Note to our blog family: Yesterday in the blog comments I mentioned that Janet Grant, our Books & Such president and founder, would not be able to respond as she normally does. Her husband, Loch, died last night just as the sun was setting. The family and Loch’s caregivers were there in the room and Janet said it was a sweet time, a gentle goodbye. I know you’ll join us in thinking about and praying for the family at this time of loss. If you’d like to leave a word of comfort, please feel free to use the comment section or you can send expressions of sympathy to Janet at Books & Such, 52 Mission Circle PMB 170, SantaRosa CA 95409-5370.
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Blogger: Wendy Lawton
Several weeks ago, I picked up a copy of Victoria magazine—one of my favorites. Alongside their signature idyllic photography were the words, “while away the long summer hours.”
I nearly burst into tears. How long has it been since I’ve been able to while away an hour?
I remember the days of childhood when the summer stretched out long—insect sounds, summer smells, hours to play and read. If only I’d known then that those days would never again be part of my life. . . *sigh*
I know the importance of reflection—of dreaming time. Every December I do extensive goals, divided by the parts of my life—spiritual, personal and professional. I plucked the following out of my 2012 list:
- Discover new things. Revisit all the area museums. Continue to stay inspired.
- Map out at least one “Day in the Desert” for reflection/ creativity every quarter.
- Continue to practice the home arts—cooking, gardening, flowers, baking, etc. (Someday needlework and sewing again?)
- Dream big dreams and commit the resources necessary to make it happen.
- Take ample time to dream and plan. This may be the most valuable thing I do. Otherwise I’m just shuffling papers and knocking out product.
Don’t ask me how I’m doing on these goals. When things get crazy, these are the first things to go. But I know how important it is to carve out time to “while away the hours” and I’m going to keep trying to incorporate that into my life.
As writers, what can be more important than carving out the space for creativity?
How about you? Do you incorporate dreaming and creativity time into your life? What does it look like? How is your adult life different from your childhood days? Got any good suggestions for us?
Keep dreaming Wendy!
FIrst of all, I give myself permission.
I get up an hour early.
I will book train tickets to have a writer’s weekend with my CP in Sept since we won’t make it to ACFW this year. We eat chocolate, watch period films, go hiking, plot, drink coffee, and LAUGH a lot. We talk writing, and motherhood.
We both work full time. If we don’t schedule it in, it won’t happen. I don’t want to retire at 65 and realize I didn’t live along the way! :o)
Sounds delightful!
In a busy life, I’ve found (since I started writing again) that creativity requires sacrifice. Currently, I’m sacrificing sleep because I wake up before the children to have my creative time. Sometimes that also means an early bedtime, which means I sacrifice some of the evening time with my husband. I’m considering going on a retreat this fall just to have time to dream and ponder my purpose in all of this, which I simply haven’t had time to do.
It’s possible to go to far in either direction, and sometimes an unexpected reminder in a magazine is just what we need to balance things out.
I choose not to feel guilty if I just sit and don’t do anything.
I try very hard to give myself Sundays “off” and read, go outside, talk to loved ones on the phone and do nothing.
If it was good enough for Jesus, surely it’s good enough for me.
And when it happens, it feels very good.
Wow, Michelle, I love that line! “If it’s good enough for Jesus, surely it’s good enough for me”. Well said.
Michelle, I’m with you. I have to have one day a week to rest, regroup, and totally reconnect with my family. I don’t tweet and rarely log into any social media sites on Sunday. It may make for a longer “catch up” time on Monday morning but it’s worth it.
My creativity boost comes from being outdoors. I get a lot done after even a short period of time in my garden or simply taking my laptop out onto the patio to work among the flowers. There’s a large window in my office that helps bring the outside in, which helps too.
I allow myself to dream, but then sometimes talk myself out of acting on those dreams. That’s been changing over the past 2 years, though. 🙂
Freeing and inspiring post, Wendy.
