Contest: Sabbath Edition...TIME'S UP!!
To enter the contest, simply answer this question:
That's it. Answer the question and you'll be entered to win these:
Nooma DVDs, if you haven't seen them, are fantastical. They are typically 10-12 minutes in length and they're great catalysts for deeper thinking. There will be a random drawing from your comments at 7am tomorrow...that'd be Wednesday September 24th of 2008.
One entry per person please...pinky swear.
One entry per person please...pinky swear.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
89 waggish utterances thus far...:
Saying "no" to some things. It is so easy for me to fill my life up, most of the time with great things. But I can easily forget to leave time for that sabbath rest. So I'm working on the discipline of saying "no".
I am currently looking for a new church home closer to home so that my family can attend more often. Also, fall activities always fill me back up and we have plenty scheduled!
it's kinda funny that you brought this up. We were talking about Sabbath and how we individually observe it in our Disciple class on Friday. Unfortunately, I'm not very good at it as I discovered on that day.
But to answer the question "what fills me up?" Holding a sleeping child, mine or someone else's; taking a hike in the mountains; painting a mural or being similarly creative; learning something new about something old; hanging out with my husband and/or friends on a lazy afternoon or evening; a beautiful sunrise/set; listening to an old favorite hymn performed by our contemporary church band.
None of those things are particularly Sabboth things, but they do "center" me and fill me up.
I've only seen a couple of Nooma vids, but they are certainly thought and conversation provoking.
What fills me up? Playing with my niece, Olivia. Taking pictures of random stuff. Listening to my ipod, particularly the "creative" playlist I have. Reading a good book fills me up as well.
Slowing down to just breath helps me as well.
following my dreams to graduate school. i can't wait.
What fills me up?
Being in the Word, Worshiping on Sunday morning with my Church family.
Having my family together. Warm, sunny days.
Right now I am filling up on God's Word... 30 days 30 minutes no matter what... Eph 3:14-19
Photgraphy is my anti-empty-bucket. Just seeing the beauty in everything around me, taking it all in, that's what fills me up.
eating.
I'm never quite sure when your contests start and end because I don't see any dates on your posts. Or I may just not have had enough coffee yet today to wake me up enough to actually notice things. Even when I'm looking for them.
I'd actually prefer that you not include my comment in the contest - since I'm not really answering the question. :) I'm not up for boring you with a long, boring comment.
But thank you for the question, and for giving me something to think about.
You should think about using dates... :)
website: (since it doesn't show on my profile) http://www.alikatcorner.blogspot.com/
What is filling me up?
Content(ness)...I am newly married and have a wonderful husband and both sides of our families are close by. We both are working, (no need to be rich with money..I am rich with family and friends and dreams). I am filled with Hope and Faith too. I have put complete Faith in the Lord and that gives me peace and hope. I trust the direction the Lord's path will take me ..though if I am honest, sometimes I just haven't always figured out which path he wants us to take!
PS is this from a Shel Silverstein book?
What fills me up??
Hearing my 4yr old son pray to God, and seeing my 2yr old son bow his head to pray with his brother.
I am looking into getting a second Bachelor's degree. I currently have one in Art and now I want to combine that with a Psychology degree and look into a career like Art Therapy. :) Filling myslef with education...that always keeps me going.
Hanging out with Harper and trying to remind myself to be fully present when I am with her.
After moving from the west coast to the east coast, we didn't have a lot to fill us up. However, recently after buying the house we found a wonderful Church that has sparked in us an excitement again.
Spending more time with my mom, or talking with her on the phone. She's not in the best of health right now, so time is a precious commodity.
prolly missed contest but good question. I go hiking when i have the time and need to really get away. i go for a drive if i just need to think about some things.
The Bible/group studies I am in at church. Besides learning more from the Bible and furthering my spiritual journey, the fellowship fills me back up.
Stepping outside my comfort zone and trying new things.
I am doing something with friends in public that most people would consider dorkitude of the highest caliber. But I don't care, because it's something good for me, specifically.
My favorite book!
I am currently going to take a day off from life and get alone with God... wherever that might be... most likely in the hammock in my back yard. As a busy mom, I really need to find a day to myself SOON! I need to hear His voice and rest in His goodness.
I am learning that I can only be filled in that place of surrender to Him and turning down the other voices surrounding me.
I love being a mom, I love my work, I love being a wife.... I love that I'm part of an incredible ministry, but those things cannot fill me. He alone is my desire.
