or marshmallows. I typically start it an hour before I want to cook the food. Likewise, we can't expect to be a mature Christian in a matter of weeks or even years. It takes time to be matured by the Spirit. We don't "level up" in a big, showy achievement, but in small and faithful ways, the Spirit is molding us into more Christ-like people. 

What do you need to do to continue to build a good fire in your heart? 

Maintaining a Campfire

To burn well, a campfire needs more than just cardboard and paper. Hearty logs are necessary for the longevity of the fire. Yet, we can't just go from kindling to the logs, there is a necessary middle layer of branches to build up to the logs. Likewise, in our faith, we need to build up the fire in our hearts. If we let the Spirit light the kindling and then we don't do anything else, the fire will die down. Furthermore, we can't expect to jump from the foundations of the faith to being a faithful disciple in everything we do; we need to allow the Spirit to build Spiritual Disciplines and holy habits into our lives. For us to keep up this fire in our hearts, we need to nourish and maintain it through small and faithful growth. 

Throughout the course of the campfire, logs will shift, crumble, and otherwise move. There is a danger of the fire putting itself out if it gets too clogged up with ashes. We need to watch the fire and be prepared to intervene as we shift logs around and add more fuel as necessary. Likewise, in our faith, we need to be prepared for readjustment and changes as we grow in our faith. We should be prepared to add in Spiritual Disciplines as we grow in our faith or are feeling spiritually stifled. We don't rearrange our lives around God and His work once for all time, we need to reorient our lives around Him in the small, faithful acts we live out on a daily, weekly, and seasonal basis. 

At times, the fire doesn't seem very active. The flames on the surface seem to die down, but if you look inside the firepit, towards the bottom of the fire, the coals are glowing and radiating heat. Likewise, in our faith, we may not notice much happening on the surface of our faith. We may feel like we are just stuck in a rut or going through the motions, but if we sit quietly and consider how the Spirit is teaching, guiding, and growing us, we may be surprised that the Spirit is using this quiet season to cultivate the fruit such as patience, gentleness, or self-control. Even if a season is not full of big, exciting activities, we can still be learning and growing in our faith as we faithfully do the small acts that keep the dishes and laundry caught up. 

What needs done to continue to maintain your fire? 

Putting out a Campfire

In order to douse a campfire, we need water and a LOT of water at that. As we pour on the water, the flames extinguish and the coals cool, as steam rises out of the firepit. Even then, we have to add more water as we stir the ashes and cinders around to ensure the fire is entirely put out. Likewise, in our faith, there are many forces trying to put out the fire in our heart. It can come from friends or relatives ridiculing our faith or from a workplace that requires employees to work on weekends. If we are not diligent in carving out time to build and maintain the fire in our heart, we may wake one day to realize that we've allowed it to be doused by a busy schedule or unreceptive audience. We must make the effort in small, faithful acts to spend time with God, in His word, so that we can continue to be molded by the Holy Spirit. As Christians, it is critical that we check our words, actions, and attitudes to ensure that we are not pouring water on other Christians' fires. Are we speaking words of encouragement or discouragement? Are we lamenting the brokenness of the world or just complaining about how we are inconvenienced? Are we providing a space where people can be vulnerable and share their struggles so we can mutually build & maintain good fires, or do our expectations of "perfect Christians" cause people to swallow their struggles as their fires die out in silence? We do not want to douse the fire in anyone's hearts.

Where does the danger of your fire being doused come from? 

Are you likely to be dousing someone else's fire? 

3rd Sunday of Eastertide: Giving of Our Time

Our theme for Eastertide is finding joy as we faithfully do the small things, so today we will look at giving of our time. 

Time has been described as the great equalizer. The rich have 24 hours in a day. The poor have 24 hours in a day. 

Even though we all have the same number of minutes to spend each day (1,440), different seasons of life can have more or fewer commitments, resulting in a "higher" or "lower" cost to the time we spend with a person. Choosing to spend time with someone, in the midst of a busy season, shows that they are being prioritized. It is still a meaningful gift in the midst of a calm season, even though it probably takes less intentionality to arrange a gathering. 

It is nice to experience an extravagant gift of time, where someone spends all day investing in you and cherishing you, but the small daily expenditure of time requires us to follow the spiritual disciplines of Submission, Simplicity, and Service. 

Submission

I know. Submission can be a dirty word in some circles, but it is a biblical word. When we submit to someone else, we are putting our preferences and our "rights" under theirs. This should be done in a mutually beneficial and healthy (and even reciprocal as the "one another" verses of the Bible challenge us) way. When we give of our time, we are sacrificing our plans for how we could have used that time. Instead of doing what we THINK someone would like us to do, I challenge us to ASK them what they would like to do and then DO THAT THING. When we submit our time in this way, those around us can feel cherished and loved. We blend submission and time, when we submit to a person's restaurant preference as we share a meal with them.

