Road Trip, Office Day, I Wish I Had…
Good Morning Friends,
Amy here today. Will made two long road trips this week, so I told him I’d send out the email today.
On Monday, I had an “office day” to do the admin side of the business and close out the 2025 books. It was a long stressful day, but feels good to be done.
The next day Will took a full gooseneck trailer load of cows to Northern VA. There is a wonderful farm up there that has a larger market than their farm can currently produce for. So they sometimes outsource to a few different sustainable farms with farming practices in line with theirs. Which is also good for us because our farm can produce more food than we currently have a market for here in rural Southwest Virginia. We’re so thankful to know like minded farmers all over Virginia.
On Thursday Will loaded up coolers and went back on the road. This time to families in Farmville, VA. I think he enjoyed his quiet road trips listening to books.
He spent the rest of the week feeding animals. While I spent most of it teaching the kids. As the kids are getting older, school takes a little longer each day. Sometimes the days are long, but a goal this year is to be present in each moment and have a peaceful home. So far I’m typically present and peaceful til around noon. Baby steps.
Over Christmas break I read a book suggested by a few of my friends called, I Wish I Had a Bigger Kitchen: Simple Minds Shifts to Love the Life You Already Have by Kate Strickler. While I do not struggle with wanting a bigger kitchen, I could definitely relate to many of the points in this book. The book is about all the comparisons we make, mostly with people we don’t even know on social media, which leads to discontentment in our lives.
“With social media and the ability to see inside of so many peoples homes, it’s easy to think “my house doesn’t look anything like hers.” You can be quick to compare your life to hundreds of other women around you. It’s just not fair to yourself. It’s just not real either.”
Some of the chapters included:
I just wish I had a bigger kitchen
I just wish I was a better mom
I just wish I had a better husband
I just wish I had more friends
I just wish I looked better
I just wish I had more money
I just wish I had more time
I just wish I had control
I just wish my life looked more like hers
I just wish that had gone better
“The best way I have found personally to deal with disappointments has been to bring them to Jesus and realize He has experienced the same. Jesus walked on the earth and knows what it feels like to have people not like you or have an experience not go as you planned. When I remember that I am living in a world that is not what God wanted it to be, I can view my role as someone seeking to help make it better instead of someone seeking to get every ounce of joy out of it. When I remember my time on earth is small in view of eternity, the disappointments feel much more bearable. I have also found that when I personally experience disappointments, it makes me much more sympathetic to others going through a hard time.”
The author reflects on looking through old photos… “what I noticed more than anything was the people. I am sure in those old houses I just wished for countertops that weren’t formica or a bathroom of my own. But in hindsight, those details fade away. What is left are the people and the memories, the richness of each season.”
The most impactful chapter for me was “I wish I was a better mom”. Most of the time I just feel like I’m juggling too many plates and they tend to fall. When I’m overwhelmed or running behind it’s my family that feels the blow.
Everyone tells you to cherish every moment as a mom, but honestly, I just don’t love every moment. Some of these moments are really hard. Some of these moments cause me to loose my temper. Instead of feeling the pressure to cherish these moments, I want to be present in the moment. Kind and loving. Not distracted by social media or what other moms are doing. Not too busy to pour into my family.
Overall, this was a great book to make me dig deep into self reflection. What changes can I make now to help me to more content in certain areas? Where do I need to lower my standards? Where do I need to compromise? How can I focus on changing myself instead of trying to control or change others around me? How can I be a better wife, mom, friend?
Just like Will, I love using the new year as a time to reflect on what’s working and what’s not. Where can I do better? How can I reflect Christ more this year than I did last year?
“Yet everybody thinks of changing the world, and nobody thinks of changing himself.” -Leo Tolstoy, Three Methods of Reform
Did you pick a word for the year? Did you reflect over the past year and decide to make any changes? Hit reply and tell me what you’re doing or not doing this year.
Have a wonderful week!
Amy