With less than a week till our little one’s birth date I have tried to put some things in place so that I can really enjoy the new life God has blessed us with.

It is well known that as Canadians we have to work a lot harder (or more) than our friends to the south since we pay a little more in tax and we pay a little more for pretty much everything just to get to a certain comfort zone (perhaps if we weren’t 10x smaller that wouldn’t be the case, good old supply and demand)… I am already sensing the irony in that statement. Anyway, it is my hope to be in a certain head-space and workspace that allows me to be free to enjoy this moment, and not feel the need to work more just to be happy or comfortable. There is something powerful in comfort versus being comfortable.

In order to do that I believe I need to wind down now before the moment happens. So for the past month I have begun to incorporate more comforts in my life in order to be in the best frame of mind. With a full time job and being a church planter it seems that my time can quickly disappear in a week, and my family could feel the brunt of that. It has been fine for now as Anna and I have a great relationship, but if I don’t address the future I could quickly lose it.

So here are my top 5 comforts I am introducing into my life in order to prepare for baby #1:

1. Playing hockey once a week.

Anyone who knows me well, knows that this has been a passion of mine since I was 4 years old and sometimes I am shocked by how long I actually go before I play a game. Recently a friend brought me out to be a ringer on his team and I haven’t missed a game yet, and I haven’t felt more alive. 4 goals in 5 games helps too

2. Listen to more music that inspires me

This is the weird one. I was a huge punk and ska fan in highschool, but quietly I listened to a lot of alternative early 90’s music and it is these songs of late that have really comforted me. Here is my most recent playlist.

3. I have totally stopped drinking alcohol of any kind.

It has been about 4 months now and I feel terrific. I have created space for myself in this commitment that has brought about a certain peace. There are a number of reasons for this decision and I don’t want to get into them here, but I will say that living (growing up) in a culture that loves its alcohol I have really enjoyed being somewhat counter cultural through this experience.

4. I have tried really hard to become more flexible.

I am very good at time management. And some might say that I am too good and my relationships sometimes are affected by my efficiency. I tend to get ruffled when I don’t complete my goal for the day/hour/week whatever. But I have tried to let this go and be a little more open for spontaneous activity. It has resulted in some great conversations and experiences of life that by sticking to my ridged plan I would have not had. I believe it was Leonard Sweet that said, “I’d rather be prepared than planned.” So I am preparing my life for whatever comes my way.

5. I am taking steps to remove undue stress I put on myself concerning the open house. Taking steps to freedom.

For the next 2 months I am not teaching at toh. I realized (thanks to my lovely wife) that I am burnt out in this area. I am a dry well, and haven’t had a lot to give for some time now and am excited about the time for refreshing. Time to read freely (my good friend Richard Rohr will be hanging with me), spend time with my wife, chill and hang with others, and maybe even slip in an extra nap, which with my intense productivity cycles could be very helpful for me.

So there you have it. I know that when the baby arrives my life will turn upside down, but these are just a few things that I can consistently pursue and help myself towards a sense of freedom in my life and understanding of myself and hopefully (and ultimately) an increased awareness of God’s work in my life.

Anyone else trying to implement some practices into their life?