Books, Baths, Kites, Flowers, Rainbows, and Aslan
Oh, hi! Just over here surrounding myself with rainbows and butterflies and pretty much anything that feels childlike so I don’t go totally insane. How are you doing, dear readers?
A few days ago, my friend Jennifer Pepito asked on Instagram: “What is helping you cope with this time?” I was encouraged reading the responses and hearing how all of us in our diversity cope and find comfort different ways.
My quick answer to her question? “Fresh flowers, Pilates, drawing and coloring, and basically anything childlike. Rainbows everywhere.”
I didn’t realize until I posted it that that’s what I’ve been doing the last few weeks. All the crafts and colors and frolicking in the grass have helped lighten my spirit in moments when I feel so heavy I might burst open, or at the very least, burst into tears while washing eggs at the kitchen sink.
Here are some other ways I’m finding comfort and sanity right now…
Scripture truths.
I’ve listed some favorites for you here.
Books (+ baths).
All the books…preferably read in a hot, Epsom-salt-filled bath in the middle of an ordinary Tuesday while you let the children watch a PBS show for 30 minutes so you can breathe a little. Not that I’ve done that or anything….
But really, I think book-traveling to the pre-COVID world is totally merited right now. And thanks to my sweet book club (which we launched just one month before the COVID chaos began and now must meet online until further notice), I’ve been reading some really great fiction. Our first book was The Dutch House by Ann Patchett, and we just finished Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan, which I read in the bath one night until the water ran cold, filled it again and read until it ran cold again, then finally got out and kept reading while sitting on the bath rug, wrapped in a towel. The night I finally finished it, I stayed up until 4am, wept at the end, and then panicked that I wasn’t going to be able to function as a mom, wife, and person the next day. Now that’s the mark of a good book.
Our current month’s read is The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson, which I’ve just started - so excited!
I also like reading a non-fiction book, so on my own, I’ve also recently finished Anne Bogel’s Reading People which I really liked and just began her new book, Don’t Overthink It, which it feels like I need desperately.
For inspiration and beauty, I’ve been alternating between Morgan Harper Nichols’ All Along You Were Blooming and Ruth Chou Simons’ Beholding and Becoming.
Fresh flowers.
Backyard-picked. Un-fancy. Life-giving.
Grass underfoot.
On Sunday, we spent all day Sabbath-ing (is that a word?). Most of the day I was outside, barefoot, in the grass. It was heavenly. There are actual mental and physical health benefits to grounding your feet on the earth!
Getting my hands dirty.
I’m so thankful for the opportunity to be growing things. Watering my seedlings and collecting eggs each day remind me of how much LIFE there is in the world and that the cycles of nature won’t be stopped, cancelled, or thwarted. Thank you, God.
Favorite worship songs.
I’m sharing my playlist with you here on Apple Music. What are some of your favorites?
Rainbow everything…
Yesterday, we made these easy rainbow mobiles with supplies we already had in the house (literally used every last drop of craft paint we had left), and they’re now hanging in our windows to spread cheer. I find myself drawing rainbows on the ground and on every spare piece of paper. We flew our rainbow kite on Sunday. I’ve been keeping a rainbow hairband around my wrist. And I’ve painted several rainbow rocks, like these:
Pilates.
Doing daily Pilates for 30 minutes on the front porch with The Balanced Life has never felt more of a necessity. I feel healthy and strong when I’m done, as well as much more relaxed. So thankful for it! I wrote all about my praises of Robin Long and The Balanced Life here.
Not checking the news.
If this makes me ignorant right now, that’s totally fine. Because my ultimate responsibility is to be a peaceful presence in my home and to keep dwelling on the ultimate Truth in my own mind. And I already tend towards hypochondriac tendencies on a good day. So, dwelling on every piece of horrific news, which literally changes every day, is not a wise choice for me. I ask Steven each morning, “Is there anything new I need to know about?” and, knowing my weaknesses and struggles, he paraphrases it for me in a way I can absorb.
Aslan.
My picture of God is now a roaring lion, protecting me, fighting my battles. The Lion of Judah. I’ve been reading the entire Narnia series this year with my girls as part of The Peaceful Press curriculum we use, and every time Aslan appears, it makes me cry. Last night, as we were all a little on edge and trembly, we read this passage from Prince Caspian:
“Then, after an awful pause, the deep voice said, ‘Susan.’
Susan made no answer but the others thought she was crying.
‘You have listened to fears, child,’ said Aslan. ‘Come, let me breathe on you. Forget them. Are you brave again?’
‘A little, Aslan,’ said Susan.”
I painted this image of Aslan (art therapy FTW!), and it’s framed in our schoolroom:
