the unexpected domestic

Thinking Outside the Box

All of my life I've heard the phrase "think outside the box." And for the most part I was always like, yeah! let's do that! But looking back, I realize that I hardly ever thought outside the box like I thought I was doing.  I had these expectations for how I was supposed to be during my school years: play softball, be in band, get good grades, etc.  I strove to please everyone and keep them happy with me.  I remember being stressed out when things didn't go how I thought they should go.  I had a plan and I had a schedule to go along with that plan.  The ironic thing to me is that I thought I was more easy going than I actually was.  But really, isn't that how it is with everyone, we criticize and compare to others what is actually a characteristic we fail to see in ourselves.

A few weeks ago I read somewhere to have a set goal but keep a fluid plan.  Reading that statement was a total eye opener to me.  Kevin has always seemed to follow this saying and I have been trying to adjust to his ways for several years now.  Like, when we go to the coast this is usually how it goes in my head: "Oh, we're going to the coast!  But wait, we aren't going to take 98 and then 49 south?  Oh ok...then how?  What? We're going to just head south on back roads?  Well, okay then..."  And you know what?  It always works out. It took some getting used to, but not only do I know accept it, I embrace it!  It doesn't matter that we don't go the same way everyone else goes, I'm having a grand time with the love of my life! Plus, how else would we find beautiful fields or magical looking roads??

I am very glad that I have been introduced to "letting things go" and rolling with it.  I can't say it started out with me embracing doing this, but really, it makes life so much easier!  Sometimes I forget and it hits me that I can actually do things a different way than I imagined.  I don't know why, but it still surprises me when this happens, haha.  Now I know that some people may have this all figured out already but this was a huge revelation to me when I realized all of this.  Thinking it out this way has really cause me to understand more what it means to think outside the box.

I've been trying to apply this reasoning to more aspects of my life.  Which is sometimes hard because I am really a person who loves routine, so rolling with it can be difficult for me to do.  But remembering to keep my goal firm with my plan fluid really helps!

watering plants {thoughts}

I've gotten into a new routine of watering plants in the morning after my run and it is such a lovely time to do so! I began this just last week because honestly, my plants were looking pretty pitiful. As I was watering them this morning, I was looking at these plants that were such a pretty green that just a week ago were this brown-green color. This is not the first time that this has happened and every time I am amazed at what a little water and sun can do.
It got me to thinking of how awesome my God is and how he shows us examples of his love for us everywhere! To me, when I begin thinking about how everything works together and I see how everything he created is perfect. All of His creation is modeled after His perfect relationship with the church. Just as my plants thrived under a little bit of water and daily attention, so do we when we receive linking water from Christ. Jesus told the woman at the well 'But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall logive him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.' John 4:14.
Just as plants need water daily, God provides us with everlasting water! God is so amazing how He works out every detail of His creation, no matter how seemingly minute,

watering plants {thoughts: change}

This week I have had the idea of change on my mind. Humans are creatures of habits, we like our routines.  I am no exception.  I love having a daily routine that I know I can depend on.  But at the same time, I sometimes look forward to change.  To the idea of something new, that can be better, improvement.  Our lives are always changing.  We weren't created to stay the same person we were yesterday.

However, with change comes that feeling in my stomach.  The one where I wish everything would get settled out to a normal routine.  I don't like the feeling of being unsettled and not knowing.  I have comfort in believing thateverything is going to happen ccording to God's will, but I still can't help but feel a little anxious about what is happening right now.  I am caught up in the turmoil and tossing around of life in my daily activities, still trying to desperately distract myself from my thoughts.

This morning as I was driving, i kept asking God to be with me as I go about the day and through the week when it hit me: I had been praying for God's will to be done, but I had not prayed for comfort as I get there. I was so stuck on the thought of getting to the end, I forgot all about the journey.  Things will constantly be changing in my life and it is the process of change that changes me for better, not just the outcome of the change.

watering plants {thoughts}.

One of my favorite things about my herbs and now my mini garden is when I water them.  It gives me a good feeling, it's kind of theraputic or gives a sense of accomplishment.  I like that it is one of the main ways to care for my plants and afterwards they look so healthy and happy. As I take the time to water them it gives me a chance to inspect them and see how they are doing and learn more about them.  I like to set the watering can and watch it fill up with water and then walk to my front porch being careful to not spill it everywhere (which I usually do).  This activity gives me a chance to have a moment to myself and completely absorb in my thoughts.

Lately I've been thinking a lot on habits.  I have always heard that humans are creatures of habit and I believe this is true.  I love having a routine and when it is disrupted it throws me off for a bit. I have been trying to build habits ingrained in myself to have an easier time at home.  These are simple habits, like washing towels on Saturday or getting the kitchen clean after dinner each night.  I believe that these habits are desirable for me because it helps me keep up with my chores around the house and makes taking care of everything easier.  I am also attempting to build a daily morning routine.  I don't think that it would be wrong to classify all of my morning activities as habits.  For the past couple of days I have gotten up and walked Roscoe in the backyard while I check on my chickens.  Developing this routine is important to me because it increases my bond with Roscoe and also my chickens.  I then fix my coffee and come back to "my" room and get on the computer to play a little while.  I changed my morning routine to doing this because I was in the habit of watching tv but then I would just sit there for a couple hours not doing much.  Therefore my reason for changing this habit was because I did not want to do that anymore.  This is much more productive for me.  Well, in keeping with my habit it is time for breakfast for me!