Weary in body and soul? Cultivate remembrance.

Saturday morning was one of those days.

It seemed like a full day had happened already, it was only about 9:30 in the morning.

I was tired and just wanting to lay down on the floor next to the LEGO building I was attempting with my eldest son while the toddler played around us (my middle kid was away with his Dad).

I was feeling unmotivated and just weary. Not really mentally, but physically. But then again, aren’t the two interwoven?

Just a little side note: I struggle on days when we don’t have a schedule or routine, and Saturday is often that way for us. But I know those days are good and needed, so I try not to over-schedule just to make myself feel satisfaction in checking a list.

As I tried to keep my eyes open, I considered…

How could I focus not on my weariness, but on remembering God’s faithfulness and goodness? One theme that has resounded through what I’ve been reading and listening to (mainly Sally Clarkson’s podcasts and Joel Clarkson’s new book Sensing God) is on engaging our senses to experience the divine.

Specifically, the thought came to mind: what can I do right now to cultivate beauty in our home? How could we experience God through our senses in a way that would allow us to delight in Him and His goodness?

This may seem silly, but I chose to do a few things.

We loaded up and went to Target to get a few ingredients and 2 $7 picture frames. We then returned home and did a couple of things.

I finally framed these water color prints I bought on Etsy several months ago that the boys helped me to choose – scripture that we want to define our lives surrounded by water color paintings that delighted us for various reasons (the Philippians one reminds us of Colorado, where we vacation as families – we love our mountains!).

And for the first time ever, we baked scones! I used Sally Clarkson’s recipe from her book The Lifegiving Table, and we enjoyed them with raspberry jam. So delicious and a fun way to get our hands dirty together.

I didn’t feel like doing any of this, friend. But sometimes we make choices to move us in the direction we want to go, even when we don’t feel like it. And in the process, along the way, God transforms our hearts to remind us of his truth, goodness and beauty.

So let me encourage you today, friend. Pursue that truth, goodness and beauty. Even if you’re weary. Even if you don’t feel like it. I dare you.

And please know – how it looks for you will differ than how it looks for me. So please don’t think you have to go out and hang art or bake scones. Maybe it’s taking a walk with your kids and watching a sunset, or sitting down for sliced apples dipped in peanut butter, or drinking hot tea and listening to good music. Just consider how we can engage our senses in a way that cultivates remembrance of God and his truth, goodness and beauty.

How can you cultivate remembrance of God’s faithfulness and goodness in your life today? It can be done through the seemingly most mundane moments – so don’t neglect to look there, friend. God desires to meet with us even in our weariness. How can you engage your senses in a way that allows you to delight in him today?