Twice last week I was asked, "So what's going on?" and "What's new with y'all?" You know, it's just a common pleasantry that we say and ask, but gosh my answer really got me thinking. Both times I answered "nothing." Nothing is new. Nothing is going on. I imagine that other people might perceive that as incredibly boring. And you know what, they might be 100% correct. I might not have anything new going on but that doesn't mean I'm bored. 
I would say that as a family, we rarely, if ever, take a day off. We always have something planned, but we are not busy. Do you see the difference? We have things to do but it isn't chaotic. It isn't overwhelming. Does that make sense? Hang on, let me just back up for a second.
I would say that as a family, we rarely, if ever, take a day off. We always have something planned, but we are not busy. Do you see the difference? We have things to do but it isn't chaotic. It isn't overwhelming. Does that make sense? Hang on, let me just back up for a second.
I wasn't always a dud. I promise. There was a time where I was so busy that I had to pick and choose what events I could attend. It was so much fun; thrilling & exhausting! At that time in my life I loved having my calendar booked continuously.
At the time I had to choose what I wanted to do, and honestly, that has not changed. I still have to choose. I still pick between events. But now I just say "no". Folks, I say "no" A LOT (something my toddlers taught me? I kid.......kind of ha!) to outside events to focus on the events in our home. Now this is not a dig at people who say "yes" to outside things, and occasionally we also say "yes" to extra things. Alternatively, this is just my explanation for why my life is slower, intentional, simple, and might come across as boring.
I promise we have enough to do, but we aren't anxious about doing it. We don't cram 15 birthday parties into a weekend. We don't have 400 games and practices to go to during the week. You wont find us there. We would much rather focus on our family goals than to rush all over town or make sure we have the right gift and card. It's too much for us to do all of the extra things and still have an abundance of our desired quality time. We can't juggle it all and still have quality time together.
But to simplify, is not to be bored.
I promise we have enough to do, but we aren't anxious about doing it. We don't cram 15 birthday parties into a weekend. We don't have 400 games and practices to go to during the week. You wont find us there. We would much rather focus on our family goals than to rush all over town or make sure we have the right gift and card. It's too much for us to do all of the extra things and still have an abundance of our desired quality time. We can't juggle it all and still have quality time together.
Instead we are home, at the park, or at the library, but we are together as a family, moving at our own pace. Learning together. Serving together. Enjoying each other. We say "no" to extra events and to a full calendar. We simplify obligations.
This deliberate choosing to be present and say "no" to extra allows us to live a life more engaged & less-flustered. So nothing is new; we do the same things we do all the time. Honestly I think at this point in my life I CHOSE to be boring, and I am completely okay like that :-)