Simplicity

There are simple ways to do things and complex ways to do things. I relearned this lesson on Resurrection Sunday. As our season of Lent was drawing to a close, I was wondering what the feasting of Easter would look like. Naturally, I wanted a fruit, vegetable, grain, protein, and dairy for each meal. Naturally, I wanted special foods that we haven't had in a while. I made my idealized menu and then realized that I would have to spend most of Easter in the kitchen cooking all of those delicious foods (and then cleaning up after myself). So we simplified things. Instead of mashed potatoes AND cheesy potatoes (because the two people of our household naturally wanted two different forms of potatoes), we opted for a fruit and veggie tray. Instead of an elaborate main dish, we cooked hot dogs over the campfire. 

When we choose to live simply, we have more time to spend with those around us. From time to time, it can be fun to have a kitchen adventure where we make fettuccini alfredo from scratch, but as a general rule, simple, wholesome meals give us more time to invest in other things, like loving those near us. Having simpler cleaning, cooking, and shopping routines will free up time from these activities to redistribute to our priorities. We blend simplicity and time, when we choose to have simpler meals, so we can have longer visits around the table. 

Service

Service draws on submission, even as we spend our time on this gift. When we serve, it is important that we submit to the needs and desires of the ones we are serving. Otherwise, we run the risk of making things more difficult for them instead of being of assistance to them. It takes time to do an act of service, whether it involves making something or doing a task to help someone. Service doesn't have to be elaborate or complex. We can help someone carry in groceries or refill the empty water pitcher, even if we weren't the ones to empty it. The simple day-to-day tasks can weigh on a person, especially if they are primarily responsible for doing the dishes, laundry, or any other chore that is only completed until the next dish is used or clothing is worn. As a result, serving someone by taking on these tasks is a gift of our time. 

I would be negligent if I didn't mention Self-Care along with the Submission, Simplicity, and Service. We cannot keep giving of our time to others if we do not take care of ourselves. It is not selfish. It is not unimportant. We, as humans, need consistent time with God in order to have the energy, compassion, and desire to serve others. Likewise, taking time for self-care will allow us to refill our energy levels to be able to give of our time to others. Invest in a hobby that is enjoyable. After achieving a priority for the day, take time to rest or delight in something, even if it is just a cup of tea. Allowing others to give of their time to help us is just as valid and valuable as giving of our time to help them. Far too often, we let pride keep us from asking for help when we are overwhelmed. Let us be willing to both give and receive help as we work to prevent burnout and exhaustion.

I challenge us to prayerfully consider how we can blend these three spiritual disciplines into our gifts of time. If this is a busy season for you, I encourage you to consider what simple service we can submit to, without staying up too late. Look for ways to simplify and cut down, in order to have more time to invest in those around you. If this is a calm season for you, I encourage you to consider how God is calling you to spend your time. After blocking out sleep and work, and adding in MARGINS between events, how are you being called to spend your time? Is there a place you've been meaning to volunteer at? Is there a task on a loved one's to do list that you can tackle? 

We all have 1,440 minutes each day. How can we spend them as gifts others? 

2nd Sunday of Eastertide: Baking Bread

Our theme for Eastertide is finding joy as we faithfully do the small things, so today we will look at baking bread.

I have heard it said that cooking is an art, whereas baking is a science. When we bake bread, we must faithfully follow the instructions and carefully measure the ingredients. It may not be exciting to carefully measure out each ingredient, but it is this small, faithful act that leads to a consistent, repeatable, delicious bread. 

Likewise, in our faith, we must faithfully follow the instructions and carefully check our actions against God's commands in Scripture. The small, faithful act of checking our actions and allowing friends to call us out for ungodly behavior is a step we can take to nurture the virtues God wants us to embody. 

Making bread consists of stages: mixing, resting, kneading, resting, preparing, resting, and baking. Some stages are messy, some give us time to tidy up the kitchen. Kneading is hands-on and active work, whereas we step back in the baking stage, to let the oven do its part. The small, faithful act of following the rhythm of the directions, allows the bread to rise, develop, and finish.

Likewise, our Christian walk consists of stages, periods of work and rest, times of preparing and doing. Some stages are messy, whereas others allow us to recuperate and rest. Sometimes our time and energy must be heavily invested in a person or activity for a season, other times, we step back and let God work as we observe. The small, faithful act of following the Spirit through the rhythm of the day and seasons, allows us to grow, mature, and be molded into a more Christ-like person. 