With a young family and a husband who travels, it’s tricky to find time to be creative. Before I began writing, I loved scrapbooking. I’m still trying to figure out how to re-incorporate that into my life.
I think in October, life will slow down enough for me to give myself permission to do nothing and just be creative. 🙂
I loved the contrast you made between our childhood days and my days as an adult. If I’d known then what I know now about time, I would have cherished those days more. I love having my two kids around because I see things through their exuberant perspectives, which opens me up to being a little more creative in the way I perceive my days. Does that make sense?
I used to scrapbook, until all 4 kids were into all kinds of stuff. Then I toned it down to cardmaking, now I walk past the antique hope chest in which all the paper crafting supplies are kept. I still make cards for special occasions, but not as often. I used to go to the gym like a psycho, now I walk past my gym bag, on special occasions…
Now that I have the first (incredibly awesome, tearjerking, uplifting, swoon at the proper times) book under my belt, I’ve found a schedule that works for me, one that fits in the rest of what I need to get done in my life. I plan to go back to doing housework once school starts again. Seriously. No,I mean it.
My office is cleverly disguised as the dining room table, which overlooks our back yard and woods. Dreaming is very easy when the white pines and birch trees are swaying and the blue jays are finding places to play.
Summer, with a house full of boys, is NOT time to have much R&R. But right now, we’re at a camp for the deaf and yes, it is very quiet here. I’m sitting at the picture window of a hilltop cabin that looks through the upper limbs of some massive sugar maples. The lake is like glass (so hopefully I can see down through the water and find the camera). The ease of daydreaming is directly related to the amount of boys that off somewhere fishing.
I spent most of the Spring and early Summer either writing, editing or sitting at soccer making notes on my WIP. Yes, I did too watch the boys play.
My suggestions for anyone would be what my husband and I call “mini-vacations”. Take a day or half a day and check out. Go somewhere you always say you’re going to go, and just enjoy yourself. Spend the time it takes to chill and not worry about the time.
A recent road trip through the Southwest took dreaming to epic proportions and I can hardly wait to get down to some serious writing again, once school starts. Then I can relax and be creative between the hours of 8am and 4pm.
Oh my WORD!I had no clue my comment was THAT long. The kids were interupting me and wanting breakfast. Sorry…
🙂 I love seeing long comments from others. At least yours are always entertaining and comical. Mine are usually shrew-ish lectures.
I dream while walking the dog or driving. I just love it when I arrive at work and the 20 minutes have felt like two. I remember all those times when I was a kid and said, “I’m booooored.” Now, if I’m EVER bored, I try to wallow in it for the few minutes it lasts.
By the way, welcome back! Hope you’re feeling tip top!
Sigh. That quote makes me want to cry too, Wendy!
I work full time. I teach online. I write. I blog. I’m a wife. I sing in the praise band at church.
Like everyone else–I’m just plain busy.
But I’m starting to realize something. It’s okay to take an hour and watch TV. Or read. Or just chat with my husband. It’s okay to not go, go, go. It’s okay to say “no” to people.
Because if I don’t do these things, I’ll burn out, and not be able to do the things I’m passionate about–at least, I won’t be able to do them well.
Those little periods of rest and reflection are exactly what we need to keep going creatively.
I really like the idea of taking Sundays off. I’ve tried to do that, but lately haven’t been that great at it. I’m going to make an effort to try harder.
Hope you’re feeling better!
Hi Lindsay! (I’m COLD, just so’s you know).
It is very wise and important, both for you as a person and for your marriage, that you already know it’s okay to say “no”. Some people never learn how and over time, commitments steal away so much time that can’t ever be bought back.
In the church, especially, where activity can sometimes equal one’s level of spiritual growth, busyness can be a stealth weapon against those for whom action means devotion.
Sundays have been taken over by the other 6 days, and I’m aiming to take Sunday back, so my kids can learn how to just rest.
