Writings of a Beholder 🌿 2.9.24
What's Saving My Winter Life
Photo by Luz Brunetti on Unsplash
It’s been unusually warm this week in central Indiana and I’m far from being mad at it. It’s been such a gift to take late afternoon walks with my husband and the dogs, the clear, blue sky painted with shades of blush. To step outside, look up, and not see the sky covered with gray clouds has been refreshing to my soul.
I have a love-hate relationship with winter though; loving the snow days and the invitation to burrow in and slow my pace, but despising the cold and the way it seems to shut me inside until spring — or until a few unusually warm February days set me free for a while.
A rhythm I’ve adopted in every season, but especially winter to combat the gray cold, is to reflect on certain things or rhythms that seem to be saving my seasonal life. I didn’t come up with this particular rhythm of reflection, but actually first observed it from writer and podcaster, Emily P. Freeman a few years ago. Since then, I’ve noticed lots of other creators sharing their list of things that are saving their lives at the moment. It’s a fun and simple way to bear witness to my life and pay attention to what’s bringing me joy and rest in each season, and I’ve loved sharing these lists with you in the past.
So today, friend, I’m going to share with you my short list of things that are saving my winter life right now. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope to hear from you in the comments about what’s saving your winter life at the moment. It’s a good opportunity for reflection and to take stock of what may be life-giving or life-draining in this season for you. Pausing to name and savor the simple things — even the material blessings and comforts woven within our lives — I believe helps us notice the gifts we might otherwise miss.
With that being said, let’s jump right in.
1. My Heated Blanket
I spent a few days with my mom in January while Max traveled for work, and I couldn’t get enough of the heated blanket she had draped over the arm of her couch. Every morning I would wake up and go right to it, loving the warmth and coziness it provided on a chilly winter morning. So, when I returned home, I of course told my husband that we just HAD to order one, and that’s exactly what I did. Now, Max and I find ourselves competing for it every morning and evening. It’s a simple, rather inexpensive comfort that combats the cold dreariness of winter, and it has been absolutely worth the money!
Here’s the one I ordered off Amazon if you’re interested: Electric Heated Blanket
2. My Husband’s Egg Bake Recipe
At the time of this letter, I’m almost 16 weeks pregnant with our baby girl. During the entire first trimester, breakfast was hard because I felt like garbage most of the time, and the smell of making it alone was enough to make me nauseous. So, Max started making me egg bakes and it was such a gift, because all I had to do was get the pan out of the fridge, cut myself a slice and heat it up in the microwave. It was tasty, not foul-smelling, and very easy to eat! Now that I’m feeling like myself again, we’re still making his egg bakes because we both just love the ease of not having to prepare breakfast. It’s saving my breakfast life right now!
Here’s the recipe if you want to give it a try:
Ingredients:
a carton of eggs
a carton of egg whites
breakfast sausage (we use the Bob Evan’s brand)
your choice of vegetables (I like broccoli, sweet potatoes, onion, red/green peppers, and mushrooms)
cheese — if you can tolerate it — I’m a dairy-free girly, so we always leave this ingredient out
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and then get started chopping up all your veggies. Set aside the veggies, get out a big cooking pan and put a little coconut oil or butter on the bottom to prevent everything from sticking. Then grab your carton of eggs and crack all of them into a bowl and beat them. Once the eggs are beaten, mix in your carton of egg whites, and add any seasoning to your egg mixture that you like (I always opt for salt, pepper, and garlic powder). Then pour your veggies into your cooking pan, and then pour the eggs over top of your veggies. Once it’s ready, place into the oven for about an hour and a half and enjoy!
3. My ‘I Hear His Whisper’ Devotional by Brian Simmons
This winter has brought a lot of change with it, both to my life and to my body, and it’s been a little overwhelming and exhausting at times. Because of that, I’ve needed bite-size tidbits of truth as I learn to abide with God through these transitions and changes. My spiritual director recommended a devotional to me that I’ve been really enjoying in the mornings as I sip my tea and cozy up under my heated blanket. It’s called ‘I Hear His Whisper’ by Brian Simmons, and it’s a small devotional that could easily fit inside your bag or purse that contains short, daily readings for every day of the year and they read as if God Himself is whispering directly to your heart. There’s a Scripture at the end of each reading to meditate on, and I’ve found this devotional to be a really great way for me in this season to commune and connect with God.
