Welcome, to Ordinary Days of Small Things!
I'm Kim, the poster child for introverts, nature lover, coffee addict, and classic movie junkie.
As a teenager and young adult I worked hard to fit in with the fast paced world, and eventually landed in a career in retail sales and community relations. But it wasn't long before my mental and physical health began to take a toll, and I realized that I simply wasn't made for such a life.
Thankfully, it was around that time that I became pregnant with our youngest daughter and we made the decision for me to come home. Those years of raising our children, homeschooling, baking, gardening and crafting were some of the happiest of my life, thus far, and it was in that time that my journey for authenticity began.
Now with our "baby" grown and on her own, for the first time ever, perhaps, I feel that the pace of my soul is in sync with my life. I'm learning new things, making new discoveries, and I'm more in touch with myself than at any other time in my life. I'm embracing a new found freedom, and shedding the tangible and emotional weight of stuff and expectations that I have carried for years. It is hard at times, but overall, exhilarating!
These are the things I write about in this space, and it is my ambition to inspire other women in their own journey for authenticity. I believe that regardless of where life finds you, whether you are single, a young mother, a single mom, or an almost-empty nester, like me, that it is important to embrace your strengths as well as your flaws, and be nothing less than the beautiful woman God created you to be.
Living authentically means being intentional with your time and your choices, and for me I find that is best achieved by following these three principles..
❈ S L O W - means exactly that, to slow the pace of life, which I know can be challenging, but it can be achieved! By evaluating your lifestyle, and based upon the season of life you are in, you can quickly determine the things that HAVE to be done. What are the musts in your life right now, and are there areas, (and there are), where you can make adjustments and slow the pace? Then, examine your values. What are the things you value, both as a woman, and a family? And, are you making space for those things?
One of the ways that helps me to slow the pace of life, is observing the seasonal and liturgical cycles of the year. Tradition plays a big part in my life, and in our family, and our days are shaped by the seasons and the liturgy. You'll read a lot about that here!
❈ S I M P L E - do *MOST* of your days flow with ease, or do you feel you seldom accomplish anything you set out to do? Would you consider yourself organized, or do you struggle a little in that area? Overall, I consider myself organized, but unless I'm intentional, things can easily get messy. One thing I've learned over the years is that it takes less time to do something right the first time, than it takes to do it wrong, and it's much less frustrating. If everything has a place, and is in its place, my days flow with ease and I don't spend precious time looking for things. And while I am not as strong in this area, I know that this applies to managing my life as well. If I take the time once a week to plan out my days, and then review those plans daily, I accomplish more and manage my time more efficiently. These are the things, that with a little effort, simplify my life, and I'll be sharing my ideas and resources that I've found useful, many of which I've created myself!
and finally,
❈ S A C R E D - one of my favorite verses from the Bible is Psalm 46:10, "Be still and know that I am God", and thankfully for me, being still comes pretty naturally. I've learned to embrace that moving slow is just how I'm wired, though I do realize that it doesn't come as easily for others, and is definitely not the pace that world revolves at. And yet it is so important, especially with regard to our relationship with our Heavenly Father. It is only in slowing and simplifying that we make room for the sacred, the space to commune with God. That is why I have established what I refer to as my "Sacred Start" to every day. This includes a time of meditation, communion, prayer, affirmation, journaling and exercise, a routine that I am committed to six days a week, with the seventh being a sabbath day of rest. But I'll be honest with you, it's this area that I struggle with the most, because like so many of you, it's just too easy to pick up my phone to check the time it is and then before I know it, I've spent an hour on Facebook or Instagram, and it's past time to get started on my to-do list. And yet I know how important this is, and how much better my days flow when I am intentional with how I spend my time in those first few hours of my day.
Making space for the sacred quiets and slows my soul, and a quiet soul makes for a simpler life. In the end they are each part of a seamless cycle, each element making way for the next.
S L O W ❇︎ S I M P L E ❇︎ S A C R E D
These are the governing principles of my life, and most everything I share with you in this space will touch on one or more of them. It is my prayer that you will be blessed and inspired by my offerings, that that you will join me here, frequently!
Please feel free to leave comments and share a little about your own journey, so that I can get to know you better. I'd especially love to hear if something you read or an idea or resource I shared inspired and motivated you, or if you have questions, please let me know!
Until then, my friends, I pray that you live you every day of your life from a core of authenticity and move into the fullness of all that God created you to be!
- Kim
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