Decision Fatigue

I've thought a lot about Emily Freeman's term: decision fatigue. We are presented with thousands of choices on a weekly basis and it is no wonder we are tired in this area.

Frequently I need to remind myself of another common phrase she uses, "Doing the next right thing." Sometimes my next right thing is simply to get out of bed or brush my teeth, it is to get dressed and face the day ahead or pick up the phone and make that hard phone call. Doing the next right thing might mean inviting a friend to lunch or canceling something on my schedule to lighten my load. It might mean spending time at home with my family or tackling a task I've put off for too long only to be energized by how little time it really takes me. You know those tasks right?!

Emily has a new book coming out in April on this very topic and there are some great pre-order bonuses including free access to an online course complete with workbook. I love workbooks, do you? Filling in those blanks feels very satisfying to me and like I'm completing something! And I find such value in writing things down because this is one layer of learning a new thing.

I just pre-ordered both Emily's new book and also Placemaker: Cultivating Places of Comfort, Beauty and Peace by Christie Purifoy. Ordering a book is like giving a hug to the author - it cheers his/her work and cheers them on in what is often a solitary calling.

I'm straying from my original topic, but this is how my brain works so let's go with it! Buying a book can sometimes feel like decision fatigue - there are so many great books out there and so many books I want to read, but do I have time to read them all and will I want to keep them and/or re-read them?

This question's answer goes in spells for me as I usually try to read a book for free by getting it from the library or borrowing from a friend. But then at other times, I decide to take the plunge, order the book and pass the blessing on to a friend when I'm finished with it.

Since getting home from Christmas, I've been very intentional about reading books that were already on my nightstand waiting to be read before checking books out from the library. I notoriously check out too many books and don't have time to finish them all, while books on my nightstand get paused because they don't have a due date. I have four more books to finish and my nightstand stack will be caught up! Am I the only one who does this?

Since we are talking about ordering books, it reminds me that for the past few years, I've waited until summer to see what has accumulated on my Amazon wishlist. Then I pick two or three books I've been wanting to read and order them right before we go camping. This has become a fun tradition and treat to look forward to and I've read some great books this way plus it is summer so I have more time and brain power to invest in new ideas!

All of this reminds me how much I love to read, and what a gift it is to be able to read and to enjoy stories, ideas and beautiful images. I love a variety of books - but Christian fiction is probably my number one category.

Well, this post has gone a direction I didn't expect! Would love to hear your thoughts on decision fatigue, books and reading!

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Refreshing my Perspective

One thing that time away from home does for me is refresh my perspective. I don't know about you but I can get into tunnel vision when my surroundings are the same every day. I can start to over-think the same things and have a hard time seeing through the wider lens to the larger view.

Seeing new things can inspire, re-energize and spark new ideas and creativity. It can be a new way of thinking and can require me to be flexible and open to new things.

This was my second visit to Magnolia Market - and it was a joy to be reminded of sweet memories shared here the first time! Getting off the plane almost three years ago and having my Dad call and tell me how glad he was that we were getting to do this girls trip. Spending time with my mom and sister and two close friends. Staying in a Fixer Upper house. My heart is still full about this three years later!

I am beyond blessed to have been able to go a second time and I am so grateful for God providing a way for this to happen. I've worked hard at some freelance work and such to be able to do this extra thing this year and He has allowed it to be possible!

We started each day slowly and then with quiet, reflective time through prayer and His Word, writing prompts and sharing of ourselves and our writing. To write something on the fly and then share it is humbling and stretching but also felt creative and inspirational. We all piled onto these chairs and cushions and shared beautifully and openly of both our stories, our callings and our hopes for writing. This gift of vulnerability and being heard, welcomed and received was a blessing. To know we have all committed to one year together and to see how we are similar and how yet how we are different.

Not every piece of life is photogenic or inspirational, but all these pieces make up our stories. Who we used to be, who we are, who we are becoming. Through this refreshment of perspective, I'm reminded to remember the difference between the temporal {earthly} perspective and the eternal {heavenly} perspective. I can get very bound up in my earthly view - but what I want is a view toward the finish line - the ultimate prize that I look forward to: being welcomed into Heaven to spend eternity with Jesus.

How does your perspective need refreshed today? Aside from a trip - how can you refresh this perspective by taking a walk, grabbing coffee with a friend or reading something from a different point of view?

