day 31: some final thoughts on order...

I find myself with mixed emotions as this daily writing challenge ends.  To be honest, I struggled with the daily blogging and had to sometimes write 2-3 posts at a time due to my schedule.  I did however, enjoy exploring this topic of order and sharing my thoughts.

In the end, I think my desire for order is being fed by a desire to simplify.  To slow down and really be present with my family and friends.  To intentionally simplify is a practice that I don't have perfect right now, but it is a journey that I find myself on.

As a start, we are simplifying our possessions and sorting through things we no longer need or use.  We are being more mindful of screen time, a topic I intended to cover in this series and didn't.  We are intentionally opening our home and ourselves to others, so that we can practice true, authentic community.

We are also a family that lives with disability on a daily basis, which means sometimes order is not possible.  We have hit some bumps in the road that result in us needing to regroup or adjust what order means to us as a family.  We are also learning as we navigate this path of life what works and doesn't work in terms of simplifying. 

I do a ton of reading, and right now most of the books I am drawn to have the theme of simplifying in one form or another.  So, I'm thinking that this is a lesson I need to focus on and truly find what order looks like for me and my family.

One of the books I've been enjoying is called Almost Amish, One Woman's Quest for a Slower, Simpler, More Sustainable Life, by Nancy Sleeth.  This is her second book and she walks through how we can learn from and adopt practices from the Amish way of life.

Another book that I just picked up and look forward to reading is Hands Free Mama, A guide to putting down the phone, burning the to-do list and letting go of perfection to grasp what really matters, by Rachel Macy Stafford.  It has mixed reviews on amazon but her blog seems to be highly liked.


I try to order my life so that my relationship with God is first, my family comes second and anything else comes third.  I think that by simplifying things I will be able to focus my time and attention where it needs to go.


In honor of today being Halloween, I'm adding a flash back picture to 2009 of my little munchkins.

I can't believe that November starts tomorrow!  I just read on instagram today that there are 55 days until Christmas.  Which means that our year is flying by at warp speed.  I'm hoping to be more intentional, thoughtful and present during the next two months.  I think this 31 day reminder to focus on order has been a good one for me.

Hope you all have enjoyed my series.  I will not be posting daily in the coming months but plan on 2-3 posts a week on some very specific topics.  Thanks for reading my series.