Embracing Summer

Allowing it to guide my pursuit to find, practice, and create balance.

I find delight in summer's teachings: that certain things are best done at certain times, creating a natural rhythm and balance throughout the day.

It's a gentle reminder that not everything can be done at once. That we live in an existence filled with limitations as much as opportunities.

Limitations on what is possible in a life for each one of us.
Yet, an array of endless opportunities and possibilities to learn, try, do.

These are the struggles I face, and I bet you do too sometimes.

It's 10 Am Dear Loved Ones, and it's already 100 degrees.

This direct sun and heat of Arizona summer forces me to adjust from all day yard work to mornings and evenings to complete outside items.

Feeding, Cleaning, Gardening, Yard, Animal Enrichment, and whatever needs getting done mornings.

From weeding, trimming, digging, composting, planting, lifting, wrestling, to harvesting crops and bunny poop—though admittedly not at the same time.

Bringing me to cleaning Nutmeg's area.

Then on to possibly draining kitchen sink water for watering plants.
—(By hand currently. Very excited for our kitchen project!)

Then dishes and dishes or loads and loads of laundry.
—Much more than I think most people might expect from a house of only two humans.

Any and all this while maintaining a close and watchful eye on the adult kitties and kittens enjoying outside exploratory, bird, lizard, and bug watching, chase each other around the yard while Nutmeg the bunny munches, bounces, and taste tests all around the yard time.

Whatever needs doing before the heat settles in for the day.

As needed and mostly in the evenings, I strive to explore a Meditative, Prayerful, and Contemplative watering time—(More like thinking of all the many, Many, MANY things to do time 😂).

Then there's inside tasks, ideas, goals, and responsibilities.

• Cleaning.
• Organizing.
• Repairs.
• Meal preparation.
• Projects that have waited patiently for days, weeks, months, or yes ... even years.
  
  Not to mention,
  —the garage.
  
  Someday, brothers and sisters. Someday...

Life is full. Very full!

It's a blessing, and also a lot to balance.

Those things listed are just the tip of the daily iceberg.

And if I know one thing, it's that most, if not all, of us are incredibly busy! Overloaded with the daily tasks and moments that take up our lives.
Overbooked with the living moments that make up our lives.

We all carry our own versions of responsibilities, callings, burdens, and blessings. Yet, two crucial questions remain (at least two):

How do we establish and maintain balance? And are we spending time on what matters most—focusing on the moments that make up our lives, rather than the tasks that just take them up?

That's why I'm leaning in Dear Loved Ones.

I'm leaning in to the guidance of the season and the Ruach Hakodesh (Holy Spirit) to help me learn balance.

I'm treating summer and time as a wise counselors reminding me of something I'd rather not accept as truth: I can neither do everything nor be everything or everywhere.

Summer brings truth front and center through heat and sunlight that impose limits whether I like them or not.

Beyond that, time is an irreplaceable resource.

Each force me to choose when, how, and what things I need and am able to do.

Inside or outside?

If outside, morning or evening.

Work or rest?

Project or relationship?

Website, Discipleship, Self-care?

Sure, these and many other things can cross or perhaps even collide, but sometimes a clear and definite choice must be made —garden or errands?—and in the end I believe that balance is fluid.

Perhaps balance is more like water than a landing.

Something living.

Something moving.

Something that requires continual assessment and adjustment.

In Shannon Lee's Be Water, My Friend, she discusses the shape and flow of water, what water has to teach us, and how to be like water ourselves. It's been a little while since reading it, but perhaps it's high time to pick it up again.

Speaking of balance in all things.

Time to read, explore, learn, laugh, and enjoy living are essential ingredients, or pillars, or pieces of the balance equation, puzzle, wheel, and any other metaphors we want to further explore.

We do not have to master balance. I'm not sure there is such a thing.
After all, water flows, and balance is just as hard to hold on to effectively.

I think it's about releasing perceived control.
About let go and trusting that what needs to get done will, in fact, get done.

I think there is a faithfulness in leaning into allowing balance to shift as it needs to throughout the many changes, seasons, needs, and goals of our lives.
It's easier said than done, as most things go.

I find that books like Be Water, My Friend help to recenter; to remember to adapt, adjust, respond. It is definitely a must read, and yes ... Shannon is Bruce Lee's daughter.

Perhaps if I embrace and incorporate the lessons I am learning through summer, I can create balance that flows like water regardless of what is added or removed, gets in the way, shifts, or simply ceases.

Every season has something to teach us, if we are willing to listen.
—Makes me wonder what lessons lie ahead!

Thank you for reading Dear Loved Ones!

Here is to wishing you the best and praying you find balance in your life.

🙏🏼 Shalom and Blessings 🙏🏼