Quieting my heart

Posted in Slow's Journey by Nykiah

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Being a mom is always keeping me busy. It’s around this time of year when I start to evaluate this busyness and the volume of “noise” in my heart.

When I think of quieting my heart I can instantly see it looking like a picture taken with too high of an aperture. There are so many specks to look at, very grainy and out of focus. This idea though moves me to sit quietly before God in desperation to refocus and after coming down off of the beginning of school high I am certain my family needs it too because let’s just face it, life isn’t getting any less busier.

I was inspired to quiet three areas of my life in order to maintain slow living for my family. This includes quieting my heart, my home and my schedule. So in the weeks to come I will be digging into that.

There are tons of scripture I could choose to settle on while quieting my heart. When I set out on this quest I first scoured the bible looking for scriptures that would help me draw the meaning of quiet out. Ones I could relate to and ones that drew something from me. The scriptures that I will post are ones that struck me in some way personally.

I know that quieting my heart is especially important while mothering. Because going and going and going can sometimes unintentionally carry me away from my roots.

Reading my bible, praying and spending time with the Lord, loving my people in strength and song. I try my hardest to fight for these times; one because I want my people to see that apart from God I can do nothing; two because apart from God I can do nothing. I’ve tried it and many times I fail miserably. It’s just.not. in me. I was created for him to love me. More than he created me to love him..

I don’t want to wait until life spins more than I can handle and a melt down occurs. Hold the drama. Instead I’d rather respond to the first tugging at my heart.

My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” Psalm 27:8.

I encourage you friends to look up some scriptures that support the idea of quieting your heart. Get some cute little labels or if you are cheap like me make some from what you have lying around and put them up banner style or post them around your home to remind you of the quieting. Jot down some ideas of what quieting might look like in your home.

In what ways have you been inspired to quiet your heart?

12Oct2015

Apples to Apples {Slow} Day

Posted in Family Fun Days, Slow's Journey by Nykiah

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Slow days have been much more meaningful in our busyness lately. When I sit down to write my mind is so cluttered that to organize a post is painful at times. We’ve enjoyed several slow days lately. So much so that I didn’t even bother to take a picture. I hope you enjoy some of these photos of what we’ve been up to lately!

I wanted so much to enjoy a themed night lately. Just to be able to be with my boys more and enjoy them. So last-minute I pulled some things out and they were super excited. We enjoyed church Sunday morning together and then worked on building some monster trucks.

I made this apple cider and we loved it so!

Our dinner was no fuss tuna casserole with bacon and cheese salad.

Apples to Apples

After dinner we went out to bob for apples..

How have you been slow lately?

21May2015

Slow Day May 2015

Posted in Slow's Journey by Nykiah

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It’s been a while since I wrote a slow day post. We’ve had many but I’ve been less motivated to capture them on camera. It’s something about blogging that makes you never put a camera down and invade your family’s most precious moments all to capture a good photo-op for your blog. That has been less appealing to me. Because sometimes I miss those true special moments for “work mode”. Sometimes it’s nice to just put down the camera and seize the moment and that’s exactly what I’ve been doing.

I’ve worked hard at creating SLOW for my family and still do. It’s very easy to slip away from it especially with a busy family. I feel so accomplished when my husband can rest and my children can enjoy us. Slow days for us is on Sunday’s. We spend the week hammering away at life and working our very hardest and Sunday we do nothing. No cooking, no working, no thinking about next week, no cleaning, no nothing. We rest and enjoy each other. I try to get dinner ready on Saturday and hang up the apron until Monday. This has been so nice for us. Our tradition of the sorts on Slow day is Church, nap, walk, play and eat. Doesn’t that sound lovely?

We also have special times each week with our children where each child will spend a certain amount of time with one parent alone doing whatever they desire. So this particular Slow day captured my time with my Kid hero who loves cooking and baking. Here’s a look into our latest slow day.

There is so much beauty around us! I so love living where we are and this is not even a scenic route. All of this beauty reminds me how God provides rest and provision. How could we miss this? This for me details God’s love crashing over us wave after wave. There is nothing more humbling than seeing a glimpse of the God’s hand in everyday life.

How does your family slow?

17Nov2014

Slow Day

Posted in Slow's Journey by Nykiah

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Lately slow days for us has been much less than that. The busyness of life has kept us at a fast pace for quite some time now and since we haven’t had many days off from school that has made it much harder to exhale in the midst of all of it. Happily we recently had a few days off from school. My motivation has been a little dim but I was determined for us to get back to slow. Speaking of that. Christmas music is already playing! How crazy is that? I love a good Christmas song but sheesh Thanksgiving hasn’t come and gone yet.

