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Beating the busyness of this season with intention- free Advent planner resource
This week I shared some thoughts on how we can deal with this cycle of feeling busy every day but also feeling like we get nothing done over at the MOPS Australia blog. I find myself in that place often if I am not intentional with how I structure my days, what I focus on and what I choose to spend time on. I find this is especially true in the Christmas season. The demands on our time seem to reach a crescendo at this time of year. We are rushing here and there and yet we feel like we are always behind. The important things get lost in the…
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Pausing For Advent
Advent has officially begun for another year. In the midst of an overflowing brain and a full season, I am so thankful that I have given myself and my family the gift of simplicity. Advent is not meant to be a burden or something else to add to an already crowded to-do list. What is it about our human nature that draws us to make it that? A few days in and I already have a couple of favourite moments in my Advent days. The first is the pause in front of a lit candle. There is nothing fancy about my Advent wreath made out of bits and pieces I…
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How I will nourish my soul this Advent
It would be so easy to fill the Advent season with all the amazing holiday activities and brilliant resources available but end up missing the point entirely. Instead of feeling nourished and connected, our souls can end up being overwhelmed and wishing for it all to be over. With so many good opportunities, it can be really hard to find what is best for your soul in this particular time. What works one year may not work at all another year. I want to give you (and me) permission to keep it as simple as we need to, to say no to good things, to tweak and make any suggestions…
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One way I am savouring time with my daughter this Advent
As a parent, you have these moments of awareness of how quickly your child is growing up. Such a bittersweet mix of emotions! I am struck again by the urgent need to savour moments with this gorgeous girl. Those moments are our reminders that life is short and our priorities need to shift from the busyness and distraction we immerse ourselves into the treasure that is the fleeting time we have while our children are small. This has been top of my mind in thinking about Advent. This year feels so different and feels like it is the start of a transition into a different phase of parenting. Her interests…
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How do I find peace in the busyness and stress of this season?
“Peace on Earth” We see that in so many places in the lead up to Christmas. Does it reflect your reality right now? Does your little part of the world feel peaceful? I’m willing to guess that few would be able to answer “yes” to that question. This time of year has a way of magnifying the stressors already present and adds a good dose of family angst, high expectations, and busyness in for good measure. That isn’t even including the more global tension, disasters, and conflict. Is there any hope for peace? Is this some unattainable goal for the Christmas season? I’m discovering that it is possible but takes…
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Advent: Your invitation to savour (and a free gift for you)
Can you feel the shift? The tip over towards Christmas? That usually leaves you feeling either excited or completely stressed. The to-do lists seem endless. The expectations on ourselves and our circumstances seem beyond reach. The wealth of opportunities can feel like pressure to add more and more in our days. This doesn’t have to be the case. For the past several years, I have intentionally engaged in Advent. Far from being the out-dated tradition that I thought it was, Advent has become a time of intentional focus for me. It has become my invitation to slow down and savour the season. It has become the opportunity to help us…
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Simplifying Advent this year
If you have been following my writing for a while, you will know that I LOVE Advent. Each year I plan out intentional ways for me and my family to mark this season and celebrate to the full. (You can read more of my advent posts from previous years here.) This year is going to look very different. Next week, I am having shoulder surgery and will be very limited in function for many weeks. In the midst of trying to get through the everyday challenges this will bring, I don’t want to miss the opportunity to celebrate Advent. This is especially important to me for the sake of my…
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It’s 10 days until Christmas but it’s not too late
Christmas is rushing towards us at a relentless pace. Do you feel calm and organised or are your stress levels reaching a fever pitch? As much as I have had some very stressful moments in this Advent season, I have noticed the difference from spending time in reflection and soul-breathing through the Advent devotional I am using. For me, this has been a continuation of a daily habit and so easier to fit in each day. I know that a daily time can seem completely overwhelming at the best of times, let alone in the busy season leading up to Christmas. My heart is to encourage you in this season,…
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Christmas is coming! Free gifts for you to help get ready
When you read the words “Christmas is coming!”, did you feel a bubble of excitement or stress or maybe a bit of both? If I think about the gifts that need to be bought and the tasks that need to be completed by then, I start to feel overwhelmed. When I think of Advent, though, I am re-energised. It will soon be time to start the December celebrations and focusing in on the meaning of Christmas for myself and for my daughter. If you have been around my writing for a year or more, you will know that Advent holds a special place in my heart. This year, I am…
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Thankful Thursday
Thankful Thursday is here for another week. This will be the last link up for this year with the fullness of the Christmas and New Year season. Join me in noticing the good in the midst of a potentially busy and stressful season. I know for many Christmas brings a lot of pain and heartache. The privilege of having a child to do Truth in the Tinsel with or make a sheep costume for, or even to be woken up in the middle of the night by. My heart aches for those who battle infertility and I am reminded to be so thankful for my daughter and all the aspects…
Encouragement for women in leadership