Like a deer by the river banks, that's where I need to go to be filled.
Photography and family both fill me up. They never fail to re-energize and show me the positive in life!
I'm trying to balance saying, "No," with saying, "Yes," to things that fulfill me. Like helping with a local Really, Really Free Market (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Really_Really_Free_Market) and stepping into more of a leadership role in my small group.
Over the past two and a half years (since graduating from college, where I was Ms. Super-Over-Achiever), I have been trying to remind myself constantly of the value of rest. My value is not determined by what I do, but by who I am.
The Blessed Sacrament and Prayer, God is the only answer for me to ever being FULL.
I feel like I'm always running empty, trying to get things done for my 7-mo-old and my 2-yr-old and my husband ... so I signed up for the Chicago Marathon! Now I run 4 times a week and sometimes get two or more hours of solitude, exercise, prayer, and outdoor time in one shot!
http://pages.teamintraining.org/in/chicago08/palmerfish
Once a quarter or so I take a personal retreat. Get alone in a hotel somewhere away from everyday, turn off my cell phone, and journal my way thru the life that has happened since my last one.
Discovering how to be a better wife.
Spending the time I need with my close friends which has been so hard to do after having my baby.
Growing and learning to be the kind of Mom my sweet little girl deserves.
Spending time enriching my soul with my passion for music. I lost it somewhere along the way.
I LOVE the Giving Tree and I cry every time I read it. but to answer your question, I fill up by praying, which I usually do in my car on the way to work in the morning. It's such a perfect time to connect with God when the day is fresh.
Reading or hearing God's word fills me, but also being outside (nature). I can feel God just sitting on my front porch.
I'm trying. I know it sounds silly but in the past, I just 'am' now i'm trying to 'be'. Be helpful, caring, forgiving, loving.
Stopping to look around. Or stopping to just "be." The other day I was sitting in our backyard and my dog and my 18-month-old, and I had, to be cheesy, a "moment of clarity" where I said to myself, "Memorize this."
Hey, you have another poster called "Ellen G". I'm an Ellen G, too!
This is such a crazy busy time of year! I am so happy that I found a church where I really feel like I get filled up. Also, I'm looking forward to camping with my family at then end of October. I love camping in the cool fall weather!
going through Henry Blackaby's study on Experiencing God. Wow! God just blows my mind!
I fill myself back up several ways, one that is my favorite is loading up my family, my three dogs and taking my pontoon boat on the Mississippi river. There is something magical about putting down a quiet slough with the leaves beginning to change that leaves me relaxed and rejuvanated.
*Get outdoors with my family. Either biking, hiking or boating totally clears the mind.
*Bible reading always puts life in prespective. Faced with God's Word allows me to let go of what is unnecessary; physically, mentally & emotionally. Totally recharging!!!!
love. espresso. forgiveness. positive thoughts. music. photography.
I'm already full of negative things, so there is no room for anything else. My focus is more on purging myself of an over-abundance of negativity so that there might be room for something positive.
I'm a recovering alcoholic and whenever I need to be filled up, I find a newcomer and work with her. It saves me from my own devious head. Every single time.
what i do to fill myself back up? i spend quality time with my daughter. i love her, but better yet, i LIKE her. when i spend that time with her, i get to see first hand what an amazingly cool person she's becoming. she fills me back up. every day. :)
Noticing nature during the day. I work at night so it is usually the sunrise as I am driving home. IF I am lucky a rainstorm as I am driving in to work at night. I take a deep breath and say thank you.
I walk in the mornings and listen to music, the birds.
I am not nice to people who are not nice to me. (That is a big lesson learned for me!)
Good question, my quest to do one nice thing for a random stranger every day. It is amazing how easy it is when you look for ways to help others. It can be as easy as opening a door, or letting someone in during a traffic jam. It fufills me, makes me smile, and keeps my karma bank going in the right direction.
Revelling in being 6 months pregnant with our first child. Taking a break throughout the day to enjoy the little kicks before they become full fledged jabs in my ribs.
Breathing in fresh fall air for the first time in 4 years.
Looking at new recipes and actually finding ones that don't require many ingredients, at least that I have to buy, and then actually making it. And having it taste good!
Appreciating the fact that I'm 23 and so very different from many other 23 year olds.
