Tag: simple joy

Simply Better Yourself

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Cheers to a new year of simply bettering yourself!

I’ve been MIA…sorry! Life happens and sometimes not in a good way. I herniated a disc in my back months ago and it took a long time to feel well enough to even want to write again. The pain was tremendous and effected every facet of my life. Yet through it all, I prayed…

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1.

I have come to see that years of putting off taking care of myself is wrong. It hurts myself and my family and there is no excuse. I am blessed with good health and function, yet I take it for granted. I believe I got injured for a reason. I needed pain to stop being in the cycle of taking care of everyone around me before I even thought about what I needed. I stopped needlessly worrying about mundane tasks, unimportant events, and unfulfilling relationships. I focused on what was essential to me and my loved ones.

One of my realizations was that now was the time to simply better myself…little steps each day to physically, spiritually and emotionally make me a stronger person. First up was starting my day with inspiration. Before I got out of bed, I read my devotional, wrote about the things I was grateful for, even when first thoughts were self-pity, anger and disappointment. Yet, I did encourage myself to dig deeper. look wide-eyed around me for all the goodness. Next, I was able to focus on my health…a 10-minute routine from my physical therapist on stretching my body is now what I do before I leave the house! This simple new habit led to joining a local gym so I could get into a warm therapy pool to ease the pain and foster healing even more. Now, I can say I’m a gym-regular and can’t imagine my days without it!! Why do bad things need to happen for us to truly focus on what’s important? I have worn out my emotional ‘battery’ on minutia for years and I am trying to stop because it is truly not worth it.

So, why am I telling you all this?? Because I want you to

Simply Better Yourself!

Seek out 1 small, easy way to make today better for yourself…not for others, but for you! Will you eat a healthier snack, go for a walk instead of watching TV, call a friend to catch up, sign up for that yoga class you’ve been dreaming about, or make a home-cooked meal instead of eating out? What is 1 thing you can do right now to Simply Better Yourself? I am definitely stronger, happier and healthier due to the little changes I strive to make each day. Will you join me?!! ♥︎

Everyday Inspiration in New England

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Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

-Isaiah 26:4

Scituate, MA

Family Style Anniversary

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1 Corinthians 13:4-5 (NIV)

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

I’ve been married 22 years; together 30. Our anniversaries have become family celebrations simply because our marriage gave us a family. Typically, our kids make us dinner. They take such pride in spending time planning, setting a pretty table and cooking together to surprise us. We don’t exchange gifts, but sit around a table filled with love and laughter and simply count our blessings…the greatest gift I could have ever hoped for. ❤︎

Pulling the weeds

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Several summers ago I herniated a disc in my back doing what I love… gardening. Since then, the joy of tending to my flowers ceased. The pain radiating down my leg turned off my desire to garden for a very long time. I watched as weeds overtook beds that I had carefully maintained, curated for years. I hired someone to weed a few times a season but it was not the same as my daily love of the flowers that brought much happiness. It was easier to not look at my yard, not spend time there, disregard it.

That changed this summer and I can’t tell you why. A stirring in me perhaps to move forward, yet back to what I love but have put to the side. It’s been hard, sweat-filled, dirt-covered work and I loved every minute. Yes, I garden differently now, carefully bending with my legs, short bursts of time, not feeling the pressure to do it all at once. Instead, I’ve started the regrowth of my garden, slowly, removing weeds one by one. It’s beginning to flourish right before my grateful eyes. Maybe I’m reblooming too.

Surrounded by Scripture

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I recently discovered artist and inspirational author, Emily Lex. My mother let me borrow her copy of Emily’s book, Freely and Lightly. I read it in a few days, not wanting to put it down, soaking up all the honest feelings, reflections, wisdom, and heart. Her choice of Scriptures resonated with me along with the simple, everyday objects she paints. I ordered her simple and beautiful everyday Truth for Today cards and display them around our home for my family to read, remember, and reflect on. Their honest beauty of words and art fill our home with His presence even in the most unexpected places.

As you can imagine, I bought my own copy of Freely and Lightly!

*Check out Emily’s site to add inspiration to your days.

https://emilylex.com/

Fun Mom

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My youngest recently told me I’m a “fun mom!” When I inquired what makes me fun, she said because I play!! That’s what our kids want and need from us… connection, sincere interest, engagement. Like all mothers, it seems I always have a list of things to do, but her soft voice echos in my head to make sure I leave time to play.❤️

A Small Glimpse of Joy

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My dad has Alzheimer’s. For those of you who love someone suffering from this terrible disease, you understand how sad it is. He hasn’t known me or his grandchildren for years yet times I get a glimpse of familiarity; his hug a little tighter, his smile a tad broader. In my last visit to the facility he’s in I brought my dog. My dad loved Marlton and when he saw him, his eyes twinkled and he chuckled. Did he really remember my dog? I’ll never know. But what my heart feels is that Marlton brought my dad a moment of happiness and unconditional love and that’s all I can hope for these days. 💜

Perfectly Imperfect

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Family sculpture, Oaks Bluff Martha’s Vineyard

My friend, Lori, teasingly points out all the times I feel moments are, “Perfect.” How’s the weather? Perfect. How’s your coffee? Perfect. How’s vacation? Perfect. I didn’t realize how often I said it but then I thought about what it meant. The Oxford dictionary defines perfect as ‘having all the required or desirable elements, qualities, or characteristics; as good as it is possible to be.’ So when I am sitting on a beach, under an umbrella, watching my kids play in the water, the moment to me is perfect. Each of our own criteria for perfection differs so my ideal beach day may be a flop to you.

