Wednesday, October 5, 2011

clearing space


Today the weather is warm and dry and the leaves are brilliant as they signal the coming of winter. They remind me to use my time wisely and notice what is beautiful while it is here, in this moment. I'm grateful to the leaves today.

Dave and I are busy today clearing clutter and getting ready for the long winter ahead. I'm focusing on preparing a welcoming environment for writing and praying. It's a reflective process for me. Writing and praying are at the heart of what I want my life to be about. How can I make space for them and clear out the things that compete for my attention?

So I'll ask you. What helps you to write and pray (or anything else that is important to you)? How do you create an environment that helps you to do what you're most called to do?

16 comments:

  1. wow T. tough question. i really need to start paying attention to that. usually it has to hit me over the head before i notice. good questions to ask ones self... thanks for the reminder.

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  2. sounds like you are already doing just what you need. but I find it is always helpful, no matter what, to obey "nana's first rule of everything", which is: slow down. I'll be looking forward to see what comes out of your new focus!

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  3. maybe we could ask these questions together. that might be fun. :)

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  4. oh, marcel, you kind of snuck in there. thanks dear. and i think that's terrific advice. nana must have been a genius.

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  5. it would be very fun. hmmmmm....

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  6. I heard something good recently - instead of prioritizing what's on your schedule, try scheduling your priorities first. Whenever I have done this, I've never missed what had to go in order to make room for what stayed. Sounds like you're standing at the foothills of quite an adventure. :)

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  7. thanks cheryl. that sounds like it would be really productive. i'll let you know what comes of it.

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  8. I'm still in the process of nailing the creating-space-for-prayer thing down, but what I've been doing lately is sitting comfortably, closing my eyes, and taking as many deep breaths as I need to in order to feel calm and peaceful. Before I even start in praying, I'll invite all the members of the Trinity to be present -- and make myself present to them. Like I said -- still so far from perfect at this, but I'm already amazed at what it's done four my prayer life.

    And I write in chaos. Working on that one, too. Wanna come help clear out some spaces here when you're done there?? ;o)

    Love that picture -- brilliant autumn colors!!

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  9. kirsten: i'm thinking february would be a good time for me to come and help you create a writing/prayer space. that should be about the time that i'm tearing my hair out from the cold and snow and i'll bet florida would be just the thing. :)

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  10. Terri, if you come help Kirsten create some writing/prayer space in February, you'll get to meet little Austen Brielle! (And me!)

    I love this question that you asked. Even more, I love that you're asking it of yourself and actively seeking to answer it.

    Everything is better for me when I take time for my morning quiet. I'm learning that I do best when I don't have anything scheduled until the afternoons because then my morning can be dedicated to prayer and writing.

    When I go too many days without that prayer and writing time, it shows. I become so much more hollow inside, and so much more melancholy.

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  11. christianne: i hope you don't imagine that i didn't think of that as i was commenting. i'd love to meet you, finally, and to meet that little judo expert of a baby.

    i've got to become more of a morning person. when i hear you talk about your morning quiet it makes me feel a sense of longing. i'm such an unstructured person and i think i would really benefit from more discipline around my waking and sleeping.

    thanks for your voice.

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  12. And oh my goodness, can I tell you how much I despise auto-correct?? I know the difference between "four" and "for" -- really.

    And we've got a spare room!! You're welcome anytime. :o)

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  13. Honestly, it's easiest for me to clear space, both mentally and physically, when I have a schedule. If my body and mind become "programmed" enough, it's easier for me to stop and pray and be creative. Otherwise, all of the little fires to put out create a tyranny, and I never get to what I really want.

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  14. sarah: i think you're onto something here. i've always thought of living without a schedule as a kind of freedom, but really it's tyranny. oooh, good reframe. and if i combine this with cheryl's suggestion, i would schedule the most important things before anything else.

    i'm getting excited.

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  15. Terri, I have lived most of my adult life longing for freedom from the schedule. Over the last couple of years I've been given just that, and at first I was reveling in it because I was simply exhausted from all my doing. But, now I'm seeing that as long as I'm working toward meaningful work that I'm fully engaged with, schedules are ever so helpful. I have to keep a watch on it, tho, so I don't end up back at the place of exhaustion. :)

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  16. I love the conversation happening here about schedules and whether or not they're helpful. It seems like such a fine line! I've been learning a lot lately about how certain structures can guide us and help us, and that's been really helpful to me.

    And yes, I figured you knew a February visit would include some of those extra perks ... but I couldn't help exclaiming my excitement at what that would mean. :)

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