I have to make myself stop and smell the roses too when I can pry a pen out of my hand or my fingers from the keyboard long enough.
I love to travel and have friends around the country that I visit when I can. In 2011, I went on a trip to Germany and Austria. It ended up being the inspiration for my first novel, which I finished a few months ago. 😀
I try to spend time with family and friends and try to be still in God’s presence. It’s hard for me sometimes though because I am a road runner. My job keeps my hopping and my short attention span aids it along. lol
Another way for me to break out creatively is through acting. I am a member of our local theater group and got my first leading lady part in a play this past spring. I enjoyed it so much!
Hi Wendy,
I wasn’t able to get my comment in early enough on yesterday’s post for you to be able to answer, so if you will permit it, I am posting it below. Janet’s post was very insightful. The “writer leash” in the contract is what concerns me though.
I currently work at a newspaper and I must publish my work to keep my job. Would that #3 clause affect my job in journalism?
Have you worked with journalists around that clause?? I would really love to know what you think. Thank you so much!
I ran dry this past weekend and headed out for a simple walk. Oh, what worlds of good that did for my tired (but happy) heart. I won’t detail it here– actually it’s what I wrote about for my blog tomorrow– but I will say, I agree 100%, Wendy. Whether it’s writing or any other area of our life, if God has placed it before us it’s a ministry. And when we’re pouring ourselves into our callings, we must make sure we’re fueled up for it first. I’m not much good to anyone in any of my capacities if I’m not first getting rooted in Him, tended to by Him.
And sometimes– this is the beautiful thing I’ve discovered– when there’s just not a way to GET away, He weaves moments right into my chaos– pockets of peace. Wrote about that when I first started really struggling with all of this early this summer here: http://simplerevelationsbyamanda.blogspot.com/2012/06/vacation-or-refuge.html
For me, a peace-craver, these moments are lifelines.
My husband is great at making me take time to enjoy life. If it were up to me, I’d go, go, go all the time on things that mattered to me but kept me holed up. Writing being the main one. 🙂
So it helps that he’s a pastor and we have church activities to go to and people to hang out with and general downtime that consists sometimes of nothing more than talking. I’ve learned that living life helps so much with everything else related to the writing life. Yet I still fight it at times. Thank you, God, for Steve.
Janet
I wish to extend my condolences and let you know you and your family are all in my thoughts and prayers.
Lori
Dear Janet,
I am sorry for your loss. My church family and I will be praying for you and yours.
Many blessings,
Cheryl
Oh my word. When our worlds turn like nothing is wrong, yours has lost colour and turned and gone the other way.
Janet, I am so sorry for your loss.
You and your family are in my prayers.
May the Lord bless you and keep you,
May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
and give you peace.
Blessed be the Name of the Lord.
Jennifer Major
This is a wonderful post, Wendy. I think the biggest difference between my childhood and my adult life would be the passage of time. It used to slog along so slowly, but now I don’t feel I can ever catch up.
My annual trip to North Carolina definitely refreshes and inspires, but watching my children and listening to their dreams sparks my creativity too.
Wishing all of you the best,
Cheryl
Janet,
I cannot even imagine… but I can pray. That I am doing even now, that the Lord Who ushers us into the world and Who is also welcoming your husband home, will be SO REAL to you during this time.
Wendy – thank you for sharing. Your post makes me long for Heaven.
Becky
For Janet:
I am so sorry to hear of your husband’s passing. What a grace that he passed peacefully. Even so, I know that the pain of the loss for you is beyond words. Please know that you and your family are in my prayers.
Much love,
Christine Dorman
First I want to give my condolences to the Grant family during this time of loss.
As for space for creativity,things are very different for me now compared to when I was a child. Back then my dreams were grand, almost fantasy like. Now, my dreams are a bit subdued to the point of practical. I strive to dream bigger with the hope that I will one day fulfill it.
