Dear Friends,

The holiday season is here.  And there might be a way to use the SPICES’ focus on simplicity to make it memorable while lowering the stress of the holidays.  I might have something personal I can share with everyone.  I have systemic lupus and fibromyalgia.  In reality, I have limited energy.  So there is a game that I can play with myself to make sure I don’t wear myself out.  It was invented by another lupus patient, Christine Miserandino.  (Spoon Theory) You imagine that your energy is allotted in a measurement of spoons: one spoon for taking a shower, one for getting dressed, one for making breakfast and so on.  But you start the day with a limited number of spoons.  The goal is to get to the end of the day without using up all of your spoons.  It sounds and can be simple.  But it takes more discipline than I have some days, and I find myself face-planted on the couch before what was supposed to be the end of the day. By focusing on simplicity I am able to have the energy at the end of the day to go somewhere or do something with Joe or Jay, I just have to be realistic about the number of spoons I have and focus on what is a need versus what is a want, and get the needs out of the way first.

 I was thinking that for the holidays we would change things up a little and imagine starting the day with a bag of Christmas bows. Say you have twenty bows in your bag at the beginning of the day. Imagine taking one bow out for each simple activity, two for a harder one, and three for the hardest tasks.  Things that give energy back in the long run, including long runs, are only one bow, like yoga, swimming, working out, and positive times with friends.  The idea is to do what you need to do first or at least allot that bow or two for necessary things, and leave the remaining bows for unexpected expenditures of energy, maybe gatherings with family or friends.  If you take more than twenty bows out, you have to start the next day with that many fewer bows.

What does that have to do with Jesus or church?  Jesus stressed simplicity (Matthew 6:19-34 and 19:13-16) in how we see and interact with life.  All of the SPICES are supported by scripture.  So feel good about your bows but use them wisely as you go through this holiday season.  I hope you start every day as a twenty-bow-day.  May they be joyous days, inspiring, and uplifting – but simple.

Happy Thanksgiving.  I am so glad to be here with you.

 Leigh