The aroma of the bread permeates the house, as it rises, as it bakes, and once it is finished. It is not something that can be hidden away. If you are baking bread, any person entering your house will realize this. The smell may seem to be a small, insignificant thing, but it faithfully announces that bread is being made as it draws hungry bellies to the kitchen to await the finished bread. 

Likewise, we want the aroma of Christ to permeate our actions, our words, and our lives. We don't want to hide away our Christianity and faith. We want those who encounter us to notice this aroma. Through faithfully living in obedience to Christ and His commands, people will catch a trace of Christ's aroma in us as we go about our days. 

Baking bread is something that brings me joy. 

Bread recipes often make such quantities of bread that we are subtly encouraged to share with others. 

By looking at the loaf of bread and the process of bread-making, we can consider ways that it points us back to our faith and therefore towards Christ. 

A delightful thing that I learned about bread was that in some places, such as Ireland, they have a legal definition of how much sugar to flour can be in a loaf of bread. (Spoiler, it's not a lot). So a lot of the baked products that we call bread, would be considered a "pastry" under Irish law or a "cake". I'm looking at you, banana "bread"! While sweet things are delicious and so enjoyable to eat, we can use this distinction to consider how much sugar we are adding into the flour of our lives. Are we investing our time in things that will satisfy us and bring us closer to God or are we filling up on mindless and worldly fillers that do not satisfy us. There are some bread recipes that are made with little to no sweeteners. It is a different taste, but I want to challenge us to find a hearty bread recipe that doesn't use sugar, sugar substitutes, or other sweeteners to bake, so we can chew on the "flour to sugar" ratio in our lives while munching on this hearty loaf. 

Observing Eastertide

Eastertide is the season from Easter through Pentecost. It is a 50 day period of time (including Sundays) that continues the celebration of the Resurrection. It includes both Easter Sunday and Pentecost Sunday, before we progress to "Ordinary Time", but more on that later. There are 8 Sundays in Eastertide, but Easter & Pentecost are pretty busy as it is.

Rather than putting away Easter decorations the day after Easter, take time to revel in this season.

Go on walks and notice the trees budding and the flowers blooming.

Consider how you can remember, incorporate, and practice the resurrection. 

Reflect on ways you have seen life come after death, such as mushrooms growing on a fallen tree. 

Keep a record of things you are thankful for. Write it as a thank you note to God to give Him the credit for the good in your life. 

After the fasting of Lent, consider observing a practice for the 50 days of Eastertide to celebrate, express joy, or experience freedom. (Be sure that your practice remains a source of joy and does not become a burden or a duty). 

A quick online search of "Eastertide practices" will bring up a host of suggestions. This post has 6 ideas to be practiced over Eastertide. This one recommends focusing on a theme for the 50 days as a congregation. This post encourages people to focus on observing the Sabbath and practicing compassion. This one recommends cultivating the practice of sharing with others in Eastertide and beyond. 

There is often a focus in our culture on the big deeds, the showy actions, the spectacular sacrifices, but during this Eastertide, we will focus on the small things, the seemingly mundane, and the ordinary things. 

Like in a relationship, something big and spectacular can make you feel valued and cared for, but what keeps the relationship growing and in good health, are the small, daily acts of love that you show to your spouse. Yes, it is wonderful to be whisked away to a bed & breakfast and be taken on a night-time horse-drawn carriage ride, but the small things nourish the relationship over time. Some examples include: 

• Greeting your spouse with a smile when they come home from work. 
• Cooking a dish they enjoy eating. 
• Treating your spouse with respect through your tone, body language, and words. 
• Giving your spouse a hug after a hard day. 
• Going on a walk with your spouse even when you're tired. 

These kinds of little things continually whisper a reminder to your spouse that you love them and cherish them. These things may not be expensive, but they cost us our time, our preferences, and our effort each day. They require us to die to ourselves and our preferences as we seek to love, respect, and serve our spouse. 

So we will look at 6 small, mundane things during the weeks of Eastertide. We will consider how these things will breath life into our lives and those around us, through the small acts of faithfulness over time. 

How will you observe the full season of Eastertide? 

Changing our Holiday Expectations

2020 has been a year unlike anything most of us have experienced before. We didn't expect to go through the lockdowns due to the pandemic, the shortages at the store, or protests over racial injustice, yet here we are.

Additionally, people are experiencing "pandemic fatigue", where we are tired of hearing about & modifying our lives around the pandemic. 

Unfortunately, we can't end the pandemic just by acting like it's gone. We must follow the safety protocol and advice from our leading scientists in order to beat this together.

It may not be the most "fun" thing to do, but I would argue that adjusting our holiday plans to be safer is the most loving thing we can do during a pandemic.