Simple pleasures. Hanging out on the patio with friends talking about nothing in particular. A cold iced tea/lemonaide on a hot day. Taking in a good book at lunch during a hectic workday. Always having flowers around the house. Good music to make the drive home fun. I find that when I have these simple pleasures to fill me, then I don't find myself feeling so crazy, even on the most stressed of days.
I think, that for me I am filling myself up by combining three things. I'm combining finding or rediscovering a talent and finding a use for myself through service.
I just had my last baby three months ago and now I'm rediscovering how much I love to write and I started a writing group with the women at church. Together we serve one another by sharing our thoughts and our talent in expressing ourselves.
I'm filling myself by rediscovering how much I enjoy the things God blessed me with. It's an exciting time.
Currently I'm baking a prayer cake - it's just a chocolate sheet cake, but I'm praying for all the ladies in my Bible study group that meets tonight who will eat it. I'm praying that each one will be filled with God's spirit and a teachable heart. And cake helps to facilitate both of those things, don't ya know?! :^))
For me, it's to take a break from the stress of school, pray, read the Bible and realize that no matter what, God will provide for me.
I talk and listen a lot. I talk to my husband, and we dialoge about what God is doing, and what we desire Him to do. We talk about our waiting on Him to act. This year I have listened alot too. God has been my teacher, placing podcast, and speakers, and friends in my ear. He refills me, more so when I listen than when I talk, but fills me all the same.
sleeping. And it's not working. I guess I need one of those DVD's!
Letting go of myself and letting God in.
Yeah Rob! Actually going to Mars and singing and listening to Rob is one of the things that fills me up! Also, spending quality time with my husband and kids does great things for my soul.
Worship music. Conversations about my faith and the questions I have.
Taking my dogs somewhere they can play, or out for a run always does it for me.
What fills me up?
Being alive. Experiencing whatever life throws in my direction one day at a time. Be it a bad day, or a good day, it's another day lived.
Simply taking time for myself.
The best way to purposefully fill myself up again is to listen to an awesome worship CD for the first time. For me, there's nothing like it.
Asking questions. Whether dealing with faith, politics, or my own everyday life, I think it is beneficial to understand the world around us, so that we can identify where improvement is needed, then act upon it.
Remembering to be grateful is what fills me up. Grateful for God's love and forgiveness, grateful for my husband who is my soulmate, grateful for my 3 precious college-aged children, grateful for the wonderful life God has blessed me with.
Spending some time alone with my husband. We haven't gotten to do that much without the kids in quite awhile. I miss it.
My husband loves the Nooma videos.
Something filled me up yesterday --I was coming out of Sam's Club and there was a veteran (who was probably 70 years old or so) collecting money for a blind veteran who needed a seeing eye dog. I was about to pull a dollar out of my wallet when the man joked saying "Oh, I'll take that $100 dollar bill you got in there." I said "I wish I had a 100dollar bill to give you!" I had 2 ones and a five, so I grabbed the five instead of the one I was going to give him. When I handed it to him, he held my hand for like 10 seconds and said "Thank you so much dear. May God bless you." He seemed so sincerely grateful for that five bucks, it was like I did give him 100 dollars! I was so touched, that I started get all teary-eyed! It was five dollars well spent.
WOW! Great question!
Rest. Say no occasionally. Listen to music. (worship, or anything meaningful that speaks to me) Send encouragment cards to my hubby and kids and friends. Rest. Being intentional about building relationships. House church. Coffee with others. Listening. Rest.
emails from my boys who are grown and gone... praying in the morning with my best friend (who happens to be my husband), talking to my 81 year old mom who embodies joy and contentment, finishing a quilt project or a good book... so many things... all gifts from a gracious Papa.
Fillin up!? Such an open ended question. Serving others is filling me in a positive way. Friends and sleep, and work are fillin up too...then there is the cookies on my counter. then there are those things which consume my thoughts which i wish would not fill me up!
Pray, praise, and read the bible online. Yes, I know that's cheating. My goal? To make it all the way through the "Bible in One Year" thing.
I started writing a blog with some poetry. And I'm working on being mroe consistent about quiet time. And I joined a small group (even though my parents are in the same small group, it's the only one that I can get to reliably during the week, so I just bit the bullet).
Tuesdays with my sweet, gorgeous husband....no kids.
Peace-producing decision making.....yay!
Every day that I can be with my the Lover of my soul is a good day- no matter what!
Remembering that fear and worry are forms of pridefulness and giving credence to the farce that my God is not big enough to handle any mistake that I could make.
