Do you need a break? When is the last time you did something simply for fun? The Fringe Hours was written by Jessica Turner, who is also the author and creator of The Mom Creative blog. I found this book simply as a recommendation from Amazon based on other books that I have purchased or searched for. I was intrigued because I really enjoyed The Coffeehouse Gospel written by Jessica’s husband Matthew Paul Turner several years ago. The Fringe Hours was a great source of encouragement and refreshment as I was reminded that God didn’t design me to do everything…nor can I possibly do everything. God designed humans to have a certain level of balance, a rhythm of life that clearly points to the fact that He is God and we are not.
I really enjoyed this book and highlighted several things while reading…
- You should use your gifts and passions not just for others but to fill you up.
- A satisfying arrangement of elements + emotional stability= balance
- If one thing is dominating during a particular season, that’s okay, as long as adjustments are made to other areas.
- “The essence of being human is that one does not seek perfection.” George Orwell
- We would never stand for someone talking to a family member the way we internally talk to ourselves.
- “We must not confuse the command to love with the disease to please.” Lisa TerKeurst
- “Comparison is an act of violence against the self.” Iyanla Vanzant
- We cannot let guilt block us from experiencing the freedom we have in Christ and all the blessings he has for us.
- “Untreated guild is the most fertile soil on earth for growing affliction.” Beth Moore
- Pinterest, and the internet in general, cannot be your yardstick for who you are as a woman, what you should love, how you should cook, or what you should prioritize. It does not define you as a mother, as a giver, as a person.
- You therefore, have you excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Romans 2:1
- Comparison focuses on what I think I’m losing or missing out on, which keeps me from focusing on celebrating other people.
- “We can’t practice compassion to others if we don’t treat ourselves kindly.” Brene Brown
- You are never too busy to make time for what you love.
- Fringe hours are those little pockets of time throughout the day that often go underused or are wasted altogether. If not intentionally redeemed, fringe hours slip through one’s fingers like sand.
- “Passions are the gales of life.” Alexander Pope
- “Our potential is unlimited because the unlimited God lives in us.” Bianca Olthoff
- Only you can take care of you. Identify and pursue your passions, manage your health, and be attentive to your emotional and spiritual well-being. By practicing a lifestyle of self-care, you will be better equipped to handle all that life brings your way.
- As a starting point, it is a good idea to track you time for a week to really see where the days are going.
- “The first house of the morning is the rudder of the day.” Henry Ward Beecher
- I believe that when we overcommit our nights, it can have a negative impact on our days.
- What is one thing you can let go during the week so that you can have an evening dedicated to taking care of you?
- When I’m better prepared, a period of waiting that would otherwise be a waste of time turns into an opportunity to do something I enjoy.
- Becoming a woman who embraces her fringe hours means maximizing the tasks that are helpful and eliminating waste.
- If a media habit has taken control of your life, consider deleting that media from the equation in order to reclaim your time.
- You were not created to do everything alone. Embracing help in ways that make sense for your life will allow you more time to do what you are uniquely called to do.
- The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. Lamentations 3:22-23
- Recognize that seasons come and seasons go. Embrace the normal of that season, take care of yourself as best you can, and give yourself grace.
- “Women need real moments of solitude and self-reflection to balance out how much of ourselves we give away.” Barbara de Angelis