40 Days of SPS ~ Day 3

SPS Notes: Day 3

I am so very tired this evening, so I’ll make this quick.

I have a hard time thinking of things to write on the SPS under “things I get to enjoy today.” But yesterday Lola’s adorable, hilarious, sweet prayer before dinner would have made the list if I had imagined it beforehand. And I knew that she was going to have a hard time falling asleep last night because of the afternoon nap, but we had a wonderful one-on-one time after the boys were in bed. She was talking non-stop and being so silly while she played next to me and I lay on the couch reading (The Once and Future King, which I am also enjoying and also tied in seamlessly with the boys writing assignment today). It was lovely. She went to bed around 10:30, and I was in bed by 11pm. Better than my old routine (midnight or later).

This morning went fairly well. Giving myself a very specific ultimatum has helped: Clothes set out night before. One snooze. Up at 6am. Bed made immediately. Shower before anything else. Bible study next—on the couch, before going into my office. Fill out SPS at my desk before getting kids up. Limit computer use while working on the day’s life-coaching exercise.

I had a much better day with the kids. God gave me grace that I was able to extend to them. We’re still working out the “school” routine. It’ll get there.

We had friends over for a relaxing visit this afternoon for a couple hours. I enjoyed the chatting time. (We’ve been doing so much better at picking up after ourselves and cleaning somewhat as we go along and I chose to let other things go, so it wasn’t as big of a deal to have company over as it usually is.)

Russ left for swimming at 4:30 with Levi and Luke, right at the end of our social time. I took Leif to AWANAS at 6:30. The other boys arrived home from swim at 7:30 (yes, that late), and we had dinner. Then it was clean-up and bedtime routine. Levi, Luke, and Lola were in bed around 8:30ish while Russ went to pick up Leif. He (Leif) was in bed a short time later.

I’m trying to wrap up my evening tasks before heading to bed with my book. I might not make it very far, considering the current weight of my eyelids.

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Today’s life coaching exercise consisted of writing out the various roles I play in life and establishing a vision for each role. Again, I’m finding the act of writing out these exercises to be very different from just thinking about them as abstract ideas. Maybe it is that I’ve never been much of a journal-writer, so the experience is a fresh one for me. I think I have nothing to write, and then the ideas come with the physical act of writing. Very curious.

It may take me two days to complete the exercise, however, because I do want time to contemplate the idea. Vision statements seem like weighty things. I am pleased to note that what I did get down on paper fit perfectly with the off-the-cuff life theme I wrote on Monday as well as my personality strengths. I can only hope that means I’m headed in the right direction. {grin} Maybe I’ll have a chance to share more specifics tomorrow.

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Inspiration for “Living a Good Story”

A friend (thanks, Misha!) shared the above quote with me this afternoon. It is perfect, especially considering N.T. Wright has been quoted several times in the book I’m reading for Bible study.

::  14 Quotes About Writing from John Green @ Mental Floss (ha!):

8. On Writing & Storytelling

“Writing is something you do alone. It’s a profession for introverts who wanna tell you a story but don’t wanna make eye contact while telling it”

::  Dwelling in Possibilities by Mark Edmundson @ The Chronicle of Higher Education. This one is a long article, but some very interesting points are made here that will make tomorrow’s life-coaching exercises (“to attend” and “to inhibit”) more vivid.

“They want to study, travel, make friends, make more friends, read everything (superfast), take in all the movies, listen to every hot band, keep up with everyone they've ever known. And there's something else, too, that distinguishes them: They live to multiply possibilities. They're enemies of closure. For as much as they want to do and actually manage to do, they always strive to keep their options open, never to shut possibilities down before they have to."