Wendy,
I didn’t see the blog yesterday, so thank you for putting a note today about Janet’s husband’s passing.
In regards to dream time, I struggle with feeling guilty when I “play” or spend time doing things that feel non-productive. So, there are my dysfunctions out in the open. However, I have been trying recently to accept that relaxing and playing actually are productive, that they are a way to nourish myself and that they are a way of showing that I trust in God’s care and protection. I actually do pray before I play and offer to God the Father my play time as a prayer of trust, just as a child plays absolutely trusting her parents to keep her safe. Sunday has become my “I don’t need to do anything “productive” day.
My favorite way to play is to play music, but I also like to walk in nature, sit and look at water (a lake or the ocean), read a book, and sometimes I just fantasize about my characters, not writing, but just imagining how they would feel about this park or this thunderstorm or how they would react to a situation that’s going on in my life. I also like to paint and draw. A few years ago, a friend of mine bought me a black and white poster of a huge Celtic know design. The design was outlined in black and the interior of the design was white, just like a coloring book picture. I bought some colored markers and every night spent a little time coloring in sections of the design. I am a very strong planner, so I turned it into a way to be spontaneous. My natural tendency would have been to plan out every color, but instead, I just colored it as I felt it. Ultimately it ended up beautiful without my planning anything, which was a great meditation. I also told myself not to get upset when I went “outside the lines.” I still have the poster and I look at it from time to time to remind myself that I don’t have to plan every detail and that I don’t have to do everything perfectly.
I applaud you and encourage you in your efforts to incorporate whiling away the hours.
Blessings!
Wendy, I’m struck by how fitting your post today in light of Loch’s death. A God-orchestrated message to all of us. It’s moments like this that remind us that life is but a brief breath and the importance of taking time to dream and refresh our creativity in this too busy world.
My word for this year is “savor.” Thank you for reminding me to savor each moment, and give myself time and permission to dream and “while” away an hour or two.
Upholding Janet and her family in prayer.
Everywhere I turn of late, there seems to be mention of “be still and know that I am God” … the need for silence and “down time” in a life. I’ve never learned to be still … to be quiet … without false guilt because shouldn’t I be doing something? That list of things to do is ever-present. I was raised to always be doing. Even if you are just sitting “visiting,” you should have needlework in your hands, lest you be tempted to laziness. This is a timely post in my life. I’m on a quest to learn to be still. And know.
Homeschooling 8 kids, magazine column, curriculum reviewer, blogger, author … not a lot of hours to while away here, either.
But I guard our read-aloud hour carefully and I choose books that will appeal to both my children and myself. For a beautiful hour every day, we flop on the couch and the floor and the over-sized chairs and just listen. In the absence of truly slow and quiet hours, it is sufficient to feed my need for reflection.
I’ll take what I can get!
What a poignant post on the day of such an announcement. We need to carve out the time to “while away the hours” with our loved ones as well as our dreams. My family will be praying for Janet’s family.
Dear Janet,
From one who has also experienced great loss, may the peace of the Lord be your strength.
Praying for you and your family today even as I am so thankful for all you do for the family of God,
Meadow
Janet, there are no words that would do justice for what you must be facing, but please know that many of us are holding you up in prayer.
You are loved, not only by the Father of everything, but also by all of us who see your cheery face here every Monday.
May He hold you in His arms so very tightly in this time.
I know exactly what you mean, Wendy. One evening, while I was in my late twenties, I remembered the carefree summers I had in my youth, and I felt a longing for those days. Pleasant evenings with lightening bugs and cricket sounds . . . . We’ve become so sophisticated, we stay inside with our air
conditioning and mechanical distractions. I appreciate what we have, but I don’t want to ignore the nature around us. And I don’t want
to be too busy too enjoy life.
I’m a horrible workaholic. Just the other day, I realized I’ve lost the ability to relax. Hopefully this is a temporary ailment. Thanks for the reminder to take a little time off.
