“Do what you love to do, and do it with both seriousness and lightness.” from Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert I started my unplugged Sundays the second Sunday in January because on the first weekend of the year, I was driving my daughter back to school in Maine. But what a beautiful place to start the new year.View of Somes Sound, Mt Desert Island, January 3, 2016

This year, inspired by an unexpected  and wonderful Sunday off on the first Sunday in Advent, 2015, I resolved to stop working Sundays and return to many things I missed during the years when work and school filled my weekends. I have loved returning to my regular pew at church (3rd row from the back on the the left side of the center aisle) and having a regular weekly dose of beautiful music, inspiring sermons and friendship. I have loved taking spontaneous walks in my neighborhood and along the water. I have loved having time to sew, having the energy to make a nice meal and most of all having quiet early mornings to read. I have made great progress hand quilting a quilt I started many years ago and which up until this year,  I despaired of ever having time or energy to finish. I am now three quarters of the way done . A miracle!  I have taken a yoga class. I have walked the dog. I have done some writing. It has all been very low key, unplanned and really wonderful. I have generally not made any plans and have just done what the spirit moves me to do or not do that day. Most weeks, a thought for the week has come to me in church and I have found echos of that thought in my daily life the rest of the week.  A key component of this practice has been unplugging from social media. Each week I try to take one photo that symbolizes that day. The first week of my unplugged Sundays, the title of the sermon at church was: “Live your life on purpose.” This weekly practice is helping me to be more open to ideas and to discovering what my purpose is evolving to be.  I can’t wait to see what the rest of the year brings. Some glimpses of my unplugged Sundays below.

Week 3: the beauty of the snow as seen from my sewing room window.Church on week 4; a sunny day for youth Sunday in all its noisy, loving chaos.Sunset, week 5. Thought for the week: Your life is your message.Week 6.  Sunrise through the living room window. Reading in the early  morning is a weekly treat.Week 7 thought for the week: you are the light of the world.New Growth week 8. Thought for the week: What is the song of your life?Still Life with Feather, Burying Hill Beach Week 9. Thought for the week: Exodus 20:  “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.”Week 10. Taking time to sit on the rocks and watch the birds swimming near the beach.