Trying to be more positive and be grateful for everything that I have.
i find that just getting back to what's important, fills me up. Connecting with my kids and husband makes a world of differnce. Getting out and being in their "enviroment" is best. Hanging out with my son and just chilling and talking brings out the best with us. Girly stuff with my little girl. Jumping and running with my 2 year old. Actually talking and getting out what i'm thinking with my husband. Reconnecting with them as a person makes me happiest.
My husband and I were just discussing something similar. We decided to say no to more of the friend and small group get- togethers and spend more time with each other.
Trying to find a married couples bible study to get involved in...
I am volunteering as our church treasurer. It is teaching me trust and showing me how God provides.
I am also volunteering at a tutoring center for children with Downs Syndrome. Humbling to say the least.
Spending time in scripture everyday and discussing it with my boyfriend when we have time. Also just taking time out for myself to relax and do nothing. I work full time cooking for a mission ship in the South Pacific, and it can be very taxing. Just taking time by myself with Jesus is incredibly refreshing.
Finding a new church home leaves me exhausted and frustrated. Holding my niece, hugs from my students, and reading shane claibourne and john burke fill me up.
Looking at food blogs and cooking good food (and baking).
Being around my family is how I fill up. They're the best.
Watching my children grow, succeed, smile laugh...and be happy kids. This is best fulfillment out there.
I am reading Tender Mercy for a Mother's Soul, practicing the sabbath with my family, and giving each tender and difficult moment to Jesus.
Something that I never thought was a problem before I had my daughter. My anal retentiveness, OCD tendencies, & ability to focus on things that really didn't matter or have any relevance to making my/"our" lives any richer or fuller.
Will this world that I know really cease to exist if I don't vacuum today? Does that dish really HAVE to be washed right away? Or would I rather spend those moments watching my daughter flourish or telling my husband that I love him.
So, I'd rather fill myself up with those memories and moments rather than the others. Just another reason I'm so incredibly grateful to have our daughter with us. She's taught me so much and she really has no idea.
I look at how I could make a difference in my day. By even the smallest of actions have big impacts. I write little messages on note cards for the reps on my team that work remotely from my office. I bring in a Starbucks for my peer. I write an email thanking a mentor for their continued development in my career. And of course always reminding my family and friends that I love them. My mother's day present to my mom consisted of a "thank you" jar of memories we shared together. So if life ever got too much, she could always pull out a blast from the past memory or current and know how much she is loved and appreciated. Life is too precious not to say the things we feel in some cases and live every day as God would want us to. People need to realize they don't need to take on huge difference and challenges, but to do little ones. I always feel full of love and full of hope when I know I've done my share :)
Ahh, "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein. What fills me up...my family. The fact that we, the coaches wives, are going to get together on Monday nights to celebrate and worship together. Watching my children grow. Life itself. Working on enjoying life and the gifts I have in it. That fills me up.
This is a difficult time for our family so to fill up I am taking control of the things that I can; quality time together, focus on nutrition and exercise, care of our home and minimizing, and remembering that we're all in this together.
yoga. I breathe and I try to see out of my third eye. I can't possibly do both of those and worry about life!
I'm working on being a Titus 2 woman. I'm trying my hardest to read and research healthy living/eating for my family. It's amazing how much better you feel about yourself--- when you realize you're doing your absolute best to take care of your family. I feel like I have meaning!
Reading a book that I already know I love, like The Shack. I always catch something new every time I read it again.
I skip Church. Sad but true.
Taking long walks.
serving others, mostly my children and other children... quiet time with my critters, especially my horse, grooming her is so calming... I went on my church ladies retreat this past weekend, that was very filling... photography, trying my best to capture God's creation... writing, I'm trying to regularly post in my blog... reading, most recently and very filling, the Shack - amazing book... reminding others, through words AND actions that God loves them
Just became a teacher and realize it fills me up so much helping kids who need guidance in life. It's a different world and generation and I think many have given up on them. So I teach with patience and hope.
I Love The Giving Tree! Now I wanna cry....thanks a lot.
What feels me up?
Well, every day I wake up to the most awesomest Frontier Man God gave me to enjoy the rest of my life, get up to teach the most awesomest kids at home, take care of the most awesomest farm animals while enjoying the most awesome chunk of land on God's green earth that we were somehow chosen to be worthy of.
Who needs feeling up?
Love definitely wins!
Post a Comment