The Spaces In Between

When I launched this blog, my goal was to share something new once a week. But, I was quickly humbled as we hit an unusually busy season. I started this specific excerpt many times in my “downtime”, but never quite finished for one reason or another. Looking back, I now know that I was forcing it, while other more important things were passing me by. I was using my only extra time to “produce more”, when in reality I actually needed to slow down. So, I logged out and vowed to come back when the time was right. And, here we are, 2 months later.

That experience was actually quite fitting for the theme of this blog, “The Spaces In Between.” I, personally, wasn’t making room to actually have space and I also was utilizing the space that I did have very poorly. Remember, this is a choice that we get to make!

Something to consider - when was the last time that you actually slowed down in between the “givens” in your life? As in truly slowing down in between work or your day-to-day tasks? We have all of these non-negotiables that we go through every day, but there are spaces in between. Let me rephrase that, there SHOULD be spaces in between. Unfortunately, our society prides itself on constantly filling these gaps - whether its with more work, more exercise, more scrolling, more tasks, or just plain filler noise.

It is so easy to see these gaps as “just transitions to the next thing’, rather than an invitation to slow down and connect with ourselves and what’s around us.

The spaces between tasks are not wasted time. They are where we have room to breathe.

In those spaces, we reconnect to ourselves and our families.

In those spaces, we hear God's voice.

In those spaces, our nervous systems have a chance to reset.

Now, don’t get me wrong, there will be seasons of life that feel more chaotic (Que teething or potty training. So much joy, yet so much chaos, lol) I do want you to remember though, what may be considered chaos isn’t always necessarily “bad” and challenging your body isn’t necessarily “bad” - but, your body does need to be supported to move through each of those challenges in a healthy, sustainable way. And this is where “The Pause” comes in - the spaces in your life that you don’t have to fill.

Without these intentional pauses, we aren't just busy, we are perpetually overstimulated. We aren't just working hard, we are feeding this constant chaos inside of ourselves and inside of our homes.

I encourage you to embrace and adjust to the times that are naturally chaotic, but do not feed constant chaos. I wish I could needle point that on a pillow for you. Hear me out - you DON’T have to live in constant chaos - every minute of your day doesn’t need a checklist - every little thing doesn’t demand your immediate attention - boundaries are super important, but so is flexibility - and it’s ok to not be in control. You get to make the choice to fuel the chaos fire, or not. Create the space you need to put that fire out.

My challenge for you is to find the joy in the more challenging moments, but consciously incorporate some sort of intentional pauses and joy into every season of your life. This is doable, even when it feels impossible. Trust me!

Rooted Rhythms

There is something sacred about tending a garden. The quiet work of planting seeds (or not so quiet if you have a toddler helping you, lol), nurturing growth, and patiently waiting and hoping for a harvest. There are so many things happening below the surface that we can’t see, yet we have faith that in a few weeks we will see some sort of change. One of my most fond memories of my childhood is helping out in our garden - pulling beets, checking watermelons before the coyotes hauled them off, and harvesting endless cucumbers. There is magic in getting back to your roots, getting your hands in the dirt, and reconnecting with the land.

We were created to be cultivators. But, society today has us so far removed from nature that we often forget its importance or even completely lose connection to it. I think a huge part of this is both the general lack of time spent in nature (without distractions), as well as the decrease in producer-to-consumer consumption and harvesting our own food which creates a divide in both connection and education. I have found myself ebb and flow with this as I have navigated different seasons of my life, but there is no doubt that no matter how far removed I was, I was always drawn back to the quiet, miraculous order that is woven into creation.

I encourage you to slow down enough to notice this. It really is incredible!

The tide rises and falls.

The moon waxes and wanes.

The birds migrate.

The flowers bloom, and then they rest.

And without even thinking, your heart beats. Your breath flows. Your body cycles.

None of it is random..it is all rhythm. And if you pay attention long enough, you will start to notice the deep synchronicities between your body and the natural world God created around you. You’ll remember what your body has known all along:

You were made to live in harmony with creation.

