Outside my window it’s dark because it’s only 5:21 a.m. I imagine it's very cold, and it’s been raining for a couple of days now - off and on. Yesterday I awoke to freezing rain. Church was cancelled and I watched it online along with many other people - Mandie included. It was great to know that we were watching it at the same time. We even texted a little while we watched in response to the lessons. Interesting. Felt a little guilty, like kids whispering in the classroom. LOL
Listening to the clock ticking, the train in the distance, and traffic on the roads beyond the winter bare trees. Those trees will be in bloom before we know it, and Spring will be upon us. I look forward to that. I can hear the refrigerator kick on now and again, also the furnace.
Clothing myself in comply stretch pants and a t-shirt. I didn’t feel like coming down in my pajamas today. I had clothes set out to put on to take John to the airport, but I thought the stretch pants would be better for sitting here trying to get some writing done. Growing-out-my-gray hair is up in a ponytail. That’s where it most often ends up by the time I start my day’s work. I’m glad for the adventure of growing it out. I was surprised to find so many other women doing the same and sharing it on Instagram. Who knew? LOL
Keeping house It’s in pretty good shape. The benefits of all the de-cluttering are still evident when it’s easier than I imagine pulling the space back together after things like mini-sessions and movie nights. I have been striving to create a rhythm that includes the actual housework that has to be done so I can use my time more wisely. Lists are beneficial to me in many ways, and making sure I get things done I’d rather just avoid is one of them.
Keeping it simple This season of life continues to teach me what is most important. I can allow things that are not to simply fall away, because I have enough experience to trust that God will reveal to me in due time what it is that is important. I love that simple became a key term in my vocabulary years ago - so many years ago. That doesn’t mean I immediately took on the nature of simplicity, but it was a good start.
To be fit and healthy Boy, I’d really like to report something positive here. Lots of talk about it, but action just doesn’t really follow. Maybe there is progress in the fact that all three of us living in the house now readily admit that we need to make changes, and we say we are ready to do whatever that means. But are we? Really? Are we really ready to make those changes and stick to them? I remain unconvinced until I see it happening.
Embracing the season Willingness to learn new things is even greater today than they were before. To see through other's eyes, to grow compassion, and be willing to speak hard truths - always with love. Hard truths and ridiculous grace. Believing that the best days and years are still ahead. Grateful for every single day and the challenges and blessings each brings with it.
Pondering Have you ever noticed that when you are on a highway and you decide to pass a vehicle and as you do it seems like you are never even going to catch up to them let alone pass them, and then you reach this place where you can tell more obviously that you are going faster than they are and it almost seems like you suddenly slingshot around them, but you really weren’t going any faster - it was all an illusion? Well, that’s kind of how I’ve been feeling lately, and I don’t like it at all. The old adage that time goes by faster the older you get? Yeah, that adage has some truth to it. Of course time doesn’t really go by any faster, it’s all about our perception of how fast time is passing. Sometimes when we are going on vacation, on the first day I imagine how I will feel on the last day and I am thankful I have all the time between. But then it is suddenly the last day and vacation is over and I wonder how in the world did we get from then to now so quickly? And then I’m sad. That’s helpful, I suppose, when it’s getting from the beginning to the end of a very difficult time, but when it’s all of a sudden your life, it’s not helpful at all. It makes me very glad for the hope of heaven and eternal life. But sad, wondering, will I make the very best of this life while I have the chance? What opportunities am I letting slip through my fingers while I am distracted by unimportant things in this one and only trip around the sun?
Watching Marvel Marathons. We are a Marvel Fan Family. With the release of new movies coming in the next couple of months, we felt it important to make sure all family members are up-to-date with previous movies. And we just like watching them. It’s pretty simple. Also catching up on some tv series that started back up while we weren’t paying attention. Really, I’d rather be...
Reading all the books stacked on my nightstand. I have discovered that there is a writers’ conference in our area this summer. It’s for a genre I honestly have never heard of prior to coming across the description. Speculative Fiction. Let me share the interesting way I came across this whole thing. My daughter is fundraising for a mission trip this summer. A good friend who owns a local Christian book and gift store donated a huge bag of books, bibles, etc to raffle. I was browsing through the collection and one book piqued my interest for another daughter. I read the description and about the author, who is also a blogger - and if you know me at all you know how I feel about blogs. I LOVE to discover great new blogs! I immediately went online to check out the author’s blog and reading it saw that one of her contributors referenced and linked to this conference. It seemed like a God thing really. The conference is held in my local area, and feels like a really good fit for my style of writing. Sort of. Not entirely, but mostly. LOL
Loving the moments When what I learned through program still affects the way I live each day. The things I learned in the years I spent in the room of al-anon are still so incredibly relevant and helpful to me. I would be a different person today without these lessons and tools. I am so very thankful that God led us to the program and that program pointed us right back to God.
Words worth sharing It’s not just a few words that caught my heart this morning. It was actually yesterday’s reading in Jesus Calling, but it was all marked up from previous years and so I read it today. I understand why I marked it up, the message is simple and profound at the same time.
“Trust me enough to spend ample time with me, pushing back the demands of the day. Refuse to feel guilty about something that is so pleasing to me, the king of the universe. Because I am omnipotent, I am able to bend time and events in your favor. You will find that you can accomplish more in less time, after you have given yourself to me in rich communion. Also, as you align yourself with my perspective, you can sort out what is important and what is not.”
Giving thanks For heat, homes, and warm beds to come home to after a long trip. It was good to see my sweet husband rest so well in our bed after a very long flight so far from home.
Planning for the week ahead It’ll be another out of the ordinary week, since he’ll be gone again. Glad our son moved in just before this traveling commenced. I like knowing he’s here :-) Hoping that sweet daughter and I can get some food prepping done, enabling us to make better choices, so then I might have some positive things to report in the above section of fit and healthy :-)
Happy Monday!!
Simply,
Susan