Busy

Interesting article. DH and I were discussing being too busy just the other day. It seems as though we see each other only on the way to dropping exhaustedly into bed. We are changing that, so this article caught my eye. via The Nester.

Consider this Helpful Guide to Becoming Unbusy:

1. Realize that being busy is a choice. It is a decision we make. We are never forced into a lifestyle of busyness. The first, and most important, step to becoming less busy is to simply realize that our schedules are determined by us. We do have a choice in the matter. We don’t have to live busy lives.

2. Stop the glorification of busy. Busy, in and of itself, is not a badge of honor. In fact, directed at the wrong pursuits, it is actually a limiting factor to our full potential. It is okay to not be busy. Repeat this with me: It is okay to not be busy.

Number 6:

Cultivate space in your daily routine. Take time for lunch. Find space in your morning to sit quietly before starting your day. Invest in solitude, meditation, or yoga. Find opportunity for breaks at work in between projects. Begin right away cultivating little moments of space and margin in your otherwise busy day.

These are all great suggestions. As an Orthodox, solitude and meditation on the Holy Trinity, Holy Scriptures, Icons, and the lives of the saints is good -- I reject the practice of yoga, because the practice of the positions was built for specific spiritual goals. Said much better here:

“All the four Vedic Samhitas refer directly or indirectly to the yoga system and the yoga traditions. In the first three Samhitas there are direct as well as indirect references to Yoga.
But the ATHARAVAVEDA gives the clear conception of Yoga describing the eight mystical circles (Chakras) and the nine gates of the human body – the golden sheath and the mystical wheel containing the thousand spokes. Therefore, it may be held that the Vedic seers and sages were aware of the nature, importance and implication of the practical aspects of Yoga.”

That being said, I tolerate Orthodox persons practicing yoga: in other words, I cannot judge them. Their practice is between them and their priest.

Uncompromising

Seen on Facebook:

Living the Evangelical Life of the Gospels

Monks are not necessarily holy, but by vocation are attempting to become holy. The world is constantly asking for compromised, but the monk tries to live a life that is an ancient ideal, where Christ reigns in the heart and the world is kept at bay. Monks enter into the evangelical life of the gospels, attempting to live in fullness and simplicity the teachings of Christ, not compromised by the demands of the world.

The "angelic" life of the monk is one that all Christians are called to live, for as a people who bear the Name of Christ, we are called to holiness. We are a people who are called to live in imitation of Christ, Who as the Great Teacher and God-Man, revealed the Father to us. He has called us out of the darkness of this fallen world, and has invited us to participate in the light of the Kingdom of God.

Love in Christ,

Abbot Tryphon 
All-Merciful Saviour Orthodox Christian Monastery
Vashon, WA

 

Overheard

"Should be" and "is" are two different things.

Strength

DH and I were roaming the nearby bookstore, and came across the book "Strengthfinder 2.0."
(I am an Amazon associate, so if you click on the link, you will access Amazon through my associate page. I will get a small credit for anything you buy through this link, at no cost to you.)

It's an interesting book. DH said he had taken the survey years ago, and thought I should, too.

Each book has a one-use code in it that accesses the survey on their website.

My top five strengths, according to this survey are:

• Strategic
• Intellection
• Relator
• Connectedness
• Learner.

Not only are the strengths revealed, but also a suggested action plan to enhance the use of each of the strengths.

For instance, one suggested point from the Strategic action plan is: Trust your intuitive insights as often as possible. Even though you might not be able to explain them rationally, your intuitions are created by a brain that instinctively anticipates and projects. Have confidence in these perceptions.

I have always regretted not going with my intuition about things...

For Intellection: List your ideas in a log or diary. These ideas will serve as grist for your mental mill, and they might yield valuable insights.

I carry around a leather bound green book, to keep track of ideas, thoughts, observations. I keep my green book with me at all times, and it has become such a positive part of my life, even DH will ask if I have my "green book" with me when we talk about our hopes, dreams, and plans for the future.

If you're into this sort of introspection, I highly recommend Strengthfinder 2.0. For less than $20, you can't go wrong.

Happy Mother's Day

I miss you, Mama.

Persecution

from FoxNews:

...In 2003, Iraq’s Christian population was at least one million. Today fewer than 400,000 remain—the result of an anti-Christian campaign that began with the U.S. occupation of Iraq, when countless Christian churches were bombed and countless Christians killed, including by crucifixion and beheading. 

The 2010 Baghdad church attack, which saw nearly 60 Christian worshippers slaughtered, is the tip of a decade-long iceberg.

Now, as the U.S. supports the jihad on Syria’s secular president Assad, the same pattern has come to Syria: entire regions and towns where Christians lived for centuries before Islam came into being have now been emptied, as the opposition targets Christians for kidnapping, plundering, and beheadings, all in compliance with mosque calls telling the populace that it’s a “sacred duty” to drive Christians away.

Chick of the Week

Photo (from the overloaded phone) of the wall tile in the bathroom in the home we're renting.
Do you see the chick? 

Breedist

 

From Mr Vanderleun's KaChing, (Source: miss-andrea, via the-liberty-republican)

Overheard

"The only person that likes change is a wet baby, and sometimes not even then."