The CDC has guidelines for many fall holidays, so check out the official health advice & talk about how to best apply it in your situation.

Below are some layman's tips for the holidays:
1. Be gracious. Not everyone has the same comfort level as you, so give people grace if they are wanting more or less restrictions.
2. Adjust to the comfort level of whoever is the least comfortable. If you are fine meeting inside, but your friend feels safer meeting outside, then meet outside. This is especially crucial if there are multiple people to interact with. Otherwise those who aren't comfortable with the relaxed restrictions might be left alone while others get together.
3. Start talking now about how we can make adjustments to our normal holiday plans. 
4. Brainstorm unique ways to celebrate at home with those in your household. Instead of a full Thanksgiving spread, what are your favorite dishes you would prefer? Who would you like to call/e-mail/text during the holiday?
5. Give yourself to time grieve, process, and take care of yourself. This is a hard season of life. Process how you are holding up and what has been easy or difficult to do. Ask yourself what you need to stop doing or start doing in this season. Grieve the losses you have experienced. Get e-counseling to work with a professional. We can't heal if we don't acknowledge our woundedness. We must clean & set the injury. Plan self-care that rejuvenates you. 

Exploring Hygge

Welcome back! I took a little hiatus from this blog, as I have been focusing more on my prayer blog over the past several months. <https://prayingforourworld.blogspot.com>

Today, I'd like to introduce you to the concept of "hygge". This is an Danish word without an exact translation in English, but words like "comfort", "coziness", "security", and "intimacy" all hit close to it. We'll look at how to say hygge, what it is, what it isn't, and resources for further investigation into hygge.

Firstly, pronunciation. Hygge is pronounced "hoo-ga" or "hew-gah". When in doubt, listen to it said at Google Translate or Youtube.

Secondly, what is hygge? Hygge describes activities, the simple pleasures of life.

*Hygge is a pot of soup simmering while bread bakes in the oven. 
*It is a hot beverage sipped while reading a book. It is a candle (preferably unscented according to the Danes) lit nearby. 
*It is cozy socks, sweaters, blankets, and more. 
*It is quality time spent with friends, family, and other loved ones, without the distraction of technology. 
*It is a campfire on a fall evening. 
*It is a game played together. 

*It is a simple meal made with friends as we visit and catch up.
*It is about slowing down and appreciating the simple pleasures in life.

Thirdly, what is hygge NOT? Hygge is not stressful, distasteful tasks. 
*Filing taxes is definitely not hygge. 

*Scrolling through the toxic, vicious environment currently on social media is not hygge.

*Serving a fancy dinner that keeps you from visiting with your guests is not hygge.
*Cleaning the toilet is not hygge (but it still should be done regularly!).

Fourthly, there are a plethora of books, articles, and other resources about hygge. Do a search for e-books and audiobooks about hygge at your local library. Check out different articles and blogposts about it.

In a world that encourages us to buy more, do more, and achieve more, I found hygge refreshing and thrilling. We don't need to buy more to appreciate what we already have. We don't need to host an elaborate meal with friends; a pot of soup and bread is just as good to better focus on our guests. 

What activities do you enjoy that are hygge? 
What is a hyggeligt (hygge-like) activity that you want to try?
What are ways that we can simplify our schedules to better enjoy this concept of hygge?

What can we do to unplug from technology for an hour, a day, or a weekend? 

My Wants Are Not Worth Someone's Life

My heart is heavy as I write this post. As I read about the executive order mandating that the meat-processing facilities keep operating despite the danger, I am grieved. (If the order gave permission for plants to operate if they could do so safely, I would be behind that 100%. I'd also support formal rationing or stores limiting how much we can purchase in a day.)

This isn't a faceless crowd that prepares our meat. This impacts people we know personally. For 4 years, my husband and I lived within 15 minutes of a beef-packing plant in the Texan panhandle. So when I hear about how the plants are required to keep working, despite the rising number of cases at their facilities, I see the faces of the people who work there. They are students I taught. They are friends I made.

The order references our national need for protein as a driving force behind it. But meat is a small selection of all the protein sources available. In fact, here is a chart with many vegan protein sources.

We want meat. We don't need it.

Rather than rationing like we did during the World Wars, we are ordering people to work in dangerous environments for a luxury item.

Rather than encouraging plants to operate at 1/4 or 1/2 capacity, we don't want the ground beef to run out.

The contempt we are showing for human life by requiring workers to keep supplying us with meat devastates me.

But what can one person do in the face of this? Can one family make a difference?

Absolutely.

