Worth the hype

Two fabulous men who took six kids (six and under) to Washington DC, on the subway, to see the Smithsonian museums leaving us women and the baby at home to make applesauce, visit, go antique malling, and enjoy the peace and quiet (and the smell of cooking apples). Absolutely delightful. Amazing dads and husbands- totally worth the hype. 

Also worth the hype: spending a day with my girlfriends, Karen and Alexis, and Cecilia, sweetest baby alive. 

It's been a worth the hype kind of day here in Emmitsburg. 

Quick Takes Friday

1. Today is my Friday. I know I know, it's only Wednesday, but since it is my last work day this week, it counts as Friday. Of course, instead it was Wednesday AND Friday, meaning my two longest days of the week. Wednesdays are long because I work a normal day, and then stick around to coordinate religious education classes until 9:30 ish... It's a brutally long day in some ways, but most of my favorite munchkins troop by in the morning on the way to their Atrium class and then stop for kisses and stickers afterward. How could that not be the best part of my week?

2. I am up ridiculously late- I should definitely be in bed, but I was getting stuff done. Pre-trip type stuff. Visiting with my fabulous housemate who now works the opposite schedule as me, so I never see her. Naturally we hung out for awhile. I checked the weather for here (in case of frost) and my destination (in case I actually take time to pack seasonally appropriate clothing). Finally threw in that load of laundry since I need some of the contents for the weekend. Swept the kitchen floor. Canned that tomato sauce I made yesterday. Thought what a good idea it would have been to pack before the morning of leaving (but didn't actually do it). Tested a new face cream that feels like its turned my face red (I hate sensitive skin sometimes). Cuddled with a couple pooches. Loaded the dishwasher.

3. And now that it is officially 2.5 hours past my bedtime, on a day I worked 12 hours and picked apples on lunch... it does occur to me I had a cup of caffeinated coffee at dinner time. I figured I'd be up for hours and would be tired enough it wouldn't matter... maybe that is why I'm up boring you to death with a blog post after 1 am.

4. I may have shared how excited I am for a weekend away... a long weekend... a couple days off work. A weekend with lots of buddies, big and small, and some of them being two of my favorite Godchildren. And some of those fun people being the friends I'll roadtrip down with. So happy. Sigh of contentment. It almost doesn't bother me that I'll be up again in only a couple hours and have nothing packed...

5. I'm in the midst of a rough patch in life right now. Trying not to complain, but I know it comes through (sorry all). Every day has just been difficult lately and I don't get it. I ask God daily to make a way for me.  And today I had two of those moments that kind of took my breath away... the Chilean mining rescue-- 33 men were trapped underground for over 2 months and were finally rescued today! Seeing the miners as they came up. The tears of joy and thankfulness on the faces of their family and friends. Thinking about what these men have lived through in the last couple months. Wow, talk about some perspective. And I thought I had a rough day? Not hardly. 

And then a woman came into the office today. She said "I need help. I need to talk to someone."  Sadly all three of the clergy (the people who are supposed to help such people) were in meetings and unavailable. After she waited a bit, I went over to explain the situation, get a phone number, see if I could do anything.  "We are new to the area. My husband is at the local hospital, he's a parapalegic and today they told us there's nothing else we can do."  The pain and heartbreak of her situation just hit me. Thud. Wasn't expecting that. I expressed how sorry I was, that I was really glad she came in, that I could have one of the deacons call tomorrow, come visit her husband. She shed a few tears and we hugged. The woman told me that she'd come and parked in our parking lot several times, wanting to come in, wanting to join the parish, but today was the first day she could make herself do it. Why today Lord? Why when there was no one to speak to her (well the clergy anyway). Here she was, a perfect stranger to me, and I was being called to leave the busyness, the craziness, the paperwork (oh Lord the paperwork) and be Christ. Thud. I am so inadequate. Aren't we all?  And yet, God calls us each to do our part, in the moments of life. The surprise encounters. To see Him in His most distressing disguises, in the hungry, the suffering, the poor, the naked (some of you get this a lot)... to comfort the afflicted. And what this woman gave me was a profound sense of gratitude. Sure, things may not be all that great for me right now, but I am thankful for the ability to walk. Deep breathe. Perspective.  So incredibly important sometimes, isn't it?

Quick Takes Friday

1. This weekend I’m going on retreat with the women in our parish. Usually I enjoy the women’s retreat… this year I am dreading it. I think it’s an overreaction from being burned out at work and hounded by people for every little thing (which is what you get for being easy to work with)… but I am concerned I will be hounded the entire retreat. That the crazies (and even the non-crazies) won’t leave me alone. Like I said, I think it’s an overreaction from some very intense weeks here at work… but it’s making me twitch even thinking about it. I may have to hide all weekend. Or come up with a really sweet way of saying “Um. I’m not at work. I can’t / won’t / couldn’t possibly talk work when I’m not at work.” The bright spot is my friends Michele (from Florida) and Cathy (from Colorado) are coming! I’m looking forward to hanging out with them on retreat, and seeing my other friends there as well. But cringing a little on the inside and thinking about hiding.    

