Some weeks? You just need to put your head down and ‘git er done’. I am in one of those. Finishing work for the term (reports, planning, etc), planning a large girls conference next weekend and also trying to finish one other important project.

Everything that has been just loosely held together this year is starting to disintegrate.

But. In reality? It isn’t. I am just a wee bit overwhelmed and when that happens the lens through which I see the world gets so very corrupted.

So today? Just this:

“Wilkie said, “Sit down right here at this table, here is a yellow pad and here is a ballpoint pen. I want you to write down your blessings” I said, “Wilkie, I don’t want to talk about that, I’m telling you that I am going crazy.”  He said, “First, write down that I said write it down and think of the millions fo people all over the world who cannot hear a choir, or a symphony, or their own babies crying. Write down, I can hear- Thank God. Then write down that you can see this yellow pad, and think of the millions of people around the world who cannot see a waterfall, or flowers blooming, or their lovers’ face. Write, I can see – Thank God. Then write down that you can read. Think of the millions of people around the world who cannot read the news of the day or a letter from home, a stop sign on a busy street, or…”. I followed Wilkie’s orders and when I reached the last line on the first page of the yellow pad, the agent of madness was routed….”

– Maya Angelou (Letters to My Daughter)

And so, despite the fact that I should be working instead of blogging? Here I sit reminding myself of all the small and perfect gifts that remind me that the world is in fact not unfurling. It is just spinning a little fast and I am the only one who can choose to slow it down…

Thankful for quiet moments and tiny gifts

670) Sunshine

671) Walks with the littles.

672) Treasure collecting bags. Him saying “I think I won’t pick that, I will wait until it blooms and come back to see it”

673) Creativity.

 

674) Chalk roads on the deck.

675) Just. A. Few. More. Days.

676) A great dinner at Michelles

677) Buds on the trees

678) Messy dinners

679) Making time to see my friends

680) Praying with, being inspired by Jesus chasers.

681) Summer stretching out before me like a clean canvas….I can hardly wait.

Till then? Nose back to the grindstone…feelings of defeat left in my wake.