Anyway, we got snow over our days off. Not much but just enough to cover a few things and make a snow man. I seriously could not stop giggling. I love snow! Our plan for the days was to go to our preschool science co-op with big brother, make applesauce, make a snow man and drink a cup of hot chocolate. Thus we succeeded! Yay!

At our science co-op we learned about turkeys and the differences between a male and female. We even got to get close to a real male turkey which was cool and since we had some apples left over from our cousins, we made peach and blueberry apple sauce and then the boys went out to roll a snow man before the sun came out. This all happened before 10 o’clock!

Though we didn’t take many pictures, these slow days were just so worth the relaxation. It’s getting colder out. Tell me what you are getting into!

15Sep2014

Slow Days

Posted in Slow's Journey by Nykiah

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I’m sorry I have been away from you for so long! Let me just say that I have a great passion for sharing here and that when I am away I cannot stop thinking of what I want to share with you all!

Baby number three is coming soon, with that being said, all the madness of canning and preserving is explained and exhausted. Since baby D will be approaching puree’d solids and I will be introducing more whole foods in the mid spring/summer, I have been thinking ahead and freezing and canning fresh produce, herbs, butters and the like.

In the picture above I had just finished canning peach butter for the first time. So yummy!! I am so tired of peaches though. 🙂 So happy to get the last batch frozen for little fingers and big belly’s. In total over the last few weeks I’ve calculated that I have canned about 133 cans of produce altogether. That is not much but it is enough for me now.

So on to our slow days now that you know that canning and preserving has been a big part. School is in full swing as you know. We’ve started our preschool co ops and our preschool schedule is taking off. One thing that I am grateful for is the unscheduled breaks that home school allows. So much has been going on lately that this mama has already called for a day or two. Thankfully our schedule is flexible!

Second grade is an experience also. My Kid Hero is slowly learning what accountability and responsibility look like…I’m the list mom. 🙂

Consignment sales! I’ve hit them already along with a couple of thrift stores to stock up on winter clothing. Used is so much better and frugal when you’ve got boys that don’t stay in clothing long.

Our slow days have mainly been about getting back to our routines and spending quality family time. One evening, my hubby and I took our boys to a sibling class for them to learn how to help mom with baby. We’ve also gone to a Lowe’s build and grow clinic, gone on barrel rides at local farm with my sister and slopped up lots of homemade ice cream!

Linking Up With: Playdates with God , Titus Tuesdays, Living Proverbs 31, Joy Dare

You Might Also Like: Slow days at a glance, Beauty in our backyard, letting slow marinate

29May2014

Beauty in our backyard and our slow day

Posted in Garden, Slow's Journey by Nykiah

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Last week we spent our time caring for our garden as a family. We planted our corn, cukes, tomatoes and put our sweet potato transplants down. My husband is excited to share how we did our potato towers and show how our potatoes are growing and the result of our harvest. I must say too that once we did our first mulching the next day they were taller. More on that later.

I wanted to capture the beauty here in our yard because these moments of growing and patience are special to me. It’s like having a play date with God in his backyard.

We also, had the pleasure of attending a special music discovery event at our local bible college where an orchestra group displayed their instruments for the students in a attendance, certainly an amazing opportunity.

Talking about play dates with God, Are there any breath taking places or moments that make you feel like you are dancing with God?

Linking Up With: Playdates with God, Titus Tuesdays, Living Proverbs 31

You Might Also Like: My Joy-filled life, Slow Days at a Glance, In Celebration of Slow, Letting slow marinate

22May2014

Slow Days at a Glance

Posted in Slow's Journey by Nykiah

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I spy with my little eyes…a bee

Picking..

Showers of new mercies..

Reading..

Nesting..

Beauty…

Baking…

Eating…

Being…

Spending…

What helps you slow?

Linking Up With: Playdates with God, Titus Tuesdays, Living Proverbs 31

You Might Also Like: My Joy-filled life, In Celebration of Slow, Letting slow marinate

5May2014

My Joy Filled Life- Learning to Seek the Slow Around Me

Posted in Family Fun Days, Slow's Journey by Nykiah

I can’t believe I haven’t blogged much in a week in a half. As bad as I have been feeling I probably should have not even had blogging on my mind but somehow I couldn’t help thinking of what I’m going to share here.

