TODAY

Today, my son finally raised enough money for us to order his iPod Touch.  He has been quite the helper, and I think he gained an appreciation for the things I do in helping me.  He would say, “But, Mom, do you have any BIG JOBS I can do?”  And I’d say, “You know son, my life is a series of lots and lots and lots of very small jobs that HAVE to be done.  You help me with them, and you will be paid, but it’s just a lot of ‘little things’.”  He learned to do laundry from beginning to end, folded and put away…all of it.  I was SO thrilled.  A few days later, I said, “Son, where did you put the detergent?”  “Oh, it’s on top of the washer.”  …to which I said, “Oh, son!  That is DOWNY!”  He said, “Yeah?”  …”Son, is that ALL you’ve been putting in the laundry?”  “Yeah, isn’t that what I was supposed to put in?”  “Well, that AND the soap…that’s like hair conditioner.”  “What’s hair conditioner.”

Obviously, we have a few bases still to cover, the I HAD been noticing how GREAT the clothes smelled!

Today, I felt pitiful.  Feeling better now.  In the good moments, I got 1/2 or maybe 2/3 of my closet gone through.  I’m still not sure summer is here to stay, but I am needing shorted and a swimsuit on rare occasion that it gets warm!

Today, I had something wonderful happen.  This spring felt led to NOT do my annual shopping for flowers.  I bought a very few for three pots, but  usually have a galore around here.  I wondered if the economy was going to be bad, or after last year’s drought if I just felt more excessive about things.  I didn’t know and really didn’t feel a need to reason it out…just knew it wasn’t bringing me a sense of joy to do it.

Wouldn’t you know?  Last week, my mom called me…she said, “Would you like petunias?  I’ve got them coming up EVERYWHERE from last year…I’ve got to thin them out or they’ll die.”  Enough for a planter!  Well, cool!

Today, my Mom called again, she said, “Are you still wanting flowers?” Someone gave her a bunch and they were beautiful!  I added six pots!  I’m feeling so blessed by God today.

Today: We had some steaks in the freezer.  The funny thing is, I’d NOT been using them because I thought they were someone else’s left from the storm.  Turns out, they were mine that I’d stored in Mom’s freezer!  They were sealed and still WONDERFUL, even though I figured they’d be freezer burned by now.  Aaaah. I sure didn’t feel like going to the store…so I’m glad we had something GOOD to eat!

This week:  we went to the county fair Thursday night.  I usually dread going, have a wonderful time while there, and am delighted to come home to a bath!

Yes, there are safety concerns.  But, it’s a tradition, and we go together.  I love a lot of things about it:  local, easy, and fun.  A great bonding thing with us and the kids…every year.

Yesterday: We got to see the Disney movie UP this week…everyone, everywhere should see it.  It is one of my all time favs!  Great story, great everything.  Just very cute and touching.  Find a reason to see it sometime!

Today: I started something I’ve wanted to do for this summer…work with my kid’s on their quiet times.  My son and I sat on the porch at sunset and had our quiet times together.  I loved that he had a question and listened to my answer, though it was necessarily long. I started a”teen devotion” book with journaling space in the side.

I don’t know “how to do it”, but I’m going with my strengths.  I’m writing them questions about the devotion, or thoughts of my own, or my life experiences for them to read…I’ve found that they love for me to write to them.  I’m trying while things are “slower”.  It’s a year long book, so we’ll see how I do!  If it takes me a few years, that’s okay!  We’ll see how that goes.

Still not sure what to do with my seven year old yet…then again, regular disciplines are taking more time with him–that may be enough for him for now…perhaps a “verse for the summer” .  That worked really well last year (“Seek peace and pursue it”).

I don’t feel I’m as good with spiritual disciplines as some of my Mom friends, but I take inspiration from them. Summer seems a good time for us right now.  I hope to build to cover more of the year soon.

Tonight…working on worship for tomorrow night…only got the call last night…still mulling the topic and possibilities.  Glad and joyed to give others a break, but always feel so limited/humbled and challenged…I’m already counting on sleeping in Monday AM to recover, so don’t call.  If you’ve ever done it, you know what I mean!

Want to work on my closet a bit more…

Want to to peruse some new sale scrapbooking papers I picked up 50% off at Hobby Lobby last night (yeah!).  Was a real blessing to pick only the ones I really liked from a great selection!  I’ve always done thick “packs”, but decided against “bulk” this time and hand picked singles of what I liked.  I look forward to finding ways to incorporate them into pages.

Dreaming about Vacation: Making lists, thinking about a way to journal a vacation book while on vacation this year…exploring the best non-intrusive way to do that.  Not wanting to “work” while on vacation, but the journaling quips are always SO fun to record and review later.  Thinking of kitchen things I might want to take (I always miss my best teflon if I don’t take it!)