Thoughts On A Chilly Morning
Not even the pile of covers on the bed could keep the cold at bay this morning. My head was the only thing sticking out of the covers and it felt as if you might be able to see your breath in the house, but that is an exaggeration. It just felt that cold. Emery and I both slept so soundly that neither of us woke in the night to put another log on the fire. By early morning the stove was cold. The temperature outside read 22 when the sun finally came over the horizon. The wind chill in the teens. How grateful I was that I had brought in so much wood yesterday.Last night I was thinking about how my house will never be magazine perfect. I have seen wood stoves in magazines but they look unused, and there is never a huge woodpile anywhere near the stove, just a few well sized, good looking logs in a cute log holder. Enough logs to hold ya an hour maybe. Not a piece of kindling around and never any of those "wood crumbs" scattered on the floor that I seem to deal with daily. Nope, our house will never be featured in "home beautiful" ! Its too real, too lived in for that. Sometimes in true womanly fashion I think it would be nice to have it all picture perfect but then I think, that's not who I am. If Christ came to my house for a visit, I would rather have him see first off that its not my home that I am slave to or fashion that dictates the hours of my day. I would rather have him see that my priorities are people, and not things. Now don't get me wrong, I am not advocating that a person have a nasty house to show some sort of priority. You are smarter than that. Balance. I watched a few of those home and garden shows on television not long ago and my only thought was, "wow, watching those just would make a person discontent, wanting what they show. Building castles and treasures here on earth when people are outside going hungry"
I found myself sitting there saying, "that looks nice, wonder if I should consider getting new shelves and replace the ones Emery made." I have come to the conclusion that women sort of look for things to make them discontent with what they have. Magazines, television shows, decorating stores, blogs and the like. How much better it would be for all of us to spend time looking at the things that will make us content, make us feel satisfied with the simple pleasures in life, look for the things that bring us peace of heart, more love for our loved ones and develop compassion for one another. Its harder work to change the inside, the externals, the surroundings are so much easier to change. Even in our crafts, its easier to make a new quilt than it is to piece together our hearts. Its easier to stitch a tea towel, than it is to make amends with our pasts. Why don't we work on both at the same time more often ? Its easier to read a paper back novel than to read words of wisdom and apply them to our lives. The easy roads don't often take us to the most serene places !
Frost on the window pane
Comments
I say no. It is our heart that brings forth happiness. Love fills all emptiness...
if we let it.
Happy New Year!
I'd love to know your thoughts on a blog I've been reading.
Timothy Ferris is a productivity 'guru' who has an amazing carefree lifestyle. He's written a post on 'wintering' overseas, which is superficially a nice idea. He claims that a long stay makes up for the airfares - personally, but even so, I just don't see how I could relocate my family. There's things that I think are important - like growing my own food, and my children's friendships - that just don't fit. Not to mention that airflights are polluting and should be reserved for important travel only. I feel that if I point out my 'issues' it would just seem to them as a 'negative' attitude - wilfully setting up reasons to fail - but I have so many 'alarm bells' ringing on this.
ttp://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/12/31/the-endless-summer-how-to-%e2%80%9cwinter%e2%80%9d-like-old-money/
A well used home is a comfort. I have firewood stacked next to my wood stove, pet hair floating around here and there, thread carried all about the house.
No, my house isn't up for a magazine spread photo shoot either and who cares? What's in our hearts, our relationships, is what matters in life. Sharing our talents and caring hearts with family and community matters.
Leading a simple life is no guarantee that we won't have to problem solve each and every day.
Personally, I need to do good work to keep peace of mind and joy in my heart. Many quilters are like me. Some of us do our best thinking while stitching on a quilt. We may be focused on the person who will receive the latest quilt while wondering how he or she is fairing at the cancer or birthing center where they will receive this gift intended to offer comfort. Or it may end up in the hands of a family member who surely deserves a handmade treasure to bring them comfort and is a symbol of how much we care, we love them and want this quilt to wrap some of our love around them when we can't be there to do it or when saying I love you seems less than adequate.
I believe that busy hands help bring troubled minds peace. I find solutions to life's conundrums among the thoughts and threads that go into each quilt that I sew. If that doesn't work for me, I head out and walk it through...some of us head out to the wood pile from time to time!
There is some thought to be given to how folks deal with life stress (or not) and the emotional dramas that clog our minds like sludge.
Heading to the local bar or retail outlets to deal with troubled minds, personal and family issues tops the list of stress management.
Some folks are unable to recognize what their problems are so they never work through them to become healthier individuals. They suffer a great deal of emotional and physical pain. They become ill. How sad is that?
I wouldn't assume that stitching hands aren't connected to minds busily working toward ways to solve problems, mend fences, count blessings, plan dinner. Who knows what whirls around busy hands?