From the Nest - Robyn's French Nest

Whatsoever Things

“If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well.”

Did anyone else grow up hearing that? And I’m proud to say I sound like my mother when I pass this along to my own children.

Because it’s so true.

As a child and even as an adult, I can inwardly groan sometimes, because I know that “doing it well” is not going to be the easy way. It never is.

So I know when I rattle off “if it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well” to my 13, 11, or 7-year-old for their chores, it’s not going to sound…to them…as if I’m being loving.

But the truth is (and I also say this to them often…as in, multiple times this week) that I love them too much to allow them to just do a so-so job.

I think God must feel the same about us. He calls us to goodness…in all things…at all times…in all ways.

Even our thoughts.

I have scrolled past too many Facebook posts and heard too many comments from friends and seen too many sullen faces in the grocery store…and the church pew, to be honest…to think that I’m the only one that needs a reminder about my thoughts.

“Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Philippians 4:8 KJV

This week, I decided to break this down for myself and I’d encourage you to find a quiet spot with a pencil and paper, then fill in the blanks for yourself too.

Whatsoever things are true: I am loved and created specifically for the doors God has opened for me.

Whatsoever things are honest: Be brave enough to be honest with myself, too

Whatsoever things are just: Live a life of integrity and lead my children by example

Whatsoever things are pure: In a world that feels increasingly dark, work passionately to keep our home full of God’s light. I don’t want to be overly protective, but I also have a responsibility to keep the hearts and minds of my children as pure and joyful and peaceful as I can.

Whatsoever things are lovely: I cannot control the ugliness of the world around me. I can control my response. I can also, to a large degree, control the loveliness inside my home, not only with material things, but also with an atmosphere of joy.

Whatsoever things are of good report: Turn. Off. The. News. I want to be aware and informed, but I do not have digest and deeply internalize every bit of sorrowful news. Don’t carry the weight of burdens that are not mine to carry; this leaves me exhausted and unprepared to sit across the table and be a good listener or encourager to others.

If there be any virtue or praise… if it is excellent: Train my mind to dwell and focus on the good gifts from God.

I got a little vulnerable over on Instagram this week and shared about a recent comment from someone. I hesitated to share because I never want to sound like I’m complaining or being negative. It’s actually quite the opposite.

Someone (politely) let me know that they could not follow me anymore because it seemed that I was too unaware of the tattered state of our world. In essence, I was being too positive and it bothered them.

I very rarely get comments like this or negative ones at all, thankfully. I think I’ve only had one other one so negative in all these years on social media. To be honest, it really didn’t phase me (maybe it should have, but there are just bigger fish to fry, so to speak).

What I did feel was immediate sadness for this individual. It was a clear reminder of the sad, hopeless lens through which so many people see life.

Is there a lot of awful…even horrific…stuff? Is the sadness and suffering of so many people overwhelming? Is the very real heartbreak of personal friends…just this week…crushing? Yes, yes, and yes. And that only scratches the surface.

And the easy way out would be to land there. To settle in the grime and despair. But if living is worth doing well, then it is worth the hard work to fight against the sadness, suffering, and heartbreak to see the good, pure, and lovely.

If it’s worth doing, then it’s worth doing well. And that is where I want to not only live, but thrive.

Have I figured it out? No way. At this point, probably most of us would benefit from professional help (which can be an incredible blessing.). But I’m trying. And I’m looking for the good. And guess what?

I see it. I see it in the eyes of my kiddos. I hear it in their laughs and anecdotes from the day. I see it in the kindness of my husband (who helped me clean and clean and clean after our kitchen island refinishing this week!).

I see it in a thoughtful text from a friend and in generosity to those in need. I feel it in the hug from a student and an iced latte paid for by the guy in front of me (yep, that happened!). I see it in the weed, tucked in a cup of water by the sink, lovingly picked by my little guy. I see it. I hear it. I feel it.

I hope you can too. It’s worth the effort, it’s worth thrashing through the waves and carving out quiet moments.

