my plans for 2010

It's become more and more clear to me that I need to do less.

Last year's burnout - and the resulting exhaustion and depression, which lasted into this year - was a clear sign that I've been doing too much. I'd like more time and energy for marriage, mothering, homemaking, and reaching out to people in my church and community.

So I've cut down (for real this time!) this year. I've pulled out of a few things. I'm only taking on one big writing/teaching responsibility (a seminar, a Sunday School series) each term. In fact, I haven't said "yes" to anything yet, apart from my regular Bible Study and Sunday School commitments: I'm going to wait and see how the year is going after term 1.

This also has implications for in all honesty. It's time I took everyone's excellent advice and cut down (again!) on how many long, complicated posts I write. I'd like to aim to write one thoughtful post each week: reflections on life, or a book review, or part of a series. I think I'll post a quote every Monday. And Fridays will continue to be for fun and family. Anything else I write will be more haphazard and spontaneous!

Next week, I'll kick off Monday's quotes with some gems from GK Chesterton's Orthodoxy. I've only read 2 chapters, but I keep re-reading them because they're so wonderful! Chesterton reminds me of CS Lewis or a great novel: I find myself slowing down because I want to savour every word. I hope you enjoy sharing this book with me.

image is from steveczajka at flickr