The Art of Doing Nothing

I know people who spend Christmas day in their jammies watching movies and playing with the new toys.  We aren't those kind of people.

We bounce around Christmas Day from my family to Wendell's family to my grandma's.  It hit me most when my aunt leaned over to me at Grandma's and said, "How many Christmas' have you had today."

"Four," I answered.

I don't begrudge it at all.  But because of the busyness of the day yesterday, we're doing nothing today.  Sleeping in.  Reading books. Watching movies.  Playing with friends.  It can be anything.

The hardest thing about doing nothing is reminding myself not to check on my business accounts, email or do anything that furthers my business today.

This is good.  To unplug and relax.  Now for a nap and making some dinner.

Annika (7) Relaxing with her dolls. 

Making a Difference

Becoming a Social Media Manager has been an awesome experience.  Not only do I get to help clients expand their social reach, tell their story and increase sales, but I get paid to do it.  Doing consulting work, I set my own schedule, work while the kids are in school and strengthen my own talents.  It has been a lot of fun!  I definitely get up everyday excited to "go" to work.

My experience and work for several clients led to an invitation to be on the advisory board of a foundation:  The Healing Through Christ Foundation. I run their Facebook and Pinterest pages and advise them on their website, blogging and more.

The Healing Through Christ Foundation provides educational resources for families that have been affected by pornography addiction. Their flagship product is a 12 Step manual designed for family members of those who struggle with addiction.

My work with Healing Through Christ has earned me offer to blog for Women for Decency--one of the leaders in the fight against pornography.  After brainstorming with board members of the foundation, we decided that our first blog posts will each feature information about a step from their 12 Step Workbook.

I would love to share some of the posts I've written for Women for Decency.  Two board members look over my writing and edit my work so it truly represents what they are trying to do. Pornography addiction has become an overwhelmingly common problem.  While there are many resources for addicts (though we need still more),  resources for family members are limited.

Working for and with the Healing Through Christ Foundation has been transformative for me.  Although I enjoy all the work I do for all my
clients, my work with Healing Through Christ is making a difference.  I get to connect people who are hurting to resources that will help them.  I think often of the words of a hymn, "Have I done any good in the world today?  Have I helped anyone in need?"  When I'm doing work at Healing Through Christ, I can answer those questions with an unequivocal, "YES!"

Annika's Turn

Annika's vision has slipped a bit.  She's fighting fluid under her retinas.  Nate, on the other hand, has never been better.  So I really believe it's just a matter of finding the right dose.  She was barely 5 when she was given meds for the first time.  She's growing and her meds have to grow with her.

Two months after increasing Annika's meds by 50%, her left eye is doing better, but her right eye is still getting worse.  So we've increased her meds by another half a pill.  In a few more weeks we'll see if this saves her eye or if we have to go up again.

In good news, Annika in a champion pill taker.  That girl can down 2 pills in one swallow--no problem.  And she's 7! She takes them in applesauce.

Two months ago Emma's eyes were slightly worse.  We bought her a pill box and with her pill taking getting much more consistent her eyes are doing great.

And Nate. Can you believe that only a little while ago we were so worried?  Now he's doing awesome.  He sees 20/20 in his good eye.  I honestly never believed that would happen.

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Since learning about our kids eye condition more that 3.5 years ago, Beck has been praying for his affected siblings.  At 5, he's been praying for them since he could pray.  He prays for them in every prayer. Every. Single. Prayer. Because we were worried about Nathan for so long, Beck always prayed for Nate first.

"Please bless Nathan's eyes," he prays.  And then almost as an after thought he adds, "And Emma's and Annika's."

But this last month with bad news for my little girl twice in a row, I know I need Beck's prayers on her behalf.  So we talked about rearranging the order--praying for Annika first.

I honestly believe that God listens carefully to small children's prayers.  And I believe that Annika will get better.