So…here’s your homework.

Philippians 4:8 for me, for this time:

Whatsoever things are true:

Whatsoever things are honest:

Whatsoever things are just:

Whatsoever things are pure:

Whatsoever things are lovely:

Whatsoever things are of good report:

If there be any virtue or praise… if it is excellent:

And don’t worry; I won’t check up on you to see if you completed your homework!

Big hugs and simple blessings for your week. The gift of life is worth doing well.

Much love from our nest.

Blessings,

P.S. I’d love for you to follow me on social media! You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

From the Nest: Think Small

by Robyn Huff | From the Nest

I know our culture tells us to think big, dream big, do amazing things, change the world.

And I’m not saying there isn’t merit to all of those things. But over the past week, I’ve found myself retreating. I want to be informed, I want to know how and what to pray specifically for. I want to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

But, this week, as I tried to become informed, look for specific ways that I can pray, and think of what I can do…it was crushing. I simply am not designed to be able to carry the weight of the world. I don’t believe that I am meant to live a life of sadness and overwhelming despair, even though the world looks a lot like that right now.

I don’t think you are either.

So where does that leave us?

Overwhelmed, hurting, frustrated, even angry. Discouraged and disheartened by the many, MANY things that are so far out of any control we could ever gather. Distraught, scared, and anxious. Heartbroken.

A quick Google search and the KJV search results posted by Edison Williams tell us this about what God says:

Fear not: Found 62 times
Fear ye not: Found 8 times
Be not afraid: Found 26 times
Not be afraid: Found 13 times
Nor be afraid: Found 2 times
Neither be afraid: Found 3 times
Dread not: Found 2 times
Neither fear: Found 2 times
Neither/nor/not be dismayed: Found 10 times

In the education world, we are reminded often to phrase things in the positive. For example, instead of saying, “Please don’t run inside,” I could say, “Remember to walk inside and we can run when we go outside.” (Please do not ask how many times I forget this in my classroom! Ha!)

I find that sometimes I need my reminders in the positive too. Such as:

“The joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks.” I Thessalonians 5:16-17

And my personal favorite:

“The Lord your God is with you. He is mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with singing and quiet you with His love.” Zephaniah 3:17

And yet, has anyone else had a hard time feeling quieted this week?

And where does that leave my response? What even is the right response, in light of the hundreds of ways God tells us to be anxious for nothing, to rejoice in all things, and to choose joy?

I am not a theologian. I’m not a Bible study director. I do not claim to have any knowledge or experience or expertise to pass along to you, much less any answers.

But if I may, I’d love to share the quiet response of my heart this week…or past 18 months.

Do the next thing for the immediate sphere of influence around me.

Can I control everything that happens, even within the walls of my home? Absolutely not. But I am convinced, even passionate, about this: I cannot change the world. However, I have an eternal responsibility to lead those right around me in grace, hope, joy, and faith in an all-knowing, un-changing God.

In my limited knowledge and perspective, I can’t help but wonder if each of us did what we could for those right around us…in our homes, our place of work, the cashier at the grocery store, the bank teller…to spread goodness, kindness, and the love of Jesus…what would that world look like?

So, I actually cannot control what that world would look like. I can be the gatekeeper of my own home. To a large extent, I can shut the world out and make sure that our home is a peaceful haven. In doing so, I believe I can lead my children in goodness.

Am I proposing a complete and total sheltering of children? Absolutely not. There is a time and place for age-appropriate conversation. There is also a time to hang it all up outside the door and do our best to fill our home with love and joy.

If the weight of the world feels extra crushing this week, may I ask you to consider pausing? Taking a step back? Refocusing on YOUR mission? Commit to spreading kindness and joy and love and grace to whomever you connect with this week?

Think small about the circle where you actually can make a difference. The circle where you can have a great influence. The circle where you are the gatekeeper.

Much love from our nest.

