When this post goes live I should be in Guatemala. So I asked one of my favorite bloggers, Lisa Van Engen (who blogs at About Proximity), to share something with my readers. I love what she came up with!
Joining social networks for me happened after it was the buzz. I agonized over joining Pinterest, but that was 722 pins ago. When my old cell phone fell into the sink, I found myself with an iPhone for the first time. As a writer, almost everything I do revolves around the computer screen. With busy schedules, I talk to my friends via email. When serious prayer requests come in, I receive a text. We encourage through facebook direct message. I promote others work over twitter.
Every moment it feels like something is competing for my attention. When I respond on demand; I usually neglect God, my family, myself, even my work.
I think women are especially prone to not care for themselves. I love Wendy’s idea to nourish her soul during Lent. This is such a beautiful way to honor God and ourselves. When I think about what nourishes my soul the most, I think about unplugging for a period of time each day.
These are soul-nourishing activities I love to do without the noise of media.
1. End the day reading a good old-fashioned book in bed.
2. Take a quiet walk with my family on our favorite hiking trail.
3. Write a note of encouragement to a friend and drop it in the mail.
4. Pull out craft supplies and take time to be creative.
5. Take a nap. (I would nap every day if I could!)
6. Get on the floor and play with my kids, no distractions.
7. Pray in silence, listening to God.
8. Sit down at the table to eat breakfast, lunch, dinner.
9. Go out for ice cream with my family. (I could also eat ice cream every day!)
10. Take time to connect with friends in person.
These moments free of outside noise renew my soul. These quiet moments open up creative space to soak up what I’m experiencing by being fully present. Joy fills the spaces that had previously felt hurried. My soul is nourished and I can move forward with strength.
Lovely post. I don’t think there is anything that cannot be improved with ice cream.
I completely agree!