Motivation and Inspiration: 70 Weeks

About a year ago, back in the middle of last spring, I came across a Bible passage that had something to do with 70 weeks. Right now, I can't for the life of me remember what and I'm entirely too lazy to get up and look through my journal to see what it was that inspired me. Anyway, my first instinct was that 70 weeks was a loooonnnnngggg time...then it occurred to me that it's a year and 1/4 or thereabouts. Given the way time speeds past these days that isn't very long at all!

So I committed myself to an Inspiration of 70 weeks duration, in which I would eat healthyily, stretch my body and my brain, open my mind and soul to the possibilities of having the 'dream' life I've always wanted. About 10 weeks into the whole thing I got sick, we began going through a season of unexpected strains on finances, and it seemed all we touched tarnished.

Fast forward to Winter. Recommitment to my Grand Plan, my Inspired Life.... Boom! Mama fell and broke her ankle and I spent the next five months coping with the doctor visits, shopping and errands for two households besides my own, and a bunch of other stuff.

So this afternoon I sat down and said to myself, "What if things don't stop happening? What if I'm like the man on yesterday's episode of BBC's Hotel Inspector who has a 20 yr old to-do list tacked to the wall...and have never gotten round to anything at all upon it?" I still want that Inspired Life you see, that stretch of self to be more than I am at present, to grow and learn and live nearer that dream life. And then I sat down with the calendar and put on tomorrow's date: 1/1 which would read Week One Day One.

And no sooner was that symbol written than my Mom called to ask "Can't you come stay with Granny a bit tomorrow?" and my daughter asked "Aren't you taking me shopping for pants tomorrow?" And I thought of the double load of laundry in the basket and the unmopped floors and the Wednesday Penny Ann Poundwise Post, and the making of dinner and lunches for the following day and ....

Then it hit me. If I don't just do it, then when will I? So what will I do tomorrow while I sit with Granny? I shall take along my stack of inspiration papers and my Homekeeping Journal and I will make out a list of the things I intend to accomplish this week, the first week of my Inspired Life. And then I'll make a plan for the rest of the month.

New recipes, new looks for myself, for my home, a new course of study...As Anne of Avonlea would say "There's so much scope for imagination!"

Of course, there are things that will have to be tended to. I can't very well escape my duties, but then flights of fancy are always sweeter when they follow the duties you must perform, I think. And I'll share with you daily where my flights of fancy have taken me, what I've learned, what I'm struggling to understand, how I'm making my life an authentic Inspired Life. All in the next 70 weeks.