Blessings,

P.S. I’d love for you to follow me on social media! You can find my home decor inspiration on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

From the Nest: Making the Mundane Exceptional

by Robyn Huff | From the Nest

Back to school. It brings a backpack full of mixed emotions. Excitement and readiness for routine (our family thrives with that). Nervousness about new classmates, new teachers, and new schedules.

Basically, we all get super excited over the new pencils, backpacks, cute water bottles, planners (my favorite!) and get ourselves geared up for….

the same thing.

For the students, sure, it’s a different classroom, different teachers, maybe some new students in the class. But basically, 180 days of a lot of the same thing. On repeat.

As a teacher, and especially as a preschool teacher, no day is really the same. Literally. I can always count on the very tiny people in my classroom to make the day interesting, whether in a good or bad way.

I love teaching. My career will never require me to be sitting at a desk doing exactly the same thing for any work day of the entire year. Every day has new challenges, new things to laugh (and cry) about, and overall, just a lot of fun to be had!

But can I be super honest? As the days approached for this school year, I found myself kicking and screaming on the inside.

On the first day of school, we had a little student who was less than excited for school. In fact, although I could tell this kiddo really wanted to play, there was also a lot of very age-appropriate apprehension about leaving Mommy and Daddy. This bright kiddo went so far as to try and negotiate us to get the school bus because they really just wanted to go home. Fortunately for us and sadly for this cutie, our school doesn’t have a bus. Out of luck. Haha!

(The child ended up having a fabulous day and was excited to come back the next day. It all worked out!)

Truth be told, I felt a little the same though. Not at all because I don’t love the school, my students, the classroom, or even the whole idea of teaching. I actually do still really want to be a teacher and I really do love my job, even after 17 years.

But those 17 years of teaching have taught me to expect the excitement of the new year to wear off and difficult days to pop up from time to time. I know the exhaustion that will await me on Friday afternoon at 2:45 p.m. and the nerves that will hit me on Sunday at about 5:00 p.m.

I just wasn’t ready for that. Not quite yet.

Honestly, it still feels like we, as teachers, are carrying the weight of the world from last year. Eight weeks of summer “break” just wasn’t quite enough.

I found myself just not quite ready for the “mundane”.

Then I was reminded of a quote from one of my favorite authors, Ann Voskamp.

“Sometimes doing the most important thing eternally doesn’t look like you’re doing anything noticeably.”

And there it is. I think most of us have a desire to make a difference, to do something that really counts. We look at the movers and shakers in the world and at least I am tempted to feel that I can never make a big difference for anyone in the mundane tasks of my everyday living.

And I got to thinking…what if I turn mundane into a positive?

The New Oxford American Dictionary defines mundane as “lacking interest or excitement; dull.”

So how can we make mundane a positive in our lives?

Well, “normal” is a synonym for mundane. That should be a positive in and of itself. I think most of us have found ourselves longing for more “normal” over the past 18 months.

What if I made gratitude normal in my life?
What if I made giving normal in my life?
What if I made contentment normal in my life?
Or…rest, peace, and focusing on the good?
What if I were to be intentionally faithful on making each of those things part of my normal, everyday life?

Mundane? I don’t think so.

It’s an intentional reset and refocus, but it’s not really so impossible when you actually give pause in your day and look around at all you have to thank God for.

So maybe you are jet-setting around the world, being a mover and shaker for good. Amazing. But maybe you’re at home changing diapers and trying to think of something to fix for dinner that fits in the budget this week. Maybe you’re headed into that office job to do paperwork that no one seems to care much about. Maybe you’re caring for an elderly loved one and the grieving has already begun. Maybe you’re just doing the same thing you did yesterday, the day before that, and the weeks, months, years before that.

And maybe you can turn your “mundane” into everyday faithfulness for what God has asked of you in this season.

So tomorrow, I head into my classroom, still doing all the things that I always do, but with a determination to reset and to view my “mundanes” as blessings and my “normal” as an incredible gift.