Why does society fight this? Is it because living in harmony with creation requires slowness, humility, and trust.. three things the modern world resists? Or because we live in a culture obsessed with control, productivity, and progress at any cost? Regardless of the reason, which realistically may be different for each and every one of us, underneath all of the noise, our souls are still wired for rhythm, still longing for quiet, and still craving connection.

You don’t have to live on acres of land to find this connection. Start where you are - literally! Eat outside, sit around the fire, listen to the birds around you, collect leaves on a walk, observe the changing sky, plant something and watch it grow. It doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does have to be intentional.

Finding Joy In Everyday Moments

In a world that glorifies hustle, achievement, and constant busyness… it’s easy to overlook the simple, sacred moments woven into our daily lives. But, there’s an art to embracing the ordinary. Where slowing down allows us to notice the beauty in what might otherwise seem mundane.

It’s in the warmth of morning sunlight streaming through the kitchen window.
The gentle rhythm of making a meal while little hands play nearby.
The quiet pause after bedtime prayers, where peace lingers for a moment longer and our babies grow up right before our eyes.

When we stop striving and start noticing, we realize that these small, unassuming moments are where life happens. They are the brushstrokes that paint the masterpiece of our days - offering us a chance to savor joy, connection, and grace.

A quote from one of my favorite books, The Lifegiving Home, comes to mind as I sit with this topic and enjoy a hot cup of coffee. “The understanding of beauty, not as a veneer that we apply to the surface of our lives, or an ideal only to be obtained by the extraordinary..but as the tangible, daily outgrowth of spiritual values that we hold most deeply. We miss that God created the physical world to house and express the spiritual.” Such an interesting perspective, right?

We live in a society where beauty is often seen as synonymous with perfection. Whether that’s in terms of looks, pinterest-worthy homes, or even the mirroring of someone else’s life or schedule. We are pushed to want to change ourselves, consume as much as we can with instant gratification, get “the next best thing”, and never feel fullfilled with what we have.

Can you imagine a life that lonely? One where what you have is never good enough, you are constantly pulled in the direction to change your actual unique essence, and you are moving so quickly to keep up with everyone else (or the expectations that you put on yourself, wink wink) that you miss the joy of what actually matters?

I often think of this in terms of how our children will view and experience the world. Are we setting them up to live a life filled with intention? Are we creating an environment that allows them to have the capacity to actually be able to slow down and find joy in the everyday moments? Are we, ourselves, mirroring to them the beauty of the world and the excitement of each and every day that we get here on this Earth?

This is your invitation to really dive into this yourself. No matter what season of life you are in, it matters.

Ask yourself..

Am I actually able to slow down and find joy and beauty in the everyday moments? If not, why? If so, what is working for you and allowing you to do that. Acknowledging what is working can be just as important as finding what isn’t!

How am I viewing myself? Am I viewing myself and my life through a lens that isn’t mine? (ex. someone else’s opinion, where someone else is in their life, social media, etc.)

Am I constantly “consuming?” Have you ever thought that maybe you are missing the joy of the little things because they are being drowned out by the noise of EVERYTHING else? This applies to what you read, listen to(podcasts and audiobooks included), watch, and who you are around.. take some time to completely turn off without consuming more and more and more. This is an intentional choice that needs to be made.

Am I creating an environment that supports my nervous system? This is one of the most underrated questions in my opinion. There is power in a PEACEFUL home. Is your home inviting? Comforting? A place where you and your family members find peace? If not, it’s time to stop making excuses and make some change. But, this doesn’t mean you have to go out and buy new or expensive things. Start with decluttering an area that brings you stress and adding in some dollar store string lights - you won’t regret it!

Are you making time for things that actually bring you joy? This is not your job, even if you enjoy it. This is not cleaning the house because you feel better when the house is clean. And no, this is not working out, even if you love to do so. This is something that actually recharges your battery. Maybe a call with a friend, reading your favorite book, joining a group to make more connections, or starting the hobby that you have always wanted to do.

Each one of these questions allow you to dig deeper into what you are ACTUALLY making time for in your life. This will shape how you view the world, and how those around you do, too.

Girl, remember, you don’t have to chase a fast-paced life to create one filled with meaning. When we learn to cherish the art of the ordinary, we discover that life’s richest blessings are often found in the moments we once rushed past.