Gathering my thoughts on a Friday
/I find myself:
::noticing God's glory
The geese are back. And they brought their friends and family. Seems like there are geese everywhere.
::listening to
the radio. I’m in the car, in the parking lot, at soccer. There’s no wi-fi, but I just don’t have enough time to go find some. Traffic would suck it all up. So, I’ll just sit and compose in Word. Keeps me from mindless surfing anyway.
::clothing myself in
Jeans, a pink and cream colored blouse, pick cashmere socks a la Elizabeth DeHority, and a sweater with some wool content. Cold again.
::talking with my children about these books
Mossy. Have you read it? I think it’s my new favorite Jan Brett book. My girls cheered out loud when we got to the end.
And some books for Lent.
I did a little switch in my Lenten reading aloud with the children. Fr. Taylor gave a homily last week about Gilligan’s Island (well, not really about it, but Gilligan was in there). Did you know that the creator said that he modeled each character after one of the seven deadly sins? Anyway, something he said brought to mind The Hidden Power of Kindness. I’ve long loved this book and read it aloud to my big kids, but it’s been a long time. The others are mostly old enough for it now, so that’s what we’re reading.
I’m still reading Consoling the Heart of Jesus, but it might take us all of the Easter season. (I wish he'd do an Audible version of this one)
::thinking and thinking
About renewal and Lent.
::pondering prayerfully
We are in the Year of Faith, which I desired in order to strengthen our own faith in God in a context that seems to push faith more and more toward the margins of life. I would like to invite everyone to renew firm trust in the Lord. I would like that we all, entrust ourselves as children to the arms of God, and rest assured that those arms support us and us to walk every day, even in times of struggle. I would like everyone to feel loved by the God who gave His Son for us and showed us His boundless love. I want everyone to feel the joy of being Christian. In a beautiful prayer to be recited daily in the morning says, “I adore you, my God, I love you with all my heart. I thank You for having created me, for having made me a Christian.” Yes, we are happy for the gift of faith: it is the most precious good, that no one can take from us! Let us thank God for this every day, with prayer and with a coherent Christian life. God loves us, but He also expects that we love Him! ~Benedict XVI Full text here
::carefully cultivating rhythm
As the season changes, I hear the breeze calling us outside. Soon, very soon, the rhythm will change again.
::creating by hand
A little ensemble for our friend Katie—a popover sundress for her and one for her doll to go with her own copy of Crafty Chloe.
::learning lessons in
Food. For real. Heather’s class has me thinking and re-thinking. I’m definitely tweaking hard. Maybe I can’t even call it tweaking as it is a bit of an overhaul. I tend to learn by total immersion and I’ve been reading incessantly. I thank God for Katherine, who patiently listens to every angle and gently encourages. I’m pretty sure I’m driving her crazy, but she’s a good soul.
::encouraging learning
I'm feeling a bit of midyear pressure. I really, really want to finish the year's math for everyone. We might need to double-time math for the next few months.
::begging prayers
for all the intentions of our prayer community.
::keeping house
my house is going to be absolutely clean by next Friday. We are going to Charlottesville to watch Paddy play and then bringing him home for spring break. Why I think I need to clean for Patrick is beyond me. He left his room a wreck. He doesn’t notice clean or dirty. I used to do this when Michael was coming home, too. Just seems like home should look and smell good, you know?
::crafting in the kitchen
I made a yummy noodle and veggie salad to share with you next week. Oh, and Mary Beth says everything has been curried lately and she might be right. Have you heard about the healing properties of turmeric?
But maybe not every night.
::loving the moments
when I linger long in the little girls’ bed at bedtime because they want one more book. And I do, too.
::giving thanks
for a new library. I took a lot of pictures. Wait ‘til you see.
living the liturgy
With the universal Church, we are praying and praying for the conclave..
::planning for the week ahead
This weekend is an utterly impossible collision of a basketball championship, two soccer tournaments and dance auditions. I seriously have no idea how I’m going to do it. Next week should be a little less crazy and I’m looking very forward to a trip “home” to Charlottesville to overnight with my Dad and Barbara and see Paddy play his first collegiate game.
