Steady Mom

what just happened here?

Choose peace today...in spite of the crazy surprises life throws your way.

I'll be back when the snow clears!

What Choosing Peace Does NOT Mean

Wow, friends! I wasn't exactly expecting this level of response to a post I quickly typed out in 20 minutes. I'm humbled, and grateful, that so many of you resonated with our deep need to choose peace in our days...and the challenge it can be to do so.

The message I felt coming across in the comments ran the gammut from "Yes, I want this!" all the way to "Right, but I can't just sit around all day now can I?"

I think Kelly summed the struggle up well when she said:

"Peace is certainly something I long for and anything that can be done to achieve it is considered. However, is it peaceful to have clutter all around? Or not be able to find clean clothes? Or have to order pizza because nothing has been thawed for dinner?

Maybe that means I need to do this more so than others, but I'm still searching for that balance between "getting it all done" and enjoying the day to day challenges. In my mind, once it's all done, I can relax and have peace."

Kelly brings up very good points, so just to clarify...

Here's what choosing peace does NOT mean:

Do this today and change everything.

A few days ago I sat down in the morning, per my usual routine, to make my daily to-do list. As often happens, there were more items to do that day than there was time for the doing.

Anxiety and overwhelm began to threaten me, though I tried to ignore their taunts.

Still the nagging thought kept creeping back, "How exactly am I going to get all this done?"

Suddenly God whispered to my heart. What He said surprised me, changed my outlook, and altered the entire direction of my day--of all my days. He said,

Questions & Answers: Moving to the Country

Since we announced our plan to move, a handful of readers have written me (either by email or in the comments) to ask a few questions. Instead of trying to answer them individually, I decided to reply to you all as a group.

We just unpacked the last box Sunday--that's right, we finished in just over one week, and that includes hanging pictures on the wall! My rockstar husband moved the process along, and the fact that we had seriously streamlined our possessions beforehand really helped.

Moving along to some of your questions:

* I can't believe you moved! I thought you loved your other house.

We totally did. I think, though, that what we loved even more than the house, was the story of the house. Life is all about story, after all. And story made us fall in love with this new space--story, connection, relationships, and God moving our family into a new season.

* What do you mean "birthing room?" You had better be pregnant! Don't bait us with "birthing room" if it's going to be for lambing season!