LovingHim-RaisingThem

Theres no prescription for this.

No formula.

No right or wrong.

No one size fits all.

There is no way to ‘balance everything’ during the coronavirus lockdown. Never before has it been more essential to turn away from comparison and shame, and turn towards hope and grace.

Theres no prescription for how you and your household will get through this time of juggling, work, schooling, all being together all the time, fear, loneliness, the unknown and our own 4 walls.

There is only a dimly lit path that we each must walk.

My encouragement to you is to carve out a bit of time late in the evening or early in the morning where there is no rush, no pressure and no interruption. Get a pen and paper and ask yourself these questions……

(For the sake of example I will show you my unique answers, self reflection is a habit I’ve cultivated over many years and I know some of you won’t find it easy so hopefully it might help, as always its not prescriptive)

Looking back over the last week what has driven me insane!? Not being on my own, the constant noise and being interrupted, the feeling that Im not doing anything well enough, looking at my phone obsessively

What has been good? our daily walks, nice moments as a family, appreciating nature, church online, seeing people help each other, reading.

On the other side of this what would I love to look back and say? That I was kind, and I tried my best, that I focused on what really mattered

What is one small thing I could implement this coming week that would help me towards that goal? To pause before I respond to the kids and Jon, work on responding over reacting. Let it go quickly and forgive myself when I mess up

How will I sustain my spiritual life this week? Practising the examen before bed

How will I help my emotional life this week? Being quick to forgive myself

How will I take care of my physical health this week? drink enough water

What burdens am I carrying, what could I let go of? Let go of striving for perfection, the burden of that….

This isn’t something you might sit and finish in 30 minutes it might be something you ponder over a few days.

This is a practice of intentionality, we’ve lost a lot of our normal rhythms and that is going to be hard for a lot of us. For me my work has gone online and Im busier than ever, it reminds me of years ago when all the kids were preschool and I had to reimagine my walk with God. But reimagining is good. False crutches being swept away is good. God is ever present and closer than our Breath, he is our deepest reality.

I hope this helps!!

Let me know if you do it, or if you need prayer!

Emma x x