Just 1 Thing....small and simple.

For today's simplification goal, all I want you to do (and me as well) is write down one small and simple thing you want to do for your children (or nieces, nephews, neighbors, those you serve at church, etc.)  Something that is very important to you. 

Perhaps it's a greater focus on music or reading or teaching how to serve.  Maybe it's cooking comfort meals or spending quality giggle/tickle time with them.  Maybe it's as special as participating with them in one of their hobbies or as simple as asking them one sincere and specific question about their day.  Choose just one thing that is very small and simple.  Write it on a notecard and place it by your bed or on your nightstand where you will see it first thing each morning.  If your goal is specific enough, commit to trying it out.  If it's a general goal, then perhaps create a few smaller and more specific goals that will allow you to feel successful once complete.

Refrain from choosing more than one thing.  It's hard (especially for perfectionists) to pick just one, but if you list 25 things, and then only do one or two (or none because you're too overwhelmed), it will only result in feelings of failure.  Remember, the whole intent of this week is to SIMPLIFY.

Now look at the Master List you made yesterday--remember the 3 headings (Personal, Relationships, and Household)?  Insert this one specific goal under the "Relationship" heading.  If your list is beginning to look too long, reevaluate it.  Do you really need to do and engage in everything on the list, or are there a few things that can be cut out or honed down?  Remember, your small and simple thing you just jotted down may be more important than some of the original things on your list.

Good luck!  And have a Happy Day!

Counting Beans.

 A few years back I had the most marvelous opportunity to live with my family in Portugal serving a mission for our church.  It was indeed the greatest and most shaping experience of my entire life.

While my family remained in the country for three years, I only stayed for two so I could return home for college.  Though leaving my family was one of the hardest things I've eve done, I knew it was necessary for my growth and I knew a new chapter awaited me back home.

As the days were drawing nearer for me to leave my family and my beloved country of Portugal, I wanted desperately to be able to enjoy each and every day.  So I took two jam jars and counted out a number of dry kidney beans to equal how many days I had left.  Then every day I would remove one of the beans and set it in front of the jars, reminding me to enjoy and savor this day to its fullest.  At the end of the day I would take the bean and place it in the other jar, almost ritualistically.  As the beans were slowly but surely transferred from one jar to the other I was saddened, but also grateful for the inspiration to do this small task.  It helped me visually see the days I had left and not waste a single one of them.  A year later when my family was preparing to leave, they followed suit and did the bean countdown to savor each day.

Now, seven years later, I have found another use for dry beans.  This time to inspire a love of reading in my children.  Every time my children read a book or I read one to them, they get to put a bean from the bowl to the jar.  When it is halfway full, I'll take them to the bookstore and they get to pick out a book, and when it is all the way full, they get to buy several books.  I'm excited.  I love books and I hope to be able to foster a love of books in my own little ones as well.

Storytelling

I've always admired those wonderful people who could make up stories in their heads, and tell them to their children with adventure and thrilling action.  I've tried.  For a long while, Little Bear's bedtime stories consisted of a little frog named Rupert who did exciting things.  I think he loved them, but after a few months, my creative juices ran dry and I didn't have any more stories about Rupert left.

It has been two or three years since I've attempted to be a storyteller, but yesterday at snack time I tried again.  Our story started with King Romeo, Queen Juliet, and Prince Fabio.  Episode 1 ended with an action-packed bear attack, and today they will find out the exciting next chapter.  I promised them that every day at snack time we would continue the story.  They were sad yesterday when the story ended, but they are readily anticipating today's snack time after their nap.  They even tried to talk me into storytelling at lunch.  I wanted to keep the snack time tradition, but I agreed to tell them a story from when I was little instead.

I hope this becomes a treasured tradition.

Happy Challenge:

Stories have the ability to transport us to new lands and live adventures safely from the comfort of our own homes.  Is there a little one in your life with whom you could begin storytelling?  There's just something magical about watching a child's eyes dance with wonder as you spin for them tales of glory....