ALL THE THINGS

January 14, 2015
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OUCH! I scream as I slice my finger this morning, cutting my current food obsession, an avocado.
 

My entire life I have always heard this from my mother. Gina SLOW down. Whether it is talking too fast or trying to get 800 things done in a minute. I guess I have always been the type of girl that wants to do ALL the things. ALL at once.
 

To be honest this is where my brain has been the last couple of days. ALL THE THINGS, not enough time. ALL THE THINGS that need to be done right now in a 27 minute nap. ALL THE THINGS to do right this moment, as I would like to get to bed before 2am. All the THINGS so I can settle down and finish my 2015 goals and write that post. ALL THE THINGS.  The panic, the stress, the getting short with loved ones and helpers around me, the disappointment with myself for getting here all out of whack, the I can’t’s.  It’s a slippery slope.
 

Then my loving Father in heaven brings me out of my tail spin with a quick slice to an appendage. “SLOW DOWN” I hear again. “SLOW DOWN, Gina.” I relax a bit and realize. I DON’T want ALL THE THINGS. I can’t do ALL THE THINGS. When they are ALL THE THINGS.
 

I can only do one baby step at a time. One leap of faith. One deep breath. One email. One photo. That’s how we get real things done anyways.  I am a MASTER at juggling, hustling and multitasking. But this year…. I don’t want to be.
 

I want to have a year of setting up systems in our new normal as a family of 3.  Being parents together, a working momma, a serving wife and loving friend. Taking notes and time to see what rhythms work and don’t work. I want to tune into the Lord everyday to see HIS will for me, BEFORE I OPEN MY COMPUTER. To have an actionable list and get things done but leave WHITE SPACE for what the Lord has for us that day. Leave white space for giggles, for serving others, for taking a bath, for giving.
 

It’s going to take a lot of work to figure out how to slow down for this momma. For example in writing this post I have made and eaten lunch, lactation cookies, filled up water bottles and put another bandaid on this finger. It’s going to take preparation, to GIVE ME SPACE to breathe. It’s going to take clean spaces not filled with clutter to work in. It’s going to take pre-visualization and notes. It’s going to take a huge amount of simplifying which is a big goal for 2015.
 

But today I needed to declare. I am done doing ALL THE THINGS. I am sick of walking into my days with the mindset that I don’t have enough. Enough time, brain space, energy….with Jesus I have enough. Even with the mountains of work and home and a no-napping baby. I will repeat my favorite mantra lately. GOD IS NOT SURPRISED. God is not surprised at what is on my plate. He just asks for my hand to walk with Him to accomplish it.
 
And somedays He just has to pull out a kitchen mishap and the bandaids to remind me.
 

10 thoughts on “ALL THE THINGS

  1. You are speaking truth right to my heart. There really are SO MANY things to get caught up in. I’m so guilty of focusing on the million instead of the One. Thank you for this reminder. Love you!!

  2. Thank you for writing this. I smiled at myself through it all. Heal up and keep looking up love, you are loved!

  3. Gina, thank you so very sincerely for writing this. You put words to the weight on my heart. The beginning of a new year is always a mix of excitement and anxiety- but mostly pressure I put on myself. The mission of motherhood gives us a daily list of to-do’s and goals whether we look for it or not. For me, I need to accept this mission with my whole heart and step into the role- fully. With joy, gratitude, and humble thanksgiving to The Lord for allowing me to be a mommy! When I do this, it’s a daily struggle to quiet ALL THE THINGS that beg for my time and attention. I love your ideas like clearing clutter to allow for a little more margin in your days- but don’t forget to give yourself margin in your standards, too! People over perfection- keep on enjoying that cute baby of yours!

  4. you and me are cut from the same cloth. reminds me of what brene brown says in her book “daring greatly.” we live in a culture that feels like they are lacking in everything when really, we are overflowing with everything… we don’t have to have our feet hit the floor in the morning thinking “not enough time!!”

    you’re great.

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Gina is a Minneapolis based wedding and lifestyle photographer that loves bringing the LIFE out of people & capturing that energy on camera. Contact Me