this weekend changed my life

I guess I blame Tsh, y'all. 

A few weeks ago, someone at Thomas Nelson contacted me & asked if I'd be willing to read & review Tsh's new book - Notes from a Blue Bike, and I of course said YES! YES! YES! I love reading what Tsh has to say, I listen to her podcast, we have a few mutual friends and in general - I'm just a big old fan. 

Friday for me was a long work day of meetings and emails and the small headaches and heartaches that come with running a small business. When I walked in my door and saw the package with Tsh's book, I was overjoyed. I already had big plans that weekend for READING. All week I'd imagined carving out some sort of time while my kids were playing or occupied and making a big cup of coffee and just reading my little heart out. As I started reading Friday night, before the weekend even got a chance to sweep me away, I found myself texting quotes from the book to friends or reading sections out loud to Nick. It was resonating with me, shifting me, in huge ways that I didn't expect. 

One line in particular hit me like a truck. 

It's hard to slow down when the race has no finish line. 

I've written before about my desire to start projects I can finish because most of our life (and probably yours too) is so unfinishable. Motherhood keeps going, small business - and ESPECIALLY internet small business - always keeps going. Church planting - woosh. I mean, we've barely begun but I can already see - there is no finish line. It just keeps moving and moving and moving. 

I can genuinely tell you that it's been over three years since I had a day where I felt like everything I accomplished everything I needed to get done. A day where I had a to-do list with even just the most important tasks crossed off? I don't remember it. For all my goal setting and planning and constantly reworking my schedule - I'm growing more and more accustomed to the truth that there will always be more to do. I will have to be the one who says "this is enough. this work is good enough." 

So reading those amazing words at the beginning of the weekend drastically changed the way I lived my days. Moreover this weekend, I believe, was a really subtle and lasting change in my life. Rather than seeing these two days as opportunities to get ahead, grow, clean, change, organize, fix, or reconfigure - I just lived. I just lived my sweet little life and left the to-do list for Monday. 

I deleted instagram, twitter, & FB from my phone. 

I straightened my hair. 

I read books. 

I cuddled with my kids. 

I listened to podcasts while I grocery shopped. 

I laughed with my husband. 

I slept. 

I did yoga. 

I didn't get ahead, but I did feel oh so happy and blessed. 
And I needed that jar back to reality, the reminder that this life - our jobs, our ministries, our plans and schedules are not intrinsically bad - but they are not our life. 

And I'm so grateful to the Tsh's words on simplicity that helped me get there. 

I'm leaving so much out about Notes from a Blue Bike, so you gotta check it out. Here's a quick video. I cannot recommend it more - I'll be buying copies for many friends. 

Notes From a Blue Bike is written by Tsh Oxenreider, founder and main voice of The Art of Simple. It doesn’t always feel like it, but we DO have the freedom to creatively change the everyday little things in our lives so that our path better aligns with our values and passions. Grab your copy here.