Today is our first official #wholemama linkup! So get your keyboards ready and share some of your thoughts and stories of wholeness or shalom with us! The linkup is at the bottom of this post. Click around and be encouraged to be yourself. 

Somehow the time ran away this week already. But my little, efficient sleeper, alarm clock, one and half year old woke up at 6 instead of 7 and made some more for me. So while she watches Curious George from her place on the other couch (okok, the couch lasted all of 7 minutes) I can sit here and write. or scroll. In all honesty, today I started with scrolling and now I’m writing. 

But better than just scrolling as it might have been without #wholemama. I knew I had to write since I’m linking up. Sometimes you need a bigger reason to motivate you t be whole. Summer accountability for the win. 

But it’s more than accountability, what has begun just now. It’s a party of women being completely themselves as they mother. And then jumping together to encourage each other and to share wisdom as we create. Last night was our first real twitter party. We talked about so many things, but we rested mainly in the concept of shalom and what pursuing wholeness means for each of us. 

I was introduced to the concept of shalom as being more than just peace. Here’s what Osheta said when I admitted some confusion about how Shalom is just like Wholeness. 

“Shalom is basically seeking God’s peace expressed in our lives in three ways: our relationship to Him, to the earth, and each other. God’s idea of peace is wholeness. Wholly relating to Him as our true selves, wholly relating to the earth as caregivers, and wholly relating to each other as precious and worthy of love.”
 – Osheta Moore (@osheta on twitter last night)

By the end of our twitter party I realized that being whole, to me, means simply being faithful in this season. That’s when I feel the most whole. But I can’t simply be faithful in the roles that demand the most. I also have to be faithful in pursuing the things God has gifted and challenged me ti include in my little life.  I have to put in the time and process the depth of the things I’ve been called to instead of a surface focus of meeting needs and then binging on netflix as a way of recovery.

Because when I only focus on housekeeping, mothering and marriage I give to the very last end of myself until there’s nothing left. I get tired and bitter. But if I conciously do things that bring me joy and have a purpose somewhere else, I do better. I’m not ignoring how God created me in order to conform to someone else’s idea of who  I should be. 

Whole is being faithful with ALL the most important things entrusted to my care and realzing that the important things aren’t only the loud and demanding. 

The idea of shalom as meshed with a concept of season is where wholeness becomes doable instead of overwhelming (how do we fit in one more thing??).

Bill Hybels in his book, Simplify, says:

“Identifying your season is vital to simplifying your life. it equips you to be more fully present and engaged. it brings a singlemined clarity to your days. You are more likely to notice God’s active hand, to learn the lessons he has for you, and to maximize the character development, wisdom, and spiritual growth opportunities that each season holds.” Simplify p.239

Engaging as your whole self in your season involves knowing where you are. 

Right now I’m in a season of busy hands-on mothering: delightful but needy preschoolers, potty training to the death (ok, maybe that’s justhow it feels), slowing down for pregnancy, realigning my own hopes and dreams, and nesting up my house.
I’m in a season of spritual spring: a season to plant, to fling wide, to invest, to hope freely, but not necessarily to harvest. (You should also read Spiritual Rhythms by Mark Buchanan)

And of Solomon’s seasons from Ecclesiastes, I’m in a time to plant, a time to love, a time to laugh, but also a time to work. 

Knowing these things gives me freedom to be whole and permission not to worry about the things that fall outside of these seasons. 

Wholeness is about knowing where you are and who you are and who your people are.

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For me this week this Whole Shalom looks like:

Remembering to take pictures with the real camera, because art, and beauty, and memories, 

Buying the good chalk so I will draw with it too. And therefore spend more fun time with my people

Going to the library for me and for stories for them because words and stories introduce us to ourselves and others and God in new ways.

Writing and reading my days away, but also learning to be present for my people.

  

Link up with us or read other people’s words on Shalom and Wholeness right here:

^^yes, right there! click the frog :) ^^

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How does this whole shalom look for you this week?

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