I used to hate Sundays. I mean really hate them. In my mind they were to be peaceful, restful days. No work, just a lounge-y kind of day. But with three young kids, my Sundays basically sucked.
I would wake, run around and fix everyone their made-to-order, unique breakfast (‘cause why would they all like the same thing?), do the dishes, rush off to take a shower to get ready for church and then spend the rest of the morning at home bullying my kids into getting dressed, brushing their teeth, and attempting to make church on time.
Within an hour of waking, I found the day completely ruined. I’d be frustrated and angry to have to replay my yelling commands like, “Go back upstairs and change into something appropriate! No skulls, no zombies, no sweatpants!” GRRRRRR!
We’d fight about the need to go to church and Sunday School every…single…week. I hated it. And just when we’d get settled at home from the morning’s bad mood, it would be time to start dinner, dishes, and prep for the following school day and work week. Weekend over. Dislike. Thumb down. I dreaded Sundays, with a capital D.
I’m not sure when the change officially came, or even how, but thank The Good Lord, it came. I decided to claim and name Sunday as “Reading Day” (Said with the inflection one uses to announce The Queen and with arms spread wide in presentation). Although my day’s activity starts the same as it did, with breakfast and the like, I now look forward to the biggest chunk of the day spent reading.
I park myself in the middle of the family room, in my favorite chair, grab a coffee or hot chocolate and bring my stack of magazines and books. TV is rarely on, and my phone is only on hand to look up an item source notated in my magazine article. (I LOVE that they do that!)
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This time refreshes my soul! I’m feeding my heart and mind with imagines and articles of things that have meaning to me and make me happy. I am typically so jazzed from this that I can’t wait to get to work on something creative and beautiful the next day.
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I no longer resent having to snap back to action in the evening, or get back to real life, as I often put it. I feel energized and relaxed. I’m kinder to my family and have seen the change in my demeanor totally transform the atmosphere of our home.
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Sunday may not be the right day for you, but I encourage you to carve out time for your Soul day. Feed your passions, feed your mind and heart and soul. Your happiness is the immediate reward and who knows what beauty can bloom from that?
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*Pillow fabric – “Watercolor lemons” from Spoonflower.com, Chair fabric – Birkly Aqua from Better Homes & Gardens, Paris in Color by Nichole Robertson, table from Home Goods.
**June 2017 issue of HGTV Magazine, Paris in Color by Nichole Robertson.
***Sherwin-Williams paint sample fan deck, Notebook: The Kendall Kollection by Jack!e for carolinapad, May 2017 issue of HGTV Magazine, Summer 2017 issue of Magnolia Journal.
****Berry carton – green.