We can stop buying meat for a season.
We can avoid contributing to the demand of something that will require more people to keep working in virus hotspots.
We can cook with quinoa, couscous, rice, beans, barley, oatmeal, millet, tofu, and lentils.
We can find ways to stretch out the meats we have in our freezer to last longer.
We can have Meatless Mondays, Tofu Tuesdays, Walnut Wednesdays, Tempeh Thursdays, Friendship Bread Fridays, Sesame Seed Saturdays, and Sweet Potato Sundays.
We can realize that eating meat every day is a luxury that many in the world don't enjoy.

And if you join, we can give the meat industry the breathing room they need to get back on their feet safely.

Because my desire for bacon is not worth someone's life.

Utilizing A Schedule While Staying At Home

When staying at home for an extended number of days, it's easy for the days to start to blend together and for gloom to set in. One way to combat this is to utilize a schedule to add structure to the day.

Since I work from home, my schedule wasn't as drastically upset as other's schedules have been, but nonetheless, I have switched over to a stay-at-home schedule to keep me productive and enjoying life. So here are some tips and tricks of scheduling, even for those of you who are free spirits and resist schedules normally.

Tips and Tricks of Scheduling
1. Plan an overarching schedule. For example, I have a set time that I teach online every day. It's something consistent.
2. Plan something fun. For example, I typically love my afternoon because I work on my hobbies. They are scheduled events so my "achiever" side is happy, but they are fun activities so I can de-stress. I am even learning a new skill (playing the violin). I really look forward to my time to practice everyday.
3. Plan something unique for each day. I listen to a sermon on Sundays. I have an online Bible study on Tuesdays. I have e-games with various family members on Wednesdays and Fridays. These events are unique events each week and help me keep track of what day it is.
4. Plan margin time. When scheduling events, I plan at least 15 minutes between the different events. This allows for hiccups in the day.
5. Plan exceptions to your schedule. Sometimes, when I'm busy or behind, I start to delete events that can wait until tomorrow. It's okay. It'll be there.
6. Plan a Sabbath day. My Sunday is my day of rest and my schedule reflects that. I can choose to do my hobbies or bake a treat or just rest.
7. Plan activities with people and apart from people. I am staying at home with my delightful husband, but I have friends staying at home as single individuals. In either case, we can do some activities by ourselves, but do other activities with others (either in person or via technology).
8. Plan to get notifications to remind you what's next. My phone gives me all the reminders I need. 30 minutes before my next activity it sends me a notification so I can plan to wind down my current activity and start my next task.
9. Plan time for chores and other routine tasks. Budgeting and laundry will still need done, so set time aside to handle these necessary chores. Find ways to make cleaning fun. Speed cleaning? Cleaning Dance Party? How can you make it enjoyable?
10. Plan self-care. Take care of yourself. Pamper yourself. Eat a treat, but also go on a (properly socially distanced) walk. Open the curtains, even though they'll need closed at the end of the day.

Decluttering While Staying At Home

Decluttering is one of my joys of life. Seeing a clean, organized, decluttered area relaxes me like few other things. So since we are staying at home for another 30 days at least in the US, I thought I could give some suggestions on the what and how of decluttering.

Tip #0: Get help!
My favorite organizing site is www.flylady.net and it utterly rocks. She will give you encouragement and some tough love blended together. She has great advice and great resources. I recommend her!!!!!

Tip #1: Start small!
If we start by pulling everything out in a closet or a room, it is very easy to get overwhelmed. So start small. Start with one drawer, one shelf, or one clothing type. Once one area is done, move onto the next logical area.

Tip #2: Be consistent!
If we are working on a drawer in a kitchen on Monday, sorting through skirts in the closet on Tuesday, tackling books on a shelf on Wednesday, and so on, it is easy to feel like we aren't making progress and therefore feel discouraged. Decide to spend a week in a room before moving on.

Tip #3: Tackle the visible first!
If we start by organizing our desk drawers or our kitchen cabinets, things will be more organized, but we can still end up seeing a lot of visible clutter and again feel discouraged. So if we tackle the areas that stress us out the most, we will get the biggest gains for our initial efforts. There will be a time to organize our clutter in drawers and cabinets. And that time is AFTER we have decluttered our visible areas.

Tip #5: Schedule your decluttering time and stick to it!
If you're like me, you might need a little extra umph to get started with decluttering. So set a time that you will declutter (no more than 15 or 30 minutes per day).

Tip #6: Set a timer and stick to it!
If you are like me, cleaning can be energizing, so once we get started, it is tempting to use our momentum to keep on going and going and going and going and going and going and going and going...until we crash and burn and are stick of decluttering and cleaning!! So to avoid burnout, stick to a daily decluttering time with its time limit of 15 or 30 minutes per day.

