Friday, October 23, 2020

Take Care of Yourself Too

"Take care of yourself, too." 

Wise words, difficult to implement in this season. 😏

I have identified a few routines I preform for MY wellness....time with Jesus in the morning, working out, Bible study with Stacia, Zoom meeting focused on this crazy wellness journey I'm on, and really all those tea and lunch/church dates, were self-care for this extrovert.... Tea/lunch/church dates flew off the calendar immediately. A workout "routine" has been difficult to establish in this season. I need a chunk of time when someone else is interacting with Dad, or he is sleeping. At this point I simply grab whatever time I can as the day progresses - works well some days and not at all on others.  I've played with early workouts, as I can read my Bible later in the day....but the solitude, prayer, meditation when the household is up is a bit different.  Nothing is natural and easy just now. Basically, I need a day with MORE morning hours and less middle hours. πŸ˜‚I KNOW I have to get a grip on this. I have 2 diagnostic tests, a wisdom tooth removal, and labs which need scheduling, and have for months.  Every time I plan to run in and get labs, or make that mammogram appointment,  someone else has an appointment, or the day gets away from me. A wise friend told me (weeks ago) to commit to simply making one appointment a week...not going to it - just making it. I am stymied when they ask, "What is a good day and time for you?" 

There is no good day or time.πŸ½πŸ˜…πŸ½

I'm a morning person. I tend to go to the gym, schedule labs and doc appointments for the first appointment of the day.....but to do that now someone else has to be up with Dad - Michael is NOT a morning person and I don't want Stacia to handle Dad's morning "constitution."  

Nevertheless, I don't have to be at the top of the list, but I'd best get me ON THE LIST. 🐽

Arielle is good to ask me, "Have you gotten out of the house? What have you done for self-care?" 

I told her I take Alex to work at 0445. She seems to think doing something for another doesn't count as self-care. I'm going to have to contemplate that idea a bit more. I think it "could."  Or it could be both "for another" and "for me." 

In any event BIBLE STUDY OUT for Stacia and I surely counts as self-care. 

Michael got up at 0900 yesterday so Stacia and I could get out of the house for our Bible study. It was heavenly. It got me out. And intentional time with Stacia is on my priority list. Win/win. I appreciated him making this happen for us. 

I'm not 100% sure it fits the definition of  "selfish self-care." 🐽Maybe? 

BUT this certainly does! While Michael and I dealt with our missing checking account, Stacia got busy in the kitchen. She got out a letter from Krista and made... "Christmas Saltines" , "Fake Toffee..." I'm not sure what they are called. She read the letter and laughed, and then made the treat. She also put on CHRISTMAS MUSIC - blaring from the living room. 

She  invited me to tea.....YES....total self-care! I should have been "working the list," but I needed to sit. 

I got out one of my special birthday tea cups - Mom gave me beautiful cups once a year for years. 

Stacia made a 1/2 batch of SUGAR FREE goodness! We learned the sugar free chocolate and "sugar" tends to melt at a lower temp/time. 

Tea parties are always times of remembering for me - even when I invite others over and don't discuss the "pretties." The tablecloth is Mom G's. The tea cups are birthday cups from my Mom. The teaspoons are from Gram's silver. The platters of treats are from Japan. The teapot is my newest - a Christmas gift from my boyfriend in my favorite color. The drinks: hot chocolate mix I've made for gift giving. Stacia has taken on the job of keeping the jar full for every day family use. The tea - Sugar Free Chai. The recipe is from Louise, co-host at the Hospitality House at Travis AFB. It's a top secret recipe and reminds me of the bravery God birthed in me through the process of speaking at TWOC's retreat. I call it Hospitality Tea...sometimes, depending on the day, I call it Hospital Tea. EVERY element of this break is steeped in meaningful memories. 
 
Yes, SUGAR FREE and wonderful! Certainly NOT Calorie free. 
 

Stacia's tray of treats...still lots left as Benny and GG both ate the sugar free later in the day. I may have indulged in a bit more than my fair share too. πŸ˜›

As we sipped our cuppas, I shared memories of Gram's, Dad's Mom, Mom G, and Mom...we talked about character, personal holiness, and perseverance. We talked of women who left a legacy, a mark in our lives. I emerged with determination to leave a godly legacy as these women have for me. It was a refreshing break in the middle of the day. It's one of those "houseful" techniques I learned which serves me well in this season....Sleep or work when baby naps.... a tea break in the middle of a busy household is heavenly. It pulls us together, it centers and grounds us. 

Tea time certainly can be labeled as self-care. I was known to write about these breaks as "sanity breaks" back in the day when the house was full of preschoolers and young adults. 

This morning my 0530 zoom meeting was interrupted by the cow bell. It's been our dinner bell through the kids' growing up years when I discovered I preferred a resounding cow bell to yelling across the neighborhood for children. It sits on dad's nightstand now and gives him assurance he can be heard from anywhere in the house (or yard for that matter).  NOT THE ZOOM meeting....I began to slide into attitude and then I saw these photos ready to blog....ah, the memory of a tea party. Delightful self-care. Commitment to legacy. My heart is to walk this season well.  

A simple cuppa tea can open doors of conversation, relaxation, healing and refreshing. 

A simple cuppa tea can accomplish much! 

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