I realized I’m also quick to capture a perfect moment; not necessarily a whole day but a little snapshot, in the moment kind of way. I’ve come to appreciate those little things that truly are most important…when my husband grabs hold of my hand as we walk the dog through our neighborhood- prefect. When I see my youngest crocheting alongside her nana- prefect.

So, is my life perfect? Absolutely not!! I’m perfectly imperfect right alongside my perfectly imperfect children, husband, and dog. But all our perfectly imperfect moments make me cherish this one and unique life that has been given to me. And that is simply perfect!❤️

Sleepaway Camp

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For several years now, my children have ventured to a one week, religious sleepaway camp on a serene lake in New Hampshire. Days are filled with traditional camp games, bond fires, chatting between bunkbeds, swimming, and making new friends. But they also spend lots of time in a quaint tiny Church beside the lake attending services, reading the Bible, praying, and journaling their thoughts about life as well as their personal relationship with God. My kids LOVE their week at camp. It invigorates their faith, renews the importance of alone time with God, connects Greek Orthodox youth, and simply delights their souls. Sign me up!

Hydrangea Envy Withers

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When I realized my hydrangeas would finally bloom this year I was overjoyed. They’ve sat colorless for years and for whatever reason this season is different. I can’t help but smile every time I see them and simply admire their beauty as they are one of my favorite flowers.

I recently was in Martha’s Vineyard visiting a longtime friend and was in awe of her hydrangeas— at least twice the size of mine… stunning! When I came home to cut some of mine for a bouquet, I couldn’t help but notice how they were not as nice as my friend’s. They were still colorful, but stems were growing at odd angles, blooms were much smaller. I started to look at what was wrong with my hydrangeas, the very ones that brought me so much joy. How sad, right? It’s easy to compare what we have to others but it’s possible to just as quickly appreciate the beauty in what is uniquely, imperfectly ours.

MV hydrangeas

Take 5

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Sunset in the Florida Keys

Lots of things happen throughout the day. Sometimes it’s overwhelming…all the decisions that are being made, all the chores that need to be done, all the places that we need to go. For our kids, it’s the same feeling. Yet, we can take a few minutes to regroup, refocus, and regain our calm. For me, it’s waking up before anyone else to read Scripture and give thanks. At work, it’s closing my door and shutting my lights for a few moments of quiet. While making dinner, it’s putting on 2 CELLOS’ instrumental arrangements to soothe our souls as five of us come together bringing our collective days to the table. When we feel a bit restless or even frantic, we simply “Take 5” and then carry on with a lighter heart. Giving kids a technique that they can use with or without you present will empower them to calm their own spirits and positively refocus their moments. ❤︎

Finding Joy in the Ordinary

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Couldn’t pass up the opportunity to swing as we passed a playground! Simple joy!

With the hustle and bustle of daily life, slowing down to notice the little things is not always on our minds. However, teaching your kids to look all around, can easily increase their happiness. Ingrid Fetell Lee, who wrote, Joyful: The Surprising Power of Ordinary Things to Create Extraordinary Happiness, reminds us how simple it can be.

*Feel the sun and spend time outside

*Notice vibrant colors and the feelings they elicit

*Stop and smell the flowers, literally

*Find ways to play-game of tag or basketball, cards, throw the ball for your pup, cornhole competition

*Develop hobbies

*Choose happy colors for paint, clothes, food

*Embrace quirkiness

*Listen to the sounds of nature

*Celebrate everything big and small

Find out what brings your family joy through Ingrid’s Joyful Toolkit. This is a fabulous dinner discussion and can be revisited as your family grows and develops in each season of life:

  1. Find your joy-Where are you happy? What is joyful about it? Who makes you happy and why? What do you have in your home that brings pure joy? What activities bring happiness to your family? What are your killjoys? What depletes all your happiness?

2. Actively make your joy-Redecorate or rearrange furniture in your home, hang photos/pictures of happy memories, keep useful objects that you adore, bring in plants and flowers, open the curtains for more sunlight. Home is where your heart and happiness are. Wear clothes that make you feel good! Plan activities that you have fun doing. Gracefully say, “No,” to outings, commitments, and afterschool activities that suck all your family’s joy.

“Joy is what makes life worth living” (297). Can you simply add more joy to your everyday life? Try!