May Progress and June PowerSheets Goals

If not for June,
My memories of Winter in December…
With a wish to witness,
The freshness of Spring March would bring…
Would not still remain so vivid.
As if only yesterday visited.
If not for June.
– Lawrence S. Pertillar

June, I am grateful for you. This season brings many treasures: a first dip in the pool, vegetables ripening in the garden, pockets full of honeysuckle, and summer adventures.

And it also brings reflection as we near the mid-point of the year and consider what matters most. Ahh, I love the last part of this poem by Pertillar:

And if not for June I would not be able to reminisce,
From so many experiences I could pick.
June seems to be the month I can do this.
With a thankfulness I am still in the midst,
Of a year that appears to have just begun.
With so much left to offer before it is done.
And for me this happens only when June comes.

In many ways, I feel my year has just begun. As we’ve chatted about before, there are times when you are faced with the brevity of life—and the fragile nature of our human selves. Those can either be times that scare you OR scare you for a moment (a natural response!) and then embolden you to LIVE YOUR LIFE. For me, it was the latter this month. News that major surgery is the only option with my neck at this point left me stunned and sad and then… numbering my days.

We only get this one life and I want to live it.

May was a month of relying on the Lord and doing the things I’ve always wanted to do. Doing what I can with what I have. Soaking up moments with our kids. New perspective and believing in His power. As Pertillar so beautifully said, I have a year and a life ahead that appears to have just begun with so much left to offer before it’s done!

The focus of my May goals was perfect for the full month of processing challenges and watching God at work in them.

May Monthly Goals:
— Plant seeds of faith in our children
— Enjoy the garden

May Weekly Goals:
— Shabbat

May Daily Goals:
— Bible reading

We celebrated new sprouts as we have been known to do, watched our children conquer fears (Sarah became BFF to the ocean!) and play with abandon at the beach, and let go of work and worry on Shabbat. God knew we would need dedicated rest: emotionally, spiritually, physically. And He knew before I did that my body would eventually fail me… and how that failure would contrast His unchanging faithfulness!

In case you missed these:
— I share about growing good things slowly on the Strong Women podcast.
— This summer, refresh your life with what matters most. Join me online for Refresh Your Year LIVE. I am excited to do this refresh alongside you!

Onto June. Here’s what’s on my Tending List for the month ahead—all action steps from my 2021 goals.

June Monthly Goals:
— Fill our days with Your Word. This looks like reading to the kids at dinner (4 pm around here!) and singing hymns with them.
— Let God take care of me. I was about to write “Take care of myself” on my Tending List, but surrendering to God‘s power, not my own tends to prove more effective. I’m focusing this month on listening to the Lord in taking care of myself so I can take care of others.
— Finish For the Children’s Sake. I’ve been savoring every morsel of the book for months. I’ve intentionally let myself take time to practice the beautiful truths in this book, and I’m grateful I’ve taken my time.
— Pray-pare for Refresh Your Year LIVE. I’m ready for this refresh right alongside you!
— Prepare for a new season. We are still looking for someone to fill this special role with our family (know someone who would be a great fit?). Whether we find this person or not, my schedule will be changing a bit. I’m grateful for my PowerSheets to help me know where to focus in times of transition!

June Weekly Goals:
— Shabbat + Havdalah
— Kick off summer enrichment homeschool. Grace officially graduated from 3rd grade, marking our fourth year of homeschool! I’m so grateful for this journey and excited for all of our kiddos and how God is growing them. We do school year-round so we can enjoy shorter school days and more time around holidays and summer fun. My favorite intentional planning tools? The Cultivated Homeschool Planner and this new weekly planner notepad that I can’t get enough of! We make products we love and need ourselves.
— Study the Scriptures

June Daily Goals:
— OT Bible reading
— WORK OUT

Your turn! I’d love to hear what you’re focusing on this month. Share in the comments below!

Something fun for you to join in June: lunch with Dee Ann Turner and me! It’s my pleasure to invite you to a virtual LIVE conversation next Thursday at 2 pm ET to learn how to ace the interview, land the job, and launch a career you love! Will you join us?

P.S. We’re hiring a part-time caregiver. Know anyone who might be a great fit for this special role? Please pass this along!