You can check it out here if you’d like: I Hear His Whisper: Encountering God’s Heart for You
4. Colored Pens for Journaling
When it comes to journaling, I’m a traditional girl who usually just sticks to a black or blue ink pen. But then one of my best friends got me a pack of colored pens for Christmas, I gave them a try, and I haven’t looked back since. I’m not sure if I would consider them pens exactly… they’re more like really fine-tipped markers, and they have made journaling so much fun for me this winter season! Each time I reach for my journal now, I get to pick which color fits my mood that day, and I’m loving that the pages are starting to look like the rainbow. It gives me such joy and opens me up creatively, and because of that, they deserve a spot on this list!
Here are the ones I use: Paper Mate Flair Felt Tip Pens
5. Thursday Solo Coffee Shop Dates
I like to work out regularly during the week, but on Thursdays, I take a break. Lately, my Thursdays have operated as rest days where I take a walk in the morning, answer some work emails, get ready for the day, and then choose a coffee shop to write at for a few hours as I sip an iced vanilla chai. Because I work full-time from home, this solo coffee date gets me out of the house which always gets my creative juices flowing. I’ve noticed a calm that settles around me as I settle into my spot for those few hours spent at the coffeehouse, and it’s a small gift I give myself that I look forward to every week.
6. Ginger & Magnesium Tonic Before Bed
Lately, I’ve had trouble sleeping — falling asleep and staying asleep. So I ordered some magnesium powder and every night I mix it in with a cup of ginger tea before bed and it has made such a big difference! The ginger tea is great for inflammation and digestive health, and magnesium is a vitamin that helps with sleep (among other things), so really, it’s a win-win. This has been a nightly rhythm for me for the past month and I find myself looking forward to it at the end of each day.
Here’s the magnesium powder I use: Perelel Sleep Support
Here’s my favorite ginger tea: Yogi Ginger Tea
A Blessing for Those Who Winter
By Stephanie Duncan Smith
While the light turns low and the first frost descends, may you find unexpected gifts in the fallow seasons.
May the bare fields and wind-swaying thistles be your signal that there is renewal in trusting life’s natural rhythms, and certainly no shame.
And even as you feel the ever-present pull to produce,
to advance,
to output,
may you revel in the sweet subversion of choosing for yourself creative rest.
Winter can be a drag that I know we all feel tugging us down sometimes. But my prayer for us is that winter would be a time of noticing the sacred amidst the ordinary, the achingly beautiful amidst the cold and dreary, and an invitation to draw intimately close to the One Who is still giving good gifts to warm us and hold us.
May you take time this week to name the blessings that usually go unnoticed.
With you on the journey,
Celia
Life Lately
A Breath Prayer for Your Weekend
Inhale: I will bless the Lord at all times.
Exhale: His praise will ever be on my lips.
(adapted from Psalm 34:1, CSB)
*If you’d like to learn more about the practice of breath prayer, download this complete digital guide to practicing breath prayer.
Resources & Good Things to Pick Up
My mom is an ovarian cancer survivor who decided to create an encouraging planner for those walking through their cancer journey. It would also be a life-giving tool for caregivers and loved ones walking beside their cancer warrior. The ‘For Such a Time as This’ planner is officially available for purchase now here: Quiet Hope Co.
My Etsy shop, The Beholding Co., offers contemplative resources to help you slow down, seek still moments, and behold God’s presence with you in the everyday. Purchase some breath prayer cards, a Lectio Divina bookmark, and more.
Grab a copy of my Bible study, You Are Beloved: a 21-day study on how to root your identity in the love of God, over on Amazon. If you’d like a free 3-day sample of the study, reply to this email and I’ll send it right over!
My friend and licensed spiritual director, Kari Bartkus, offers an 8-week journaling program for those who want to process their grief and trauma with God within the safety of blank journal pages. I’ve completed the program myself and can say confidently that it was incredibly impactful and healing: Journal Gently
For those wanting to learn more about Karis’ Journal Gently program, she’s offering a one-hour-long workshop exploring one way to use journaling as a way to meet with God on the pages of your journal, particularly after experiencing loss or trauma. The deadline to sign up is February 10th, so register here: Journal Gently Mini Workshop
An Invitation to Pause & Reflect
A regular practice of reflection helps us recognize what’s going on beneath the surface of our souls so we can name it in the Lord’s presence. Because as we learn to name what we feel, what we need, and what we long for, we’re also learning to discern the Spirit’s sweet, gentle voice within our hearts and lives.
Take a few moments today or this weekend to journal or contemplate with the Holy Spirit the following question(s) or prompt(s):
What are some things or rhythms that are saving your winter life right now?
How do you see God meeting you in this winter season?
