"Just because you can doesn't mean you should"

Since giving up my Apple Watch five weeks ago, I’ve had interesting conversations with some of you and some conversations with myself!

I’ve felt FREE. Free to linger in my time with Jesus. Free to pray more. Free to sit with a friend. Free to bake granola, make Thanksgiving table decor with Ruby, declutter and read Homemaking with BABS.

I wore the Apple Watch for tracking workouts, steps, texts, and appointment reminders. In hindsight, I was over scheduled and it was causing me stress that I had not even recognized until the watch was gone.

All the tapping, reminders, and alarms allowed me to keep up with more than I should. The only way for me to discover this truth was to live it out.

It wasn’t the watch itself. It was everything the watch allowed me to say yes to.

Changes I’ve made:

• instead of reminders or alarms, I write on my decorative paper calendar

• Instead of a shared digital grocery list, I use the pad on the refrigerator

• Instead of a phone in my room at night, I lay it down in my office around 7pm and don’t pick it up for 10-12 hours

My brain has felt less like a pinball bouncing around in a machine. I’m more aware of the little details of everyday life. I’m also not over scheduling myself every. single. day.

As I’ve reflected on these changes, I’ve thought about Chapter 7 of Firm Foundation: Resilience After Trauma, titled “The Sacred Pause”. Sometimes we don’t realize how much noise we’ve allowed into our lives until we intentionally make room for quiet. Pausing gives us an opportunity to notice what we might have been missing and consider what really deserves our attention.

Creating margin isn’t just about having less to do. It’s about having more room for what matters.

November is nearly here and I hope you’ll find moments to quietly pray and recognize God’s faithfulness. Using this month’s prayer guide is one way to make room for those moments.

November Prayer Guide

On My Nightstand

Homemaking with Babs Tips and Tricks for Making A House A Home by Barbara Costello - If you follow Babs on social media, you may not know she grew up in an apartment building and was a preschool teacher. Those things make me love her even more. Her book is filled with practical ideas that use what you have and keep life simple in decor, cleaning, and home maintenance plus a lot more. This is a great gift idea for any age person but is especially suitable for those newly married or in new home. For me, I just wanted some new ideas.

Making Peace with What I Can't Control by Lysa Terkeurst 

This book has kept me anchored in God’s truth in a season filled with sadness, earnest prayers, and grief. She uses simple language, easy to follow examples, and scriptural passages that have opened my mind to new thoughts, new prayers, and more peace. A companion Bible study is also available. Highly recommend both!

During the month of Thanksgiving, let’s say no to something good so we can say yes to something even better.