Tip #7: Stay on target!
If we find something that belongs in the living room while working in the bedroom, it is tempting to try to put that thing away and then get sucked into decluttering a second area when we're not done with the first area. Things will look a bit more disorganized for a bit as we stay focused in our chosen area, but eventually, we will declutter each room and have space to put away all those mystery items we found in the wrong room.

Tip #8: Use containers to sort through things.
If we decide that something is trash or something we don't need anymore, put it in some sort of container, whether it's a tote, box, or bag. Have a trash bag handy for trash. Have a recycling bin or container for papers that need shredded. Have a tote for donations of things we once needed, but have outgrown.

Tip #9: Get stuff out of the house!
If we have a bag full of trash, put it in the trash barrel! If we have a pile of papers to shred and then recycle, get them by the paper shredder! If we have things that we want to donate, get them out to the trunk or backseat of the car! The areas we declutter will feel more open as things leave them!!!

Tip #10: Don't forget your cool-down/wind-down time!
If we forget this last step, our timer will ring and we will drop what we are holding and walk away! Take the last few minutes of your 15/30 minutes to wrap up any loose ends until tomorrow. That way, we won't leave things in the middle of the floor, but can enjoy our rooms as they are being decluttered.

Bonus Ideas:
-Ask yourself how many ____ do you need and then cut back to that amount. (i.e. I need 5 skirts, but I have 8, so which 3 would I like to donate?)
-Decide to get rid of clothes that don't fit, kitchenware you don't use, and other things that you don't need.
-Figure out how many _____ can fit in an area and then cut back to that number or less than that amount. (i.e. My cabinet can hold 6 tea cups on a shelf, but I'm trying to fit 8 there. Which can I get rid of?)
-It's okay if you aren't ready to get rid of something yet, but we do need to find a place to keep it.
-Decide if you can take picture of the item and donate it. That way you can remember it, without having to store it!
-Stop buying more things!! Put a buying freeze in place. Decide that we won't buy any more clothes/books/movies/kitchen utensils, until we have sorted through that area! It's not saying we can't ever buy things again, but it is nearly impossible to declutter an area that we are constantly adding more things to.
-If you do need to buy something, make sure it is exactly what you need. Buy only things that fit, meet a need, or are a planned (non-impulse buy). If something would need repaired or taken in before it's usable, leave it for someone else.

A lot of us have too much stuff for the areas we put them. That is why we are starting with decluttering tips before we tackle organizing tips. We can't organize an area that cannot physically hold everything we expect to be able to fit there. If I have a 1,000 square foot home, but enough stuff to fill a 1,500 square foot home, I need to declutter at least 500 square feet of stuff before the organizing can really start. So before we organize, let's declutter!

Loving People How They Want To Be Loved During Social Distancing

How can we still love others in other houses, while we are still practicing social distancing?

1. Request friends and family members take the free 5 Love Languages quiz and send you their top result(s)
2. For those who value words: Write a note
3. For those who value words: Speak kindly
4. For those who value words: Compliment their efforts
5. For those who value words: Send a text
6. For those who value words: Tell them why you like/love them
7. For those who value physical touch: Utilize hug emojis 
8. For those who value physical touch: Give a video chat hug
9. For those who value physical touch: Request someone in their home give them a hug for you
10. For those who value physical touch: Send them a "rain check" for future hugs
11. For those who value physical touch: Encourage them to give themselves a hug/pat on the back from you
12. For those who value time spent with them: video chat with them
13. For those who value time spent with them: connect with them daily
14. For those who value time spent with them: find activities you can still do together via the internet
15. For those who value time spent with them: eat a meal together over video chat
16. For those who value time spent with them: revisit previously mentioned topics to show you were listening
17. For those who value gifts: make them a bookmark and mail it to them
18. For those who value gifts: order something online to send to them
19. For those who value gifts: give them a gift card to a restaurant
20. For those who value gifts: give them a coupon book of ways to stay in touch
21. For those who value gifts: give them a gift card to a grocery store
22. For those who value service and work: ask if you can pick anything up for them
23. For those who value service and work: ask if you can do a virtual task for them
24. For those who value service and work: ask if you can send a card they've been meaning to send
25. For those who value service and work: remind them that you'd like to be helping them even though you can't go over to their house right now
26. For those who value service and work: ask what you can help them with after social distancing has ended
27. Have them take a Myers-Briggs test online and send you their results. 
28. Ask how you can best love them as an introvert or extrovert (where they focus their attention)
29. Ask how you can best love them as a sensor or intuitive (how they take in information)
30. Ask how you can best love them as a thinker or feeler (how they make decisions)
31. Ask how you can best love them as a judger or perceiver (how they deal with the world) 
32. Research more ideas for their specific love language or Myers-Briggs results and plan more specific ways to show them love.