2. There is a woman who comes into my office every Friday after going to Adoration to complain about the flowers in the Adoration chapel. She isn’t even a parishioner. Every single Friday something is wrong: she wants the large bouquet centered (“Isn’t it more important to have the roses in front of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament than over to the side?”), she thinks the roses are too wilted (“I don’t think it’s appropriate to have wilting flowers in front of Our Lord”) and could I please go do something?! Today was no different. Apparently some of the roses were wilting and others were fine. I try to navigate the weekly encounters politely and give her some room to be OCD, but come on lady, every single Friday? Why don’t you focus on Jesus and forget about the flowers. 

3. I am going to visit some people that I love, with some other people that I love, next weekend. I can’t wait. We will drive Thursday, visit Thurs evening – Sunday morning, drive home Sunday afternoon. Hoo-rah. This deserves a longer quick take—but I don’t know what else to say. I am so so so so so so so excited.

4. My garden is still goingand going. The broccoli that never really got going (because I planted it late) is now getting big—maybe I’ll have fall broccoli instead of spring broccoli this year. The tomatoes are definitely slowing down but still coming. I’m guessing next week I’ll have to just pick everything left and let it ripen inside. The peppers are going crazy. I think I have over a dozen sweet bell peppers to cut up and freeze, and lots of jalapenos, even though I mostly just use those for salsa and have done my couple batches of salsa for the year. Maybe I’ll cut those up and freeze them as well. And I still have some basil, and carrots to dig up. I think that’s it, everything else is done for the year.  

5. Jane drew this image of me this week. I think it just about says it all (note the poorly drawn head and bleary eyes)... 

The Lists

My good friend Sarah tried this experiment last month. She made a list of 50 things that were annoying her and 50 things that made her happy, and spent a month working off those lists.  I've been working on my own version and have come up with about 30 items on each. Dr. Sarah has recommended spending the month working on the second list...  So here's what I've done in the last week or so...

Walks in the country

Apple picking

Spend time in the garden

Pick raspberries

Admire barns

The Sanity Project

On my list of things to do this month: Stay Sane. Do some things that make you happy in the midst of the daily grind.  So here goes...

I am doing a book club with a few friends. Yay! Motivation to actually read! We are starting with Brideshead Revisited- a book I've been meaning to read for years but have never quite gotten around to. So that's Sanity Project, assignment 1. And I got the book from the library today. Onward!

I am also reading 48 Days to the Work You Love, by Dan Miller. It's basically a 48 day project to help you figure out who you are and what your calling is so as to find the right work. As you may imagine, it's right up my alley right now and gives me some hope in what seems like an otherwise bleak situation. Sanity assignment 2. And I got the book. And read Ch. 1 yesterday.  Onward!

Last but not least, I need to find a cookbook to read and cook through. I need some fresh inspiration and to just be committed to spending more time in the kitchen- Sanity assignment 3. Feel free to give me suggestions if you know of such a cookbook. Haven't quite gotten to the execution stage of this assignment yet, but I'm thinking about it. 

Job

It has been a Job sort of season in my life. And handily enough, right now we are reading Job in the daily Mass readings-- so very fitting to what is going on in my life right now. I have been complaining to God and asking Him a lot of "why Lord?" And then I look at Job's life, at the amazing gifts he had received, and how devastating it was when it was all taken away, and I am inspired by his response in the midst of terrible devastation: "The Lord has given, and the Lord has taken away, Blessed be the name of the Lord."  May I learn to respond like Job.

Today's reading is so filled with hope - so I thought I'd share:

Jb 42:1-3, 5-6, 12-17


Job answered the LORD and said:
I know that you can do all things,
and that no purpose of yours can be hindered.
I have dealt with great things that I do not understand;
things too wonderful for me, which I cannot know.
I had heard of you by word of mouth,
but now my eye has seen you.
Therefore I disown what I have said,
and repent in dust and ashes.

Thus the LORD blessed the latter days of Job
more than his earlier ones.
For he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels,
a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she-asses.
And he had seven sons and three daughters,
of whom he called the first Jemimah,
the second Keziah, and the third Kerenhappuch.
In all the land no other women were as beautiful
as the daughters of Job;
and their father gave them an inheritance
along with their brothers.
After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years;
and he saw his children, his grandchildren,
and even his great-grandchildren.
Then Job died, old and full of years.