There are many things words cannot say. Yet there is only one word we must know. And what we must know about that word, love, is that it IS.
May you know the love of your family and of your Father during these days, Janet.
Though I never met Loch, I was blessed to pray for him before the Lord called him home. What a beautiful gift that I never would have never known had you not posted the sad news of his grave illness. Thank you, Wendy.
Janet, you are in my prayers. May the depth of our Father’s love hold you intimately close at this time your beloved husband has crossed into heavenly eternity.
Wendy, when I was a child, I ran through the sprinklers, hula-hooped, and was treated to the Music Circus every July for my summer birthday.
All such wonderful ways to, “while away the long summer hours.” As an adult, I still go to the Music Circus to be inspired by creativity, any chance I get.
Earlier this month, my sisters and I saw Shirley Jones and her son Patrick Cassidy in, “The Music Man.” It was the adventure of a lifetime. What a difference to see this amazing actress in the role of the mother instead of the daughter, Marion, the librarian! Talk about reflecting.
(My sisters and I used to put on backyard productions of every performance we saw.)
That child lives on inside of me each time I wander out to the back patio to sit under the plum tree and read my bible, write, or just relax with our two dogs.
And I still hula-hoop and run through the sprinklers in my backyard. Creativity spins around in my head and runs through my fingers when I set the cares of the world at the foot of the cross and let the Lord show me His world anew ~ even playful pooches can show me the wonder and awe right under my nose if I simply open my eyes to His glory surrounding me.
Janet,
So sorry to hear about your loss. Here’s a Bible verse I find comforting.
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27
~Leah
Janet, sorry for your loss. You are, and will continue to be, in my thoughts and prayers.
Yvonne
Janet, please accept my heartfelt condolences on the occasion of your husband’s homegoing to Heaven. May our Lord sustain you during this difficult time.
Blessings,
MaryAnn
Thank you, Wendy, for your gracious reminder to dream, rest, and dream some more. I often take mini-retreats–some as brief as an hour, others as long as a few days–to renew, refresh, and restore my soul. I find these essential not only to my creativity but also to my well-being. Another practice is to observe the Sabbath. Our Lord created the Sabbath for good reason. He knew we’d need it!
🙂
Blessings,
MaryAnn
http://www.maryanndiorio.com
I send my sincere condolences to Janet, her family, and her Books & Such family as well. May God continue to hold you all in His hand and bring comfort to all.
Praying for you and yours, Janet…
Janet, I am so sorry. :o(
That was a sad face. BTW.
I live in the middle of Somewhere (refuse to call it nowhere, since it’s beautiful and fairly serene. Starbucks is twenty miles away, if that gives you a clue. Work always presses, so I have to be much more intentional than natural about this. One way I keep stirring creativity is a tad unusual. Our medical center (also twenty miles away) has a volunteer-run, high quality art gallery in the lobby. If I have a doctor’s appointment–anything from cholesterol check to colonoscopy, i make it a point to spend some time in the art gallery. Alone. Soaking in the atmosphere of others’ creativity. I walk through at gallery-pace, stopping to notice brush strokes and angles of light the curve of a pottery handle. Hmm. I think I’ll call and make an appointment to have this mole checked out.
Janet, I was so sorry to hear of your loss. Please know that we care about you and your family and that we are praying for you during this difficult time.
Janet, I’m so sorry to hear about your loss. I’ll be praying for you and your extended family, that God will comfort you and hold you all close.
My sympathies and prayers go out to Janet. Thank you for letting us know.
Praying for Janet and her family. Thank you for letting us know.
Janet, I’m so sorry to hear about your loss. You and your family are in my prayers.
Two years ago I went on 24 hour prayer retreat. It was a wonderful time (and God prompted me to some writing, too). I pledged to make it a quarterly adventure.
Although my second retreat is yet to be scheduled, I’m hoping to go again in two weeks.