Structured vs. Unstructured

We all have lives that are full of activities. Some structured and some not. Both are good and have there place. Sometimes structure take over free time because it seems easier to manage but we must participate in both.

One of my favorite books is "Mitten Strings for God" by Katrina Kensions. These are some of her thoughts...

"We all have fallen victim at one time or another to the relentless cycle of our children's playdates and after-school lessons, to push for their academic and athletic accomplishments, and to their endless desire for the latest toy, video game, or designer sneaker. The adage of our age seems to be "Get more out of life!" And we do our best to obey. Grab a snack, round up the kids and we're out the door --to do, or buy, or learn something more.
But in our efforts to make each moment "count," we seem to have loss the knack of appreciating the ordinary. We provide our children with so much that the extraordinary isn't special anymore, and the subtle rhythms of daily life elude us altogether. We do too much and savor too little. We mistake activity for happiness, and so we stuff our children's days with activities, and their heads with information, when we ought to be feeding their souls instead."...
"Like all mothers, I harbor dreams for my children, and sometimes I fall under the spell of my own aspirations for them. We want our children to do well! But when I stop and think about what I truly want for them, I know that it is not material wealth or academic brilliance or athletic prowess. My deep hope is that each of my sons will be able to see the sacred in the ordinary; that they, too, will grow up knowing how to "love dailiness". So, for their sake as well as my own, I remind myself to slow down and enjoy the day's doings. The daily rhythms of life, the humble household rituals, the nourishment I provide - these are my offering to my children, given with love and gratefully received."

When I stop speeding through life, I find the joy in each day's doings, in the life that cannot be bought, but only discovered, created, savored, and lived.

These pictures capture some of our structure and also some ordinary fun in the sun!

Volleyball is now done and next we move on to Basketball for Niklas.

These legs go great distances and work hard
Soccer is always better in the sun.

This Plasma car has seen many miles and occasionally is known to get "big air"

Road hockey...I love the sounds of the game.
Heard most often is "CAR"

Some Swedish national pride being shown on our sidewalk. The love for Canada is also present but the flag is a lot harder to draw.

A few more thoughts from Katrina,...

"So much of the structure that we impose on our children's lives is really intended to make our own lives easier. We don't want to give up our freedom, and so we fail to grant our children theirs. As every mother knows, it's easier to sign up for sports camp than to carve out a week to allow your children to follow their own inclinations at home. But children need time that is utterly their own- time to take up residence in their own lives, time to dream through an afternoon, time to play with the kids next door, time to wake up their own pleasures. Above all, they need some time when we adults aren't calling the shots."

A day without a schedule is a day of possibilities!