On Colored Pens and Shiny Things

In the happy, crowded, buzzing place that is my brain when visions of projects, emails, reading plans, menus, and things to write about dance in my head, I pull out my colored pens.

Thought upon thought pushes down and rushes out their tips.  I write as fast as I can because in this ADD happy life I lead, where I am indeed drawn to all things shiny, the sparkling thought of the moment may flee before I've had opportunity to capture it.

Piles of paper later - (I've started using spiral notebooks or bound composition books exclusively.  Fewer loose pages to scatter that way) - the bulk and substance has been put to script, and several shiny things later, I can work through the wheat and the chaff.

I love me some colored pens.  I am barely coordinated enough in a day to manage the basics of home keeping, parenting, home educating, animal raising, God following, and farmer loving.  But, a couple of bright pens comes to my rescue more often than not.

A color per kid, a color per task, a color per thought or project is a simple enough approach for me to keep hold of.

Yes, yes, it's true there are hardly colors enough to corral my brain chaos.  No matter.  Back to the notebooks.  If I keep the notebooks separated (well, at least a little bit) by subject I am saved.

You'll not find a deep well of organizing and management tips here.  Living life to the full is my strong suit, not  planning life.  And, though I write the days with broad strokes, I am aware that the finer tips are my friend.  So, what you see above is yes, maybe a suggestion for you to try as January seems to be the month of regrouping in the blogosphere.

What I hope I've pictured above is a shift of sorts.
A shift toward a more dedicated home school.
A shift toward completing a room (again- we've tried a couple of times before), to better meet the needs of multiple students and the surprising joy of operating a small scale farm.
Another shift toward greater financial stewardship. We began Liberty Farm in order to cultivate a new inheritance for our kids and someday grandkids for financial freedom.
A shift toward taking back the morning. Planning the day, Getting up when the alarm sounds it's call. Leaning to go to bed on time, and counting the precious few hours of rest as enough rather than a reason to approach the day with sluggishness, (which tips more often than not into being the sluggard).
A shift toward re-engaging in service and intentional hospitality.
A shift toward greater dominion over the gift and stronghold of media in our family life. Oh Lord, grant wisdom and courage.
A shift toward you.

Writing regularly, writing well, writing a grocery list is more work than I care to commit to.
But I think that's a mistake of perspective, and *gulp* weakness of character.
I lay waste to the gift of you far too easily by posting in my haphazrd scattegory way.
Humility requires me to admit I've neglected hospitality here, not just at my table.

Colorful and jumbled as it is, the picture is of my toe in the water - testing how best to dive into the waters that I've just been doggie paddling through.

Ack- my battery is kersplat.
My charger is far far away.

Must mean more time to think, plan, and set the table to serve you.