Things To Do Outdoors (If You Have A Yard)

This is a brainstorm of things you can do outside, but still in the confines of your property. (If you don't have a yard, sorry...there's lots of indoor ideas in earlier posts!

1. Clean the gutters
2. Weed the flower beds
3. Plant some flowers
4. Plant a garden (if you don't have a garden filled out, this one may be difficult)
5. Pick up sticks
6. Walk around your property
7. Dig a firepit (according to your city ordinances)
8. Build a city-approved fire in your firepit
9. Take pictures of your flowers to share on social media
10. Prune your trees and bushes
11. Clean out your garage
12. Mow
13. Play croquet
14. Have a picnic
15. Start composting appropriate kitchen scraps and yard waste
16. Clean the dead vines from your fence
17. Watch the sunset
18. Have a campout in a tent or camper one night
19. Build a bird feeder and get it hung up
20. Learn to identify the birds in your yard
21. Build or utilize a laundry line
22. Pick up trash that has blown into your yard (with appropriate safety precautions)
23. Enjoy a cup of tea on the porch
24. Wash the car(s)
25. Find or make a bingo card of things to see outside and try to get a bingo
26. Try to hop on one foot all around your property
27. Build a rain barrel
28. Tackle an outdoor home improvement project
29. Wave to somebody while maintaining social distancing
30. Wash the outsides of your windows

Connecting Activities To Do At Home

How can we stay connected with others while staying indoors at our respective homes?

1. Call someone 
2. Text someone 
3. Video-chat with someone 
4. Write a letter 
5. Write a post card
6. Play with a pet (they need connection time too)
7. Figure out what games can be played over a video-chat and play with someone
8. Make care packages and mail them
9. Get an e-mail pen pal
10. Join an online book club
11. Join a social media group for a topic you're interested in
12.  Play an online computer game with someone
13. Participate in an online forum about a subject you enjoy
14. Send an encouraging message on social media
15. Write window messages to your neighbors
16. Ask someone how their day was
17. Ask someone what they had for breakfast
18. Ask someone what they had for lunch
19. Ask someone what they're planning for dinner
20. Ask someone what is something fun that they did today
21. Ask someone how you can pray for them
22. Ask someone if they need any supplies dropped off
23. Ask someone what they have been reading
24. Ask someone what TV shows they have been watching
25. Ask someone what movies they have seen recently (at home!!)
26. Ask someone what's something they learned recently
27. Ask someone what projects they have going on
28. Ask someone what they're looking forward to after things calm done
29. Ask someone if they want to have a virtual dinner party (using video-conferencing to eat a meal together, apart)
30. Share details of your life with someone

Things To Do in a Kitchen

What can you do at home while staying inside? Let's look at some activities kitchenward!

1. Make and drink a cup of tea
2. Make and drink a cup of coffee
3. Make a smoothie
4. Make frozen banana ice cream
5. Make a dessert
6. Make a soup
7. Make a salad
8. Make an entree (main dish)
9. Make a freezer meal
10. Bake some rolls
11. Bake some biscuits
12. Bake some loaves of bread
13. Try a new crockpot recipe
14. Try a recipe from a different country
15. Invent a new recipe
16. Bake something special
17. Cook something new from scratch
18. Cut up some fruit and eat it
19. Make breakfast for supper
20. Make lunch for breakfast
21. Find 10 things to donate from your utensils or cookware
22. Dig deep into the pantry and come up with a creative meal
23. Eat a vegetable
24. Make cinnamon toast
25. Make garlic bread
26. Plan a menu
27. Make a healthy snack
28. Make a classic family dish
29. Find a new favorite dish
30. Clean up after all your cooking adventures

Indoor Religious Activities To Do At Home

What can you do at home while staying inside? Here's some ideas of how to spend time with God in different ways.

1. Pray for your friends
2. Pray for your families
3. Pray for your city
4. Pray for your state
5. Pray for your nation
6. Pray for our world
7. Pray for those enslaved
8. Pray for those fleeing violence
9. Pray for the homeless
10. Pray for world and local leaders
11. Study the Bible with a new Bible Study method (SOAP, inductive Bible study, etc.)
12. Read through a Gospel
13. Read through an Epistle
14. Read through a book of History
15. Read through a book of Prophecy
16. Read through a book of Law
17. Set aside time to listen through the Bible while working around the house
18. Come up with a Bible reading plan (to get a big-picture view of a part or all of the Bible) & get started on it
19. Come up with a Bible study plan (to get a in-depth view of part of the Bible) & get started on it
20. Read a non-fiction Christian book
21. Watch a sermon online
22. Find something to be grateful for every day
23. Watch the sunset (through the window) and thank the Creator for it
24. Listen to some hymns
25. Listen to some praise & worship songs
26. Sing a hymn
27. Sing a praise & worship song
28. Spend time just being in God's presence
29. Try fixed hour praying (6am, 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6 pm, 9pm, and 12am)
30. Practice a spiritual discipline

Indoor Hobbies To Do At Home

What can you do at home while staying inside? Here's some classic hobbies to dust off and some new hobbies to try!

