little things that are saving my sanity right now

Happy Wednesday, friends! I'm borrowing this idea from Anne Bogel, write and blogger also known as Modern Mrs. Darcy—if you've never read her blog, you should check it out sometime. She always has great book recommendations, if reading is your thing. Anyway, I started this list in my journal last week when she first mentioned the post she was planning for her blog, so I thought it would be fun to join in on my own adaptation of the same kind of list. If you're a blogger, you should participate in this, it's fun to think of things that you love and that are helping save your sanity in a weird time. 

Without further ado, here is my list for January, in no particular order.

I love Mondays. They're saving my sanity right now because every Monday morning I sit down with my breakfast protein drink, my journal and calendar and I plan both our meals and my blog out for the entire week. Don't be too impressed, because I don't usually cook on Wednesdays or Friday-Sunday (though I do sometimes cook on the weekend). I rely on leftovers, pantry ingredients and takeout. But knowing I'm not going to cook on Wednesday nights helps me to know I'm free that day and it lets my family members know so they can either make something themselves or plan otherwise. I love to do this and then to pray over my calendar for the week, because one of my favorite verses says this:

A person's heart plans his way, but the LORD determines his steps. Proverbs 16:9

After I'm done writing down all the things for my week, I pray over them and ask the Holy Spirit to lead me in every part of my week. I never want to walk outside of His will. I take that time to pray the same thing over everyone in our home and our extended family members.

Y'all. Hallmark movies are still helping save my sanity. I can't watch regular tv! The shows I used to love to watch are always about covid or politics and I have said before that I watch television to escape reality, not to see more of it! I am so glad I have something wholesome to watch each day.

Williams Sonoma lotion is saving me from dry skin this winter. You could just insert any lotion there, but I bought some roasted chestnut scented lotion from the Williams Sonoma outlet before Christmas and I love the way it smells. I have extremely dry everything (hair and skin, even on my face) so this is helping me. I have been using jojoba oil to wash my face with and it's helped my dry skin and at night I put Gold Bond intensive healing lotion on my hands. (My knuckles are almost to the point of being cracked, they are so dry and this has helped.)

I NEVER skip a day of reading in God's word and this new Bible is my favorite to help me do that. I read chronologically last year and this way feels so new and fresh. I honestly see myself doing this for the next several years, I love it so much. I must stay grounded and rooted in the Word of God every single day, if I want to stay somewhat likeable and sane.

Another thing I love is my 3 a.m. prayer time every Thursday morning. I do this along with my church family each week and they needed people to fill up those middle of the night half hour slots, so I signed up for that time and who in the world knew it'd become a vital part of my week? I pray for different things each week, but my main requests are always for our family, our church family and pastors and our nation and the leaders. I do this in a prayer chain of people, meaning I receive a text at three to wake up and send one at three thirty to "tag" the next person, but I always go over and it usually ends up being closer to an hour. 

On a MUCH lighter note, thinking of something frivolous like my nails helps save my sanity. I look forward to a standing appointment every three weeks to do this and it's one of my favorite things I do for myself.

I always then turn around and text pics to two peole: my mom and my friend Teresa. They both always appreciate my nail colors and I always love seeing theirs. I may or may not spend time on Pinterest looking for my next color before each visit.

Scheduled blog posts has also helped me blog more frequently and therefore, saving my sanity. I am writing this blog post on Monday morning when I have lots of spare time and I wrote the post for Tuesday earlier the same morning. It's the little things in life, friends.

I'll end with one last thing, and that is getting dressed even on the days when I stay at home. It helps me to feel put together, it makes me presentable for going to check the mail or picking up the package off the front porch and it just does something else a little indescribeable mentally. I may make an exception to this if it's a day that is freezing cold outside, like it was on Monday when I wrote this. My warmest clothes are a pair of fleece pajama pants that I have, along with a hooded sweatshirt, but I still moisurize my face, put on a bit of makeup and untangle the ends of my hair. Like I said, it helps me out mentally and makes me feel better about myself. 

What are some things you feel are helping you keep your cool right now? I'd love to hear from you! Thanks for reading my blog, friends. Love to all.