Strange Things are Happening to Me.

In recent times I've noticed that I derive great pleasure from things I NEVER expected to produce such satisfaction. For example, when Mr. O was around three weeks old, I had to wake up around four or five to feed him and afterwards realized that 1. I needed to go to the grocery, 2. going back to bed was fruitless and, 3. I did not want to grocery shop with all three kids. So, at six in the morning, I left the house with Tuan and the kids still asleep and went to Wal-mart, Kroger, and Sams. I used a coupon on groceries and treated myself to coffee. I was able to shop at Sam's in near solitude at 7:20 in the morning with no lines and got home before nine. It was the equivalent of a spa treatment. I was totally refreshed.

Even stranger (for me) is the complete satisfaction derived from having my floors vacuumed/swept and the tables and counters cleared off and sink empty. It makes me sort of delight within. I never think it would happen! Today, for example, our camp sitter took the big kids for two hours and in fifty minutes time I had the downstairs cleaned. The satisfaction of the job completed was marvelous, but more so was the fact that I got to do it alone with NO INTERRUPTIONS and the house was QUIET! It was utterly refreshing and I was totally ready for them to come home and had energy. Crazy.

Dear Mr. Looney Bin director

I will be arriving sooner than expected. I thought my children were going to drive me there, but instead the millipedes will be. Sincerely, me.

A New Way of Looking

Matthew 18:
15"If your brother sins against you,[b] go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.'[c] 17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

This semester, in my weekly Bible study we studied Biblical Peacemaking. Although I was out for much of it, one aspect of the study really stuck with me. It was on the scripture quoted above. Apparently I'd never read that part very closely because I'd always viewed peacemaking as the responsibility of the offending party and the victim as being passive--just sitting on the tuffet, waiting for reconciliation. Upon reading it, I was struck by the pro-active role the victim/offended should take in resolving the matter. If I've been sinned against, if I've been hurt, I have the responsibility of going to the person who caused the hurt. No sitting around having a pity party if I cannot overlook the sin.

Anecdotally this was brought home as I remembered a situation in my own life. I had a friend in college who I unknowingly offended. We were friends after the fact and I never knew I had hurt her until years later when another friend had just learned about it and told me. It was obvious even years later that she had not forgotten the injury and was still nursing the hurt. I, on the other hand, had gone on about life blissfully unaware that I had wronged her. Although it was unintentional and obviously not realized on my part, had she only told me years ago, I could have explained, we would have been reconciled (Lord-willing ) and she would not have spent the last seven years of so holding onto that grudge.

As I've been mulling over this, I have been doing some self-examination. Have I been hurt or sinned against in a way that I cannot overlook? Do I need to talk to anyone? I almost hesitate to share this for fear of all the folks I've offended coming out of the woodwork to let me know so we can reconcile! I really don't want to confront anyone who may have hurt me--it's so nice and "easy" to feed that demon weed grudge, but my goodness, how different would the church look if we were pro-active (and humbly gracious) about dealing with hurt and sin in this way?

One Of Our New Meals--a Favorite!

No pictures, sadly. The food did not last that long! This was super easy, fast and delicious!

Fried Salmon Croquettes
Wasabi Dipping Sauce (mayo, sour cream. wasabi, soy sauce)
Fresh Avocado
Carrots and purple onions sauteed in coconut oil with a drizzle of sesame oil

My one-handed typing skills are improving. I might even write that book, soon!

Time Was Once a Friend to Me

What is getting done:
baby and childcare
sparse quiet time
dishes
our bed made
occasional naps
laundry washed, then washed again because I never put it in the dryer
approximately one chore per day

What needs to be done:
More deliberate quiet time
Hair brushed
Laundry completed and put away
bathrooms cleaned
floor mopped
more time with big kids ("school")
Fridge and freezer cleaned out
Thank you notes

What I Really Want to Do:
Massage/body scrub at Aqua
Baby holding
Couponing
Read Practical Religion
Sew curtains and Aubrey clothes and cute bibs
Paint!
Go running
Sleep all night, wake up and go right back to sleep
Breakfast at Broad Street with Tuan
thrift store hopping
Cook
Re-arrange furniture
Be Outside
Do "school" with J