Thursday October 12 2017 HELLO

Hello everyone (that is if anyone is still out there):

For lack of a better explanation for my daily absence I will confide with my readers that when I returned home from our trip two weeks ago I needed to decompress and gather myself back together.  The past two years have given me no breathing room.  I was occupied with deadlines from the time I awakened each morning until I fell into bed (sometimes in the wee hours of morn).  Let’s just say I had a lot on my plate and I blame it on no one but myself.  

When Dave and I arrived home I hoped and anticipated that life would be different.  The photo albums I worked on for over two years were delivered, the Vietnamese speech translation was accepted and delivered, my testimony was written and delivered, the cover page for the hand written Bible was given to another artist to do, the library relocation was completed, and a couple of other commitments were finalized.  Indeed, I certainly hoped life would be different!

We had three family members die within a short period of time.  My aunt fell and hit her head and it killed her.  Our nephew had a stroke and then a heart attack which cause his demise.  My cousin was a victim of Katrina having contacted mold in her lungs due to her home being flooded.  This caused years of suffering, culminating in her death.  Needless to say, August was a sorrowful month.

As we traveled last month we happened upon a couple of book sales.  As packed as the car was, and despite the fact that my library is overflowing, I still bought a few (13) books to bring home.  Once we arrived home I perused each book and decided which one to begin first.  I chose to read “How Did I Get So Busy?  The 28-Day Plan to Free Your Time, Reclaim Your Schedule, and Reconnect with What Matters Most” by Valorie Burton.

I have been faithfully reading one chapter a day as the author suggested.  Today I will read chapter 13.  It’s as if God gave this book to me as a personal gift.  As I read it I realized this book is a tool that God provided for me at just the right time.    At the end of each chapter there is a daily challenge, a topic to journal, and a scripture meditation.  I have taken each challenge seriously.  I have been feeling that God was dealing with me regarding my overbooked schedule.  I have been praying He would give me guidance on how to pare down and help me decide what I could remove from my busy days that would allow me time to “LIVE”.  And it is becoming clear to me.

First and foremost I must allow myself to have “down time”, which I have not experienced for several years.  I felt as if my deadlines must be met, my promises kept, my commitments fulfilled.  It has become clear that I must consider carefully before I make any future commitments.  It is quite easy for me to just step up and volunteer to do something when it is left undone.  I need time to be “UN-BUSY”.  One challenge was to list all the “busy” that kept my days so full.  My blog was right up there on top. 

As I gathered my remnants back around me I had to decide what I could do in a day and what I could give up in order to have down time.  And my eyes were opened as to how much time I spend writing the blog.  I had traded that for my personal time with God and my personal journal entries.  I felt empty and it was if I once again needed to search for my true self.  I so enjoy blogging, and journal writing, but I now realize that my time with God must take priority each day.  With a pen in my hand my poetry pours out of my pen with ease, my heart is renewed, and my spirit is rejuvenated.

These past two weeks I have let go of routine and have allowed my body to once again dictate the rhythm that works best for me.  Early to bed and early to rise.  I was awake by 3:40 a.m. this morning and confined myself to the bed until 4:00 a.m.  I am freshest in the morning and love to come into my library, read my Bible, pray, write, and read some more.  It will be my priority to start my day with God. 

This morning I felt the longing and necessity to write a blog, thus I am doing so.  I do not intend to stop writing blogs, but…and it is a big BUT…I will do so sporadically; aiming for one or two blogs per week.  I felt as if I owed it to my readers (especially those who have been contacting me to see if all is well) to bring you up to date on what is happening in my life.  Thank you for your concern. 

All is well.  Once I get myself gathered back together, physically, mentally, spiritually, and any other which way I will once again be online.  I so thoroughly enjoy writing the blogs and poetry that I am not willing to give up either one at this point in my life.  Besides, I have entirely too many words inside me that I need to express.  I look forward to sharing a bit about our trip too.  The places we drove were spectacular!

HOW DID I GET SO BUSY

Kathleen Martens

October 12, 2017

www.visionsofpoetry.com

So how did I get so busy?

Just one day at a time!

I added one more thing to do

Until time was no longer mine.

And now I must decipher

How to retrieve my hours.

My days just seem to disappear

As busyness seems to devour.

And so I ponder and contemplate

The importance of what I do,

And one that is most important

Is connecting with friends like you!

One of my challenges each day is to connect “heart to heart” with a friend and family.  It can be with a phone call, personal contact, a card sent in the mail, and any other way you can think to do so.  I have been making that overture with my friends and hopefully it will allow me to renew friendships and contacts that have been neglected far too long.  So just understand; I won’t neglect my blog readers either.  Thanks for your support and comments.

Thank You God for the books You bring into my life.

Thank You God for helping me get my life back in balance.

Thank You God for friends.

And thank You for my sister who will be disgusted with me because of this topic!  It seems it takes more than once for me to learn the lessons I need to learn.

Since it is only 5:41 a.m. I will not say “GOOD NIGHT”

INSTEAD:

GOOD MORNING!  HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!