A life full with grace

Thoughts on cultivating inner calm


I don’t wish for a life of ease and monotony. Well, not most of the time, anyway.

I do wish for a life full of experiences, honesty, challenge, and beauty. But how do I balance this desire for a full life without becoming the frantic, uptight version of myself?

A few years ago I asked two of my friends this exact question. These women embrace a full life with grace. They have demanding jobs, family commitments, volunteer positions, and homes to maintain. Yet, the increasing demands on them are met with joy, humour, efficiency, and a sense of inner calm.

Each of them shared a practical strategy they used to develop this sense of inner harmony. Now, as I consider these ideas, I realize that although their tactics are different, they both nurture self-discipline.

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Summer Camp

Muffin Mouse is at summer camp for the next two weeks - having a great time without me (hard to believe, I know....)

Joyfully independent,
Caz.

A Key to Success: Daily Study

While in Prince George recently I had the opportunity to attend Timbers Community Church with family. The congregation are currently studying Rick Warren's book 40 Days in the Word.   The key point for the sermon I attended was on the study habit of taking time each day to pray and study.

I know for me taking time to study each day has been critical in learning to live the Principles in my life that matter - making spirituality more about doing, than wishing!  I have consistently started my weekdays with an hour of quiet study time for the past year.   This has been a goal for many years, and there was a slow evolution to form the habit (well-intentioned starts and stops:)

Some of the things I found that support this study are:

• A genuine desire to be disciplined and prioritize my time. As I get ready for bed I take the extra few minutes to complete tasks that may distract me from getting a start on my study in the morning (clear the kitchen counters, program the coffee pot, pick-up toys etc.)

• As I fall asleep at night I consider my gratitude list for the day and say a little prayer about how I am so looking forward to my study time in the morning!  As my alarm clock awakes me, I take a moment to acknowledge how grateful I am to have this time to study and pray.  I know, this is sounding a little idealised... but with practice the prayer becomes genuine, and in the meantime it distracts me as I haul my tired butt out of bed!

• I don't have a fixed agenda when I study, but I do have an idea of how it will unfold.

• Monday - My Bible Lesson, and prayer for church.
• Tuesday - Work on my annual Association assignment (assigned by my Christian Science Teacher.)
• Wednesday - My Bible Lesson, and preparation for upcoming Sunday School class.
• Thursday - My Bible Lesson.
• Friday - My Bible Lesson.

• I keep a journal. It's not a "Dear Diary..." type of thing, but it's pretty and it motivates me.  If I don't have a particular idea in mind to study, I choose an intriguing statement from My Bible Lesson and make notes in my journal about questions, or dictionary definitions that relate. 

• Don't turn on the computer, or check voice mail until after my hour alone - OMG, where did the time go?!  Also, my kids are not aloud to interrupt me if they wake up early.  They check-in and go find something to do until 7:30am (read between the lines... turn on the TV...)

Before I started this habit, I would wonder; "What's the point?" But, I guess the point is that a typical day can be inundated with needs, pressure, distractions... all of which transform from 'big problems' to 'opportunities' when I am in the right head-space. It only takes a few days to notice the benefits of morning study time, and about a month to solidify it into a habit.  I can't tell you what a positive influence this has on my days.

Joyfully studious,
Caz.

Sunday School Wednesdays: Who Licenses You?

The gate to my deck has 2 locks:)

I have a daycare licensing inspection this morning, and while I am prepared practically (just need to put the BBQ cover back on that blew off...) I've been thinking about Licensing this morning from a spiritual point-of-view.

Who licenses me to care for children? Websters defines license as 'consent to', or 'to make possible.'  From a human perspective my local Health Authority enacts the legislation of my provincial government which governs child care facilities.  But, this perspective does not have the strong foundation upon which I would like my license to rest. I mean, buracratic red tape, overwhelming case loads, multiple interpretations of legislation can make us disheartened.

How can I wisely and confidently take a stand against this disheartening perspective? I have found the answer lies in redeeming a human sense of licensing for a spiritual one.  A license is at it's core, an idea.  It is the idea that loving care for children is principled. Such principled love ensures that all involved are cared for: children, caregivers, families, officers & our community.

Care-giving is serious stuff!

As I consider that licensing is an idea, it follows that it is governed by Mind.  This government is loving, principled, spiritual, active, honest & caring - a firm foundation on which I would like my license to rest.  Thinking about my license being governed by Mind, or God, calms any fear about the human expression of licensing being misguided or flawed. It reassures me about the nature of the One who governs me. Equipped with this reassurance I can openly and honestly interact with my licensing officer as a team member. I view her as a partner in making it possible for me to care for children because I am confident where my authority lies.

If I could plagiarize my mission statement for daycare I'd take it from The Message. 



"You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being 'care-ful', you find yourselves cared for.  Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand - shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives."

Matt:5 7, 14, 15.

Who could ask for a better job!? How could I wish I did not have a license when it is the foundation on which my care-giving is built.

Joyfully licensed,
Caz.

Sunday School Wednesdays: Get a life!

Yes, I realize it is Thursday, but in a freakishly linear desire to make sure my 'blog labels' are consistent I am blogging about Sunday School today and pretending it's Wednesday:)


I have been thinking a lot about Sunday School teaching this week and have an almost overwhelming sense of gratitude for the opportunity to think and pray about my church community, and Sunday School, which the position of Sunday School teacher affords me.

The most common response I receive from people when I tell them I've recently started teaching Sunday School is; "Gosh, but you have so much on your plate. Are you sure you have time?"  Absolutely YES! The suggestion (while well intentioned) is that church work can be laborious, and suck the life out of one's free time.  I am finding it to be the exact opposite. Church work is getting a life!

Mary Baker Eddy says; " On the contrary, if aught [anything] comes from God, it cannot be mortal and material, it must be immortal and spiritual." p.479:5-7 Read Science and Health: With Key to the Scriptures online.

Using the dictionary I studied the meaning of the key words in the above quote:

CHURCH WORK IS NOT:	CHURCH WORK IS:
Mortal; dead; death; deadly.	Immortal; life; lively; living.
Material; limited; weak; trying.	Spiritual; limitless; powerful; ordained.

Choosing the right column as my mindset for work enables me to prioritize the work effortlessly. I can't imagine a more enjoyable way to spend my free time - frankly, dabbling in the left column for leisure doesn't sound like much fun to me!!!

Joyfully yours,

Caz.

Sunday School Wednesdays!

Banana Bread

Yay, so I thought I'd come-up with an easy blog entry for Wednesdays. As a new Sunday School teacher for the 5-6 year old class, I was simply planning to share my lesson plan each week (which I write on Wednesdays in preparation for the upcoming Sunday...)

Trouble is, I think this would be a bit misleading. On the one hand, reading other people's lesson plans is not usually very inspiring as you don't get a picture of the intent/feeling behind them.  Also, writing the lesson plan is the least substantial part of my Sunday School prep.

So I'm taking a completely different approach to Sunday School Wednesdays (insert huge collective sigh of relief...) I think I'm going to share what I really do to prepare for Sunday School.  Often times it has very little to do with my lesson topic (we're starting a unit on the Lord's Prayer, by the way) and a lot to do with how I think about children.

For example, I'll start my week cherishing all the qualities I know to be to be true about children. Often while I am considering this an idea will come to mind that could use some more exploration. Some weeks it will be an "issue" I need to pray about (such as a feeling that children can be 'reluctant readers') other weeks it will be a particular quality I want to get a better handle on (such as what does 'innocence' really mean anyway?)  I then spend the week thinking about this idea and exploring references and definitions for it until I have a clearer sense of who children really are.

Although it may be tempting to think this would leave me unprepared for Sunday morning, it has the opposite effect. The details of the lesson plan naturally fall into place. I also don't have too rigid a notion on how the lesson needs to unfold - I simply spend my Sunday morning 'seeing' the result of my clearer sense of children. Hot darn, it is so much fun to spend an hour with these kids - they always say something infinitely more profound that I can come up with in a lesson plan!

Joyfully yours,

Caz.

A mind-map on exploring 'how children are raised' from a week of Sunday School prep.