I heard someone say to me before that I shouldn’t want God to really slow me down and that I’d better take the chance when I can. Just thinking about that this week made me chuckle. Why? Because in his own way God has stopped me from the doting task of being the girl who has her hands in everything, and I’ve been forced to slow down. But Daddy knows best and I’m making my efforts to learn.

Living slow is a lifestyle, a mindset and a gift.

I came across this scripture in my reading this week that reminded me that I don’t always have to be doing something; that God delights in rest. Though that is not an excuse to be lazy, God values hard work and gifts rest to his children because of it.

Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.
It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.

Psalm 127: 1-2

For the mama that is always doing something, this scripture encouraged me so. I’ve found slow many times to be a unacomplishable task but somehow for the past few weeks it’s been easier for me to not freak about stuff that can wait. Here I want to share some things that have given me joy in this time, things that I have recognized as God’s smile and hand around me.

Tree burning and family time. Look at that fire…imagining God in the burning bush to Moses. How much more beautiful was that?!

Trying my hand at stewed crackers for my hubby. Gifting my family things that warm their hearts.

Science Fair with my Kid Hero-Mixing colors for people ( His project was Color Theory! Proud Mama 🙂

A Celebration for Jesus – a symbol of grace and how sweet it is

Mason jar drinks and paper straws make me happy 🙂

Raised to life with Jesus Christ!

Our Favorite Resurrection Scavenger Hunt I got a few years ago. Taking time to hunt eggs in our yard with our family.

A recipe for meal plan Monday! I love this picture. Lots of times we show perfect pictures of a finished product and we want people to believe that our efforts to make that dish was flawless. Well, my favorite Italian made dish cracked straight down the middle in the oven. This represents my flaws and more on this day my heart. Here’s to making mistakes and letting them encourage you!

looking in nature to find God’s signature. A Robin took the dead willows from our garden and made a nest for her babies right on our gutters. Birds Make me happy! What an honor to be her nesting place of choice!

All of these things have gifted me with an opportunity to further seek the Lord. Seeking the Lord has gifted me the opportunity to keep finding these precious things and learn more about God’s Character.

What things have you found lately to inspire your daily living?

Linking Up With: Playdates with God, Titus Tuesdays, Living Proverbs 31, Growing Homemakers

You Might Also Like: A Holy Mess, I Confess I’m an Imperfect Mother, In Celebration of Slow, Letting slow marinate

21Apr2014

In Celebration of Slow

Posted in Slow's Journey by Nykiah

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“My chains are gone

I’ve been set free

My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy reigns
Unending love, amazing grace”

Photos:

Our Grace Tree

Resurrection Ice cream cupcakes

Coffee dyed eggs

Strawberry Scones

Linking up with: playdates with God, livingproverbs31, Titus2sday

You Might Also Like: Surrender, Young Mother Redeemed, I don’t like the taste of salt, I Confess. I’m an Imperfect Mother.

17Apr2014

Letting Slow Marinate

Posted in Slow's Journey by Nykiah

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We are currently getting ready for Easter. By that I mean preparing our hearts to worship the Lord and dig in his word as a family for the month of April. I started mid month with some crafts as apart of my slow inspiration. I will share here today and hopefully it will remind me as I look back of how amazing God is and all that he has done in my life. I know Easter is this Sunday but we want this great day to be a stain on our hearts.

We started back in March preparing our hearts to receive the study my hubby put together for us by making a resurrection garden. We call it our garden of grace. Each of us took a stone and wrote something or someone Jesus went to the cross for. My Kid hero wrote all of our names on them and the names of some family members. We then wrote what the cross means to us and unknown to us we each ended up writing a fruit of the spirit.

This year I am focused on words. Words that mean something. This garland represents a few out of many names of Jesus. Names that have left his mark in our lives. Light of The World, Prince of Peace, Messiah, Emmanuel, Elohim, Mediator, True Vine, Good Shepherd, Redeemer, Adonai, El Shaddai, Beginning and End.

This garland is up to remind us how faithful he is to us and that we can trust, love, depend, obey, exalt him. It makes me so happy!

When you think of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection what does it mean to you?

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Linking up with: playdates with God, livingproverbs31, Titus2sday

You Might Also Like: Surrender, Young Mother Redeemed, I don’t like the taste of salt, I Confess. I’m an Imperfect Mother.