By Emily T. Wierenga
I pin the colored fabric
as though savoring a mango, this slice of time so sweet, and the sounds of
children splashing in the pool. And all I want is to rest. To open wide this
moment and step into it, to sit on a beach chair and hold my babies and breathe
in their skin, and funny how, once you get what you want, all you can think
about is the other.
But I am learning to
write, in spite of myself because I want to honor the call. I don’t want to
miss out on my children nor the man I made them with. Sometimes though, I’m
just plain worn out. I don’t have any more words in me.
How do we balance the
laptop with the laundry and the liturgy; still our souls in a world that never
sleeps?
To know God, in the
stillness there has to be less of us and more of him. Sometimes we think we
have to produce when really, we’re slaves to no one. Christ calls us friends,
and there is freedom in this. We serve God alone, and have nothing to fear. So,
when we’re burning out, we need to quiet our souls.
Here are 10 ways to find
that stillness:
1. Turn off the laptop. I have made a habit of turning it off for
the entire morning and spending those hours with my preschoolers. By noon, I’m
normally more than excited to begin writing.
2. Cry, and laugh, a lot. Experience that ALIVE
feeling again. Remember: “Perfectionism
is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you
cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and
a (poor) first draft.
3. Read. Whether it’s a novel or a memoir or the Psalms in your
pajamas
4. Take a bath with some Epsom salts and a candle.
5. Eat some dark chocolate. And then eat some more.
6. Write a letter to someone you trust.
7. Surround yourself with inspiration. My friend constantly mails me encouraging
quotes and artwork; I have posted these quotes and pieces of art above my desk
to provide visual stimulation.
8. Hug your kids. They’re your greatest story. Hear the words tumbling from
your child’s mouth as he talks about his favorite blue flashlight.
9. Kiss your husband. He’s your biggest fan.
10. Pray. Pray as you write, as you edit, as you rest. Pray
through it all. Because God is the Word. He gave you this
calling. So trust him to work through you, even on days when the pool and the
sunlight and the birds are calling
__________________________________________________________________
Emily T. Wierenga is an award-winning journalist,
blogger, commissioned artist and columnist, and the author of five books
including the memoir Atlas Girl: FindingHome in the Last Place I Thought to Look (Baker Books). All proceeds from Atlas
Girl benefit Emily’s non-profit, The Lulu
Tree. She lives in Alberta, Canada with her husband and two sons. For more
info, please visit www.emilywierenga.com.
Find her on Twitter
or Facebook.
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