Rhythms. I love this word. I think it's one that resonates with many people. For me, it reminds me of free flow dancing--movement that's adaptable. And working within the bounds of rhythm creates muscle memory--and that's something I want.
As Marshall and I evaluate our business and family life—we're constantly thinking about the rhythms we want to establish and practice. We recognize these rhythms need to be adaptable to the different times and seasons of life (because sometimes things can change even on a daily basis). I am a very go-with-the-flow personality, so this really resonates with me. There are rhythms we will establish but we can be creative with them to fit each day, put some on pause when needed and pick others up. It becomes a free-flow dance that’s not bound by expectation to do it all, but rather to find the flow that drives us toward relationship and life-giving work and routines.
And then the muscle memory—this is really growing to be an important term to me. We want the life-giving rhythms to become so ingrained in us that it is simple muscle memory to act upon them—so that in the hard times we have something to rest upon and in the good times we’re cultivating habits that will help us to pour out, grow and live in the freedom of grace.
We will never do this perfectly, but considering the rhythms we want to become muscle memory is greatly shaping many of our decisions for this year. Finding the right rhythms is often trial and error, but it’s clear when you stumble upon something that works. Sometimes the rhythms are very practical in nature and sometimes they are a bit more philosophical. But honing in on them allows us to more intentionally hunt for Eden in the midst of the thistles of this life.
For this year, Marshall and I narrowed it down to 4 general rhythms we want to focus on as a family, with more practical expressions for each rhythm under each banner title. We’re already off to an imperfect start, but having written these out, we can look back and remember when we recognize we’re running off track. We can restart—there's nothing wrong with that—in fact, I would expect to start over and have to realign a number of times throughout this entire year. That’s a part of the free flow dance. It’s a part of learning and growth, and in the end, I imagine accepting that reality will yield a better result.
(written in 2021)