Retreating

Being within walking distance of the Silos Bakery was definitely a treat! Being able to bypass long lines by waking up and heading over just as they opened felt both fun and efficient!

Retreats always seem idyllic as we "retreat" from daily expectations and focus on different things like rest, inner work, fun and friendship. Gathering in person with friends I only know from our online monthly calls was a step outside my comfort zone but I'm so glad I took that step!

It felt decadent to do something like this for myself - and a little scary too - catching flights, getting a rental car, picking up new friends and navigating unfamiliar roads are all a little daunting! But in times like this we can often see God's hand more readily because we are in such new territory and relying on Him in greater proportion!

Pulling up to the adorable house we stayed in and having the sweet lead of our group throw open the door felt like such a warm welcome and friends, that is what I want this place to be for you each time you come - a place of warm welcome and one that leaves you feeling refreshed and grateful.

Side note and interesting fact: we asked how many cupcakes they bake every day. Get ready for it: 4,000-5,000. A.DAY. My mind has been trying to figure out how this is humanly possible every day since.

By faith, I bought cupcakes for my family in hopes of them making it through airport security - it was a risk, but I'm happy to say they made it through! It was fun to be able to surprise them with a fun treat!

Enjoy a few photos of the bakery!

February/March Goals

February Goals:

- make microwave heat bags for Emily and Rachel - I got one of these in a swap box years ago and we have all be fighting over it during chilly days!
- Attend Writing With Grace retreat in Waco!!!
- Celebrate our 15th Anniversary!
- Celebrate Valentine's Day as a family.
- Finish the last two chapters of my second book
- Have a girls day out with Emily and Rachel
- reduce expectations and pull back where I can
- continue Quiet Time
- I'd like to continue walking and logging in My Fitness Pal as well

Update: I completed all of these except one! Logging my meals in My Fitness Pal went by the wayside and I didn't get as much walking in as I wanted, but I'm so grateful for all of the being present I was able to do this month.

Looking back over my goals, that is really one of the big themes - celebrate our anniversary: being present, celebrate Valentine's Day: being present, day out with the girls: being present, Writing Retreat in Waco: being present.

Quiet Time has been harder to maintain this month but I have found pockets of Quiet Time even if it wasn't 30 minutes on the timer in the afternoon.

March Goals:

- follow up on an idea of how to get my book back on Amazon
- try a British Baking Show recipe once a week with the girls
- eat at least one salad every day
- drink more water!

I'm purposefully keeping my goals shorter this month as I don't feel like I can keep up on much extra right now! What are your goals for this month?

Writing With Grace Retreat

I don't think I've actually said much about the fact that I've been part of a writing group these past six months. If you are a subscriber to my prayer newsletter or in my Prayer Facebook group - you've heard about it but here on my blog I haven't mentioned it much. But I'm going to change that right now.

Being in the Writing With Grace Mastermind group this year has really been a gift for me, a gift I didn't even know I needed or wanted. I came upon the info about it last summer very near the deadline to apply and just prayed like crazy for God's will to be done either way. By His grace, He has allowed me to have this experience of being in a small intentional group of writers this year and we still have six months to go!

All but a few of us traveled from around the country and met up in Waco this past weekend for our retreat.

We aren't even a full day into our retreat as I'm writing this and already it has been a beautiful mix of rest, refreshment and soul nourishment.

I'll have more pictures and fun to share soon!

Slow Day

Hope When it Hurts
The Wingfeather Sequel
Boyfriend Cookies from I Heart Naptime - one of my favorite and most used cookbooks
Re-watching British Baking Show
Anniversary dinner complete with rainbow!

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Slow Day

Breakfast Casserole
Scooping granola into jars {side note: Rachel saw this on my list the day before and I didn't get it done before the end of the day when I had a meeting, while I was gone to my meeting she mixed it together and was finishing it up when I got home! LOVE!}
Reading: The Warden and The Wolf King and the Daily Bible
Spring pops up in our backyard.
Baking sugar cookies for Valentine's Day: the girls have been itching to use piping bags - they did so well! That piping is theirs not mine!!!
A beautiful sky at sunset!
Everyone but Daddy stayed up late and played Life! We giggled and had such a fun time together it was worth every minute of staying up late. I think I got this game for my 13th birthday and I still remember my Mom staying up late that night to play it with me - sweet memory!

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