Sunday, March 22, 2009

Takin' It Easy


Oh, how I love me some sunshine.

This past sunny Friday afternoon the kids and I did something we rarely do.

We hung out.

I know, I know. How abnormal is THAT, you're asking yourself. Very. Usually the minute we walk in the door after school I am barking out orders. Take a shower! Do you homework! Pick up your rooms! Choose tomorrow's clothes! No T.V.! Read your books!

Usually I'm zooming around the kitchen emptying the dishwasher, making lunches for the next day, signing school folders, folding laundry so the kids have clean underwear for the next day, and attempting to prepare something that resembles a healthy dinner.

Bossy mommy? Maybe. Task-oriented? Perhaps. But, this all works for us and the kids' strict 7pm bedtime.

But not Friday. Friday when we got home we went out to the back patio. It started with the 3 little Indians just jabbing these pinwheels into the rock-ridden ground we call flower beds here in the Hill Country. Gotta love the Dollar Tree.




Our small task morphed into a major goof-off session on the patio.
Goldfish, wine, and all.



Priya grabbed her camera (as usual), and the photo sessions began. It helped that we had "High School Musical 2--Nonstop Dance Party" blaring from the patio speakers. Definitely inspired us to strike a pose.

My pretty girl.



Priya got a hold of the camera, and, being the shutterbug that she is, she began non-stop picture-taking. Snap, snap, snap, snap, snap....



Who knows what got into me (maybe it was the Pinot Grigio...), but at one point I felt a cartwheel was in order.



Then I decided to bust a move. Priya just kept on shooting.



I tell ya what--after the last month I've had, cutting loose like this was like a cool drink of water. The Walk to Emmaus begins this Thursday, and all of the planning since October is about to come to fruition. God is in control, for sure, but I think He did call me to this leadership role with the sole purpose of having me learn to lean on Him a bit more...not just for the Walk but for everything in my life. I can only pray that on Sunday, March 29th--when the weekend is over-- He will be smiling down on all of us...thinking, "Well done, good and faithful servants."

As I sat on the patio (and did cartwheels and busted a geriatric move) I remembered two powerful posts that have stuck with me this week. Both Catherine and Heather prompted us to ask ourselves who we are more like...Mary or Martha. If you don't know this story in the bible, Mary is a woman who took the time to sit and just "be" when Jesus came to visit. Her sister, Martha, chose to do all the busy little tasks she thought needed to be tended to when Jesus entered their home.

I am a Martha. Plain and simple. Sometimes I choose it. Sometimes it's just the way it has to be given my current season of life. I don't always like it. But, often it's something that cannot be helped.

Friday, however, I am happy to report that I was a Mary. I didn't worry about bedtimes, baths, homework, or the house chores that are still undone. I didn't freak out about all of the Emmaus details that were weighing on me that day. The kids and I laughed, acted silly, laughed some more, relaxed, breathed in the fresh hill country Spring air, soaked in some rays, and enjoyed one another.

Yes, it was only one day. Since then I've been consumed with finalizing plans for the big weekend. But, hopefully, I'll recall how good it felt to just hang out and do it more often. Hopefully I'll revisit that state of mind known as living in the moment. Hopefully I have begun to form a habit that will become more familiar to me after the Walk weekend has come and gone.

For I cannot imagine anything but good coming from more time spent just takin' it easy.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

You are 100% AMAZING!!! Good Luck with your walk :o) Hugs.....

Heather said...

I love the pics of you busting a move! Girl, you rock, (and you are so NOT geriatric!).

Best of luck on the Emmaus walk. Glad you had such a great "Mary" day.

There's just something about spring, isn't there? Love it.

Shalet said...

Looks like a wonderful time was had by all! I can't get over the 7:00 pm bedtime. Usually I'm the one asleep before the kids.

A house with quiet adult time? Is it possible? I may have to wait until they move out!

:o)

patty said...

what a great day! i love your free-spiritedness, "Martha"! and they are great photos...

Dawn said...

great post. you look lovely, I am glad that you are feeling back to normal. will you guys come to jackson's party? Maybe you can make a AH day of it - central market, party and paloma blanca...

Dancing Queen said...

the "walk" is SOOOO lucky to have you as a leader...i tried to find out more info on it, but didn't get a true idea of what it is...i'd love to hear more from you about it...is it similar to an ACTS retreat??

annie would love a camera & digital is the way to go...what kind does priya have?? looks like such fun!!

have a great week!! happy monday!

sojourner said...

a touch of spring fever eh? watch for a thread from that moment that will be woven there into the walk and it will be the voice of God whispering in your ear sweet Mary girl :0) i'll have to schedule a shoot with Priya for some fun pics - how much does she charge?

Ashley said...

How fun! I think Priya is a better photographer than me. Haha!

Quirky Mess said...

Isn't amazing how wonderful kicking back and doing NOTHING can be? Except that doing nothing can mean EVERYTHING sometimes.
OK. That's enough philosophy for today. I'm spent.

You are too much fun, my friend. And that back patio of yours has tremendous fun potential! It's just a good time waiting to be had!!!

Quirky Mess said...

Oh, hey, forgot to ask... is the Christmas/Valentine tree now an Easter tree, Martha??? ;-)

mama's smitten said...

You seem like a fun mommy!I try to be like Mary!

Anonymous said...

you're just too cute!

the walk is HERE! sure wish it was in the cards for me to be there... the amzing time it will be!

just an fyi... i have been trying to work it so i can do the one in July! :) oh i sure hope!

i will be thinking of you... all of yall... and the special weekend!

thank you for your swwet card... :)... most important... THANK YOU for letting me make those crosses!

love & hugs!

HiHoOhio said...

BREATHE!

Anonymous said...

Hi There!!

I wish I had known about the walk, but I just found your blog. I am in San Antonio, so maybe next time I can attend. :)