1. Read a book
2. Learn an instrument
3. Play an instrument already mastered
4. Play a board game
5. Play a card game
6. Play a tabletop game
7. Figure out what games can be played over a video-chat and play with someone
8. Plan a game marathon and then do it
9. Plan a movie marathon and then do it
10. Plan a dance marathon and then do it
11. Build a fort
12. Read in the fort that was built
13. Do "minute to win it" games
14. Dream about future plans
15. Plan a stay-cation
16. Pamper yourself with a spa night
17. Find instructions for taking a mental health day and follow the relevant suggestions
18. Listen to an audio book
19. Indoor campout
20. Indoor day at the beach
21. Write a book (or a screenplay)
22. Design a board game
23. Design a card game
24. Design a tabletop game
25. Sew something
26. Crochet something
27. Knit something
28. Paint something
29. Scrapbook something 
30. Build a card tower
31. Do a puzzle

Indoor Productive Activities To Do At Home

What can you do at home while staying inside? My soul is thrilled by productivity, so while the other (allegedly "more fun") lists are being generated, I wanted to go ahead of get this first list out!

1. Make a daily schedule and try to stick to it
2. Clean the house one room or area at a time
3. Deep clean the house one room or area at a time
4. Dust furniture and knick-knacks
5. Polish furniture
6. Sweep the floor one room or area at a time
7. Mop the floor one room or area at a time
8. Vacuum the floor one room or area at a time
9. Declutter the house one room or area at a time
10. Rearrange a room or area
11. Exercise
12. Tackle those pending projects on the to do list
13. Catch up on emails
14. Reorganize the pantry
15. Learn something new everyday
16. Take advantage of free virtual tours online
17. Take advantage of free classes online
18. Take advantage of digital library resources
19. Learn a foreign language
20. Do the spring cleaning tasks we tend to overlook
21. Clean behind and under the appliances 
22. Clean the oven
23. Get dressed in regular clothes each morning
24. Do a repair that has been neglected
25. Clean out the garage or shed
26. Fashion Show!! Try on everything you own. Separate out the clothes you don't like or that don't fit
27. Sort through your seasonal clothes
28. Fill a donation box for a charity
29. Go through old boxes of stored things
30. Clean out under the bed

Be Content

Are you content today? Are you enjoying & appreciating what God has given you for today?
Or are you mournfully looking at what you had in the past? 
Or are you covetously looking at what you want in the future? 

In the (utterly amazing and highly recommended) book Pollyanna, the titular character goes to visit a shut-in. This shut-in gets meals delivered to her by the ladies of the church, but she is infamous for her discontentment & dissatisfaction with whatever she receives. Whatever is brought to her, she wants something else and therefore, she never is happy.

This is a bit of an absurd example, until we realize that we do this too. We are unhappy with summer because it is too hot and can't wait for fall. We are unhappy that it is fall because it is too cold and we can't wait for warmer weather. We are unhappy with the poor roads in our towns, but we are also unhappy with road construction repairing & improving the roads. We are not content because we are always complaining about something.

The Bible talks about the importance of being content. We'll highlight 3 passages here:

1. Paul writes to Timothy "So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content." (1 Timothy 6:8 NLT). If we eat 2-3 meals today and have at least 2 outfits, are we content? Or are we striving after more stuff, nicer stuff, or more comfortable stuff?

2. Paul wrote to the Church in Phillipae, 
"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:11-13 NIV) Do you catch the significance here? When we look at this whole paragraph, Philippians 4:13 becomes so much more than a pithy little phrase to psych us up into doing something cool. We can be content, regardless of our situation because of the power of Christ within us. We can be content with a full fridge or an empty fridge. Whether our wants & needs are met or we are lacking necessities. We can be content, through Christ. 

3. Finally, the author of Hebrews writes, "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”" (Hebrews 13:5 NIV) We are commanded to avoid loving money and to be content with what we have. We can be content, because God never leaves us. This is critical. We may not have what we want or even all we need, but contentment comes from knowing God is with us. 

As November has arrived, we talk a lot about gratitude, but when we are discontent, we aren't practicing gratitude. When we are constantly complaining about the weather, the traffic, or people, we notice the negative things more and more. 
So let's practice being content with what the day brings and expressing gratitude for what God is doing for us today.

What are you grateful for today?
How can you foster contentment?