Chasing Rabbits

Approaching God by Steve Brown

This is my latest morning reading.  Along with my bible studies I try to keep a book going on some aspect of Christian life. This book is so good!  Steve Brown is one of my new favorite authors. 

An epiphany of an introvert: When my children were younger and always in my care I did not care much for other people and my needs were rather intense. I see now that more clearly.  Leaving the home was a way to be alone and to be able to THINK.  Now that my children are not requiring so much from me in that intense sort of way I am much more interested in and have time for other people. When (and if) I leave the house I enjoy conversations with the folks I run into.  I no longer hide from people I know.  Ha!  And I am looking at the younger moms in my life differently.

I think I have mentioned that this has been the winter of Soft Clothes. Other than putting on blue jeans when I leave the house I refuse to wear scratchy clothes, and this includes some sweaters.  I have ONLY been wearing soft clothes because I decided life was too short to not be as comfortable as I would like.  And winter is all together too long.

Other winter survival necessities: steamy showers, many cups of coffee and good books.  

I would include knitting on that list but knitting and I are not on good terms right now.  Everything I've tried to knit I have managed to mess up.  This has been The Winter of The Discouraged Knitter.  Or if I put a positive spin on it I could say it has been The Winter of The Successful Yarn Winder.

My evening reading is a big thick book of letters by Flannery O'Conner entitled The Habit of Being. I really like the title because it pretty much describes how I see my own life.  
 

I like her very much, but I do not always understand what she is saying.  I've never let that stop me before, so I keep going.  She is witty, smart and has deep insight into the nature of people.  Nothing about her life is very exciting and she seems to suffer her diagnosis and pain from Lupis well which I admire greatly. 

Another random thought I had the other day: I have lived with teenagers for TEN years and I still have 4 years left of it (God willing).  I shared this observation with my husband told him I think I deserve some sort of accolades and awards, besides the humans that were once teens.  My kids, who were also present for this proclamation, just laughed while my husband looked at me with kindness.  Does that mean no gifts?
 
And lastly I thought I would mention my job at our homeschool co-op. It has around 30 families and this is my 6th year as the director.  I have two more years before my children will be graduating which means I will, too.  And really I probably have even less than two years as I turn things over to others.

Doing this job has revealed to me things about myself I did not know.  It has allowed me to develop gifts and talents I didn't know I had and it has revealed areas I've needed to grow in.  I have had to wrestle with hard things and I've learned a few things about middle-aged woman, too. Ha! 

It is only 11am and I have already eaten two breakfasts and feel like I could eat a third. I probably should distract myself by going and cleaning something.