Tonight was blissfully slow. As I relaxed into the moments and allowed slow {surrender} they piled up on top of each other and brought calm, less tension even in my shoulders, a more peaceful head and less of an aching one.
As we wrapped up our slow time, I was astonished at how it was still only a certain time. Ninety minutes had passed and yet it did not feel like we'd lost tons of time or that I had let it go too long.
Here is something I struggle with - I either let slow go too short or too long. Does that make sense? When you let slow go too long it can cause stress and tension later when we don't have enough time left for clean up or to read a story or to finish school or get out the door. Slow needs some boundaries as well.
The girls approached me late afternoon about having an American Girl party. I asked exactly what this entailed and here was the plan:
make Valentine's
watch Samantha
eat supper in the Den with their dolls
decorate with pink, confetti, doilies, sleeping bag, etc...
I agreed as long as they finished their evening chores before this started, which they did.
Samuel wanted me to sit with him and enjoy dinner and the Planes movie. We folded his clean clothes together during the movie and snuggled on the couch. I was ever so thankful that I had Crock Pot Fajitas in and dinner was supremely simple.
Here is the thing. We did not have a slow day by any stretch of the imagination. We started the day with CC followed by piano lessons and three children having their six month dental cleanings. It was a long day. And, I was beat.
I love how God used these ideas of my children to refresh me as well. It was so relaxing and a great ending to a busy day.
Take away from today: slow does not have to be all day, slow with boundaries is just as restorative if not more so. Simplifying dinner by having all my meals somewhat prepped for the week has been supremely simplifying and slowing with major return on my investment of time.
