To help us all stay a little more “in time” this season, I want to offer just a few follow ups to Sunday – in these days of often overwhelming days of advent, and December, and wintertime – experiment with these ideas as ways of feeling more connected, more present, and more aligned with the invitation of this season to slow down….
- Do a little. You know that big thing you’ve been postponing but that you need and/or want to do? Do just a tiny bit of it. Starting something at all engages the Zieigarnik Effect and your brain’s desire to finish it, and will enhance your natural motivation to keep at it.
- Don’t do everything. It turns out that just 20% of the things we do end up having 80% of the impact. So, brainstorm all the things you could do to move forward on some bigger project or goal then pick the 20% of things that you think will have the most impact. Skip the rest. Engage in nonconsumptive, nonproductive delight as Ross Gay encouraged in our reading on Sunday.
- Slow Down. While rushing through a massive to-do list keeps our lives in the anxious place of the short-term memory, slowing down and breaking up larger goals into smaller pieces with lots of breaks in between – moves our experience of these things into our long-term memory.
This Sunday is one of the best Sundays all year at Foothills – our holiday Music Sunday – not to be missed. Christopher Watkins Lamb will be reflecting on how music helps us feel “in time.” Can’t wait to celebrate with you this Sunday – 8:30, 10, or 11:30.
In partnership,
Rev. Gretchen
Notes from Slow Down: Week 1 – Lose Your To Do List
Listen to the message
Text
Most of Ross Gay’s essay, “Loitering” can be found in his interview with Krista Tippett
The whole text is in his book The Book of Delights
Here’s the Carrie Mae Weems photograph Ross Gay references in his essay
Music
We sang our new theme song Will Carry On
Deep Water Singers sang The Fray’s Be Still
Practices
Kristen led us through a Grounding Meditation in the 11:30
All services kicked off our invitation to Coloring as a spiritual practice this series
Resources
For a wonderful engagement with Advent, check out Jan Richardson’s The Advent Door
Here’s just one overview of the fascinating Zeigarnik Effect – and here’s one more
Remember
This invitation of this season is to mark time with intention – in a way that connects when we are with who we are.
Unfinished business is a reality of life, and even a sign of a good life – as any work worth doing cannot be achieved in a single lifetime.
What is the work that is worthy of spending the rest of your life leaving unfinished?
Katie believes the best things in life are the result of collaboration and diverse perspectives coming together to produce something greater than any individual could. She is passionate about systems, efficiency and collaboration for better community outcomes. She loves dreaming up the big picture and drafting the roadmap to make it happen. She has a background in operations, fundraising, communications and program development, as well as over a decade of nonprofit management experience in Northern Colorado.
Her greatest joy in life comes from her family. Her husband, Steven, a principal at Wellington Middle School, and daughters Emmaline and Esmae are the lights of her life. Together they love mountains, music and all kinds of food. She is passionate about women supporting other women in all stages of life and especially through the critical moments that make or break us. She believes that one of the most important things in life is to be kind.
Being outdoors makes her soul come alive. It always roots her in gratitude and is one of the reasons she loves living in Fort Collins.