A Simple Woman's Daybook~July 21, 2012

Just for today~Saturday, July 21, 2012
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Our lives pass swiftly by! I want to do something to remember

the everyday moments and my thoughts about them.  

That is what this daybook is all about.

Focusing on the little things that become my life.

One week at a time.

Outside my window...It is late afternoon and the air is still outside.  It is 101 in our town today and sweltering.  I cannot complain, we have had very little hot weather this summer but I am always a little surprised at how it totally zaps my energy and makes me a little edgy.  OK a lot edgy.  Maybe grumpy is just a better word.  I have a lot to do but the heat just sucks my motivation right out of me.  I am glad we live by the ocean and when those lovely breezes come in with the fog...we get relief.  God's A/C and it is free.

I am thankful for...these past two weeks.  Jim has been able to go to Peru with our son Chris on a special project related to alleviating some poverty concerns in some remote areas.  They have had quite the experiences, challenges, fun and strange food. Their time there has been rich, both as servants in a needy community and as father and son.  What more could I want for my two men?  The bad thing was Chris got bronchitis at the very beginning and the good thing was a wonderful Peruvian Man and physician made a house call late at night and prescribed a bunch of meds and an injection that set things moving in the right direction.  He is a member of our church, what a blessing.  Giving service and then receiving service, what a great way to live.

 

From the learning room...I took a Swedish Genealogy Research class today.  All new territory for me and challenging but I see some hope in finding relatives on both sides of our family with the resources available.  I didn't really have the time really but I needed to do it as the opportunity only comes along once in a while.

I am reading...Sacrificed for Honor, an amazing historical research piece on infant abandonment in European countries for centuries to maintain the honor of unwed mothers.  Very interesting, very sad, very eye-opening.  It was recommended to me and I got it on Amazon.  Italy had the highest rates of abandonment over 37,000 babies in one year in the 1800's.  Interesting links to religion, economics and politics and other societal issues.

From the kitchen...Just getting ready to leave for a little while again so trying to empty the frig.  We are going to our family reunion and then a conference for four days.  It should be great but I am looking forward to putting the suitcases away for sometime after this.  Too much gallivanting for me...I am a home body!

I am missing...Jim.  It is the first time in our very long marriage that we have been separated for this length of time with very little communication.  It is very odd.  Calls were garbled, delayed and expensive so we fanned that and tried for email.  That was problematic and hit and miss.  So it will be good to catch up tomorrow.  Of course I missed him, but I am use to missing people I love, so that part I could handle. 

What I could not handle was the realization that I am not that good at running my own show.  I had never fully realized how much all I do is so interwoven into our family life and daily plans and what we do together and for each other and others.  I found I was not as self-motivated as I thought I was.  What I mean by that is I had a billion things to do but often lacked the motivation to proceed checking things off my list like I do when he is here.  I was much more prone to just procrastinate or do something more fun.  Or not to do something fun because he wasn't here to do it with me.  Hmmm...it just felt very aimless and weird.  It wasn't a bad thing just a surprising thing.  I wanted to think I was more focused and self-motivated than I am.  It made me think about women who are suddenly left alone and how much of an adjustment it must be.  It made me realize I need to work on this for we never know what the future holds.

Some spiritual thoughts I have been having...We have a hymn in our church called "Keep the Commandments." I love it.  It is a very simple and beautiful song.  One of the lines is, "Keep the commandments, keep the commandments, in this there is safety, in this there is peace."  Such true words.  If we are seeking peace, this is the way. 

I am hearing..."Loving You is Easy" by Sarah Mc Lachlan.  I am such a funny one when it comes to music.  I have heard some of her songs over the years and like them a lot.  The other night I spent some time watching and listening to her sing many of her original compositions and I just fell in love with her style, her lyrics, her personality.  I became a fan of Celine in the very same way just a few years ago..  I love adding new music to my playlists and getting out of my rut.

One of my guilty pleasures...well I am a daydreamer.  I have an active imagination.  I need to write a book maybe.  A novel.  One of my fears about that is it might be too revealing.  LOL!  You know people always ask authors if their story is autobiographical or who is this about in your life experiences.  Eeeek. 

Pet Peeves...that space between where and who I want to be and where I am in reality in terms of accomplishments, personal development and striving to be better, more, balanced.

I am going...to get all my ducks in a row or die trying!  I have turned 65 this month, the Lord does not give us unlimited days to get it right in this life.  The clock ticks on.  Thanks heavens for His grace and tender mercies towards us.  But still I want to do better because I just want to do it.

One of my favorite things...one on one exchanges with people.  Family and friends.  I find I am most comfortable in smaller more intimate groups.  I love larger groups too but I find myself becoming restless if all my people time is party time.  I like to talk with people and know them on a deeper level.  I am not a good small talker really.  It is good to know who you are.  If someone said are there any introverts among us...I would raise my hand.  I am not shy, I am not anti-social, or ill at ease in big groups but they drain me of my energy and I need solitude to recharge.  An extrovert on the other hand must be surrounded with people a lot more and they get their energy from it.  They do not crave being alone in fact most don't even like to be alone.  We all know them.  They get more and more wound up as the evening progresses and are the last to leave the party.  That is not me.  Is it you?

Check out this TED Talk on the subject, it is great!  http://youtu.be/c0KYU2j0TM4

I am quoting..."Loving you is what I do for you, not what you do for me.  Loving is a verb.  It is my non-obligatory gift to you, it is unconditional.  If it is returned wonderful;  if not, I love you anyway.  My gift is knowing you enough to love you exactly the way you are.  That is joy enough." Anon
 

An enjoyable movie we have watched lately...A Room With a View.  Love.

I am curious about...I am wondering what the Aurora, Colorado massacre will do to the security issues in theaters now and other public places.  Bag searches, body scans, pat downs?  And pretty soon people will not want to leave their houses.  Whoever asks themselves, "What can one person do  to make a difference or make changes in the way things are?"...should remember the other night. 

If I could change one thing it would be...A prefect brightness of hope in Christ for all those who seek for goodness as we carry on.  It is our safe haven always, no matter what.  Faith in Christ, hope and charity.

Plans for the rest of the week...Get hubby tomorrow, dinner with his mom, regroup, repack and road trip.  Family reunion in a fabulous place and miss our Robert who cannot come this year.  Afghanistan is not a nice alternative to our plans and he will be with us in thought, spirit and prayer every minute.  Relax and have some fun times.  Ahh, sounds so nice.  We have all had a rather stressful year and it is time to celebrate all the goodness of the year as well. With almost all the little chicks under one roof Mom and Dad can feel the immensity of joy like no other time.


Some photos from Pinterest I am sharing this week... from pinterest.com  I think they should call this site Pinspiration.

 

 Spiritual inspiration

 

Inspiration to find your own kind of beauty.

 

Inspirational sweet thoughts.

 

Inspiration to imagine things that will never be!

 

Inspiration for an Attitude Adjustment when needed!

 

Inspiration to Always Learn something new

 

 Inspiration to have Patience with yourself and others.

 

Inspiration to enjoy the

Beautiful things around you and be grateful.

Inspiration to laugh and enjoy life!  

Bracing myself..hahaha!

Love this~I want to learn Italian,
I had no idea it would be so effortless!

Inspiration to not take life so seriously and be silly sometimes.
Inspiration to lead a full and positively lovely life.

What's not to love?

http://pinterest.com/onedesigner/