30 Days to a Simpler Life: 

Getting back to basics:  The Three R's

What is the first advice that a fellow homeschooler will tell you when you mention that you are faltering?  Get back to the basic!  The three R's!  Well, I plan on doing the same thing!

1.     Relationships

2.     Responsibilities

3.     Reflection

When deciding what I needed to do in my life in order to simplify and slow down to focus, I made a little diagram.  I put my name in the center.  I wanted to surround myself with the most important thing in my life.  First was God.  Next was my kids, my family, and friends.  These are all relationships.  Next I listed: Finances, Home, School, and My health.  These are all responsibilities.  Finally I listed:  Reading and writing -- both which give me reflection.  Then I used a highlighter for each category.  Pink for relationships, green responsibilitie, orange reflection.  Then I realized that God really should be in EVERY category. 

Getting back to the basics - simplifying -- focusing -- it all start with God.  I need to spend more time in His Word.  More time in prayer.  More time in worship.  I want a closer bond.  This is my first priority.  I will be printing out and utilizing this_challenge from A_Virtuous_Woman.  I've been meaning to start this challenge and just haven't gotten around to it.  (Like a whole lot of other things!) 

With friends and family, I want to do things to make them feel special.  I want to send notecards or letters, make creative gifts and send them, have the kids draw pictures and share them across the miles.  Things I keep MEANING TO DO.  I will also be trying to make more friends in my church and homeschool community.  Reaching out more.  And I will have my first "Sunday with Cindy" tomorrow.  We go to church together and afterwards we will go to her house and hone our housekeeping skills!  (Tomorrow we will be baking and washing clothes)

As for the kids, I need to REALLY PAY ATTENTION to what they say.  Do special (free!) things with them -- walks, reading aloud, cooking together, more one on one time,  library, park, nature hikes, etc.  They love to play board games, have movie nights, help me bake (well, the girls do) and I want more time focusing on them. 

So my primary focus will be on relationships.  Nurturing, sharing, hugging, and spending time. 

Simply yours,

Sherry

Posted by callmekate

Writing it down really helps us focus on priorities. I'm so haphazard that I don't get anything done unless I make a list or something. Even when I had my own business years ago, I read everywhere that one should start with a written plan (I didn't and my business probably would have benefited from it if I had written one). Your plan sounds great and may God give you the time, patience, encouragement and energy to follow through with it. Sounds like fun, too! Have a wonderful weekend!

Kate