November 16, 2010

Finding More Margin

The shrill cry of the alarm clock pierces the waves of slumber. I allow my eyes time to adjust to the darkness before rising, stealing out of our room and into my favorite chair. There, among the pens, highlighters, books, journal, and coffee, I open the Word and feast. My spirit is awakened as I rest in His presence. Quiet envelopes my soul.

Before I know it, the quiet dissipates. It has been replaced by noise, noise, noise.

deadlines
cell phone
internet
homework
housework 
errands

So many things clamor for my attention, I find I can't keep up and keep my sanity.  I need quiet. My family needs quiet.

I am thankful for the margin we've found, but we need more. I need more.  In an effort to bring more quiet into my life and our home, I'm:

~once again looking at each room in our home, deciding what's clutter. When my eyes fall on something, I want it to have meaning rather than just taking up space. I've already decided to take a week off after the holidays to do some major purging.

~giving myself some careful guidelines with Facebook. No more posts about what my family's doing or what we've accomplished. I'm considering it to be a ministry opportunity, as I consider my blog to be.  That calls for some changes.

~agreeing with my husband that 8:00 p.m. is the "technology curfew" in our home.  No computer or cell phone allowed, for any of us unless schoolwork demands it.

~instituting 3-P Family Fridays.  Homemade Pizza, Popcorn, and Play (board games or a family movie).


I'm sure this will continue to be a work in progress for us.  What are you doing to protect your family's margin?


3 comments:

Carrie said...

I like the technology curfew idea! (And the purging. Which I've been trying to do more of. My goal is to only use our deep closets for holiday storage. If I'm storing anything else, then I probably don't really need it.

Lisa notes... said...

I continue to learn from you. Please continue to share how you are building in more margin. Thanks!

Becky said...

What am I doing to protect my family's margin?

I have been purposely walking toward them... I look for them and sit beside them, I come closer, I hug them. I want to affirm them how much I love them and how safe it is to be within the family's margin.

Thank you for this post.