Over the past year, I have been in the process of developing some notebooks along the lines of the "Flylady" style - notebooks to organize my daily household duties, my outside responsibilities, the kids schooling, and cooking notebooks. As these notebooks evolved, I attempted to use many elements of the church in trying to put together a structure for my day, week, month and year that revolved around the seasons of the church. It has been a struggle for me - being a type-A planner personality, I like predictable routines and neat little boxes for everything. Unfortunately, life does not fit into neat little boxes, and in fact, the Orthodox life is so far from being a tidy little box it is laughable. The daily life is a life of defined structure yet absolute fluidity. It is not possible to set out a tidy little calendar that never changes, as the seasons of the church are constantly cycling, the same yet different every year. Trying to come up with routines seemed very complicated, since our life during Lent looks completely different from our life during the season of Pentecost. As I was struggling to work all of this out, Katherine returned to the blog world, and began sharing her plans for a set of binders under the title "Cycles of Grace" which I am shamelessly ripping off :) After looking at her plans, I fell in love with the concept of having a binder for each season of the church. So I am following her example in creating this set of notebooks (though mine will never look as pretty :)
Here is the list of my binders as I am planning them. They are all currently in various stages of completion, and I will post on each one individually as I am able, beginning with the Nativity Fast.
Feasting Binder
Fasting Binder
Household Management Binder
New Year to Nativity Fast - Sept 1 to Nov 14
Nativity Fast through Theophany - Nov 15 to the start of Lent
Lenten Triodion - moveable dates
Pascha to Pentecost - moveable dates
Apostles Fast through Dormition - moveable date to end of August
(like I said, even here, no neat little boxes - since many of the fasts and feasts of the church revolve around the date for Pascha)
I love your new banner. So pretty. And the pink background is very nice. Of course, I'm sure it's obvious that I'm partial to pink. :)
ReplyDeleteHope your binders work out. I'm stalled in the project. Your post encouraged me to get back to them. :)
This is an admirable project, of the sort I could really get my teeth into. The orderly and regular schedule is so elusive. Becoming Orthodox only complicated my already ever-changing schedule based on my nurse husband's odd days off. It all leaves me feeling always behind and unprepared.
ReplyDeleteThanks Katherine! I tend to be a bit ADD with the banner and colors of the blog - love to change with the seasons or events :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this. It is so helpful in my chaotic home. I look forward to watching your binders as the progress and incorporating them in to our routines, which we are lacking by the way :). Thanks again.
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