Quick Takes on a Monday

(Because I wrote these on Friday but the internet wasn't working when I tried to post!)

1. This has been such an exhausting and crazy week and it’s not over yet. P continues to be busy with his job, working lots of late evenings and an occasional Saturday (including this one) and is just swamped mentally even when he is home. It’s definitely our sacrifice as a family for the ministry and working for the “least of these,” but I often have to remind myself to do it joyfully and willingly.

2. However, it was neat to see God gently speak to me about this at one of my mom’s group book clubs this week. We’re doing Bishop Robert Barron’s study Untold Blessing: Three Paths to Holiness and in the video, he was talking about when Jesus fell asleep in the ship while the storm raged and the disciples were going crazy. Bishop Barron said that we all are a ship and when we get busy and focused on too many things and we lose Christ as our center, we are allowing Him to ‘fall asleep’ within us and we lose our calm. The storms come and we get anxious because we’re simply relying on ourselves to make it through. We need to wake up Jesus within us and give Him the central focus in our lives once again and we will find that “no storm can shake my inmost calm, while to that Rock I’m clinging.” It was SO beautiful and I was not the only mom touched by it. It was such a beautiful and convicting reminder that HE is enough in my life right now. He is with me in all the hard moments when I’m holding down the fort at home and I can be calm and at peace even with the craziness around us right now.

3. We had an overnight guest last night, a mission director. She is possibly coming for dinner tonight as well. Though I was a little nervous about it all (morning sickness still hitting me hard all day!), it turned out really well and I enjoyed meeting her and talking with her. We even had a little God-ordained chat on a drive today about relationships and it was neat to see God use some of my past brokenness to minister to her in a current situation. Last night we all went with her to a pro-life fundraiser banquet and it was great to dress up and have dinner served to me (shallow, I know) and have G behave pretty well, too.  The speakers were great, too. ;)

4. My mother-in-law is arriving today for the weekend. She’s always really sweet and helpful and it’s nice to have the company. G is still in a somewhat clingy mood (I saw a tooth popping through yesterday!) but I’m hoping she’ll warm up quickly to her nana so I can get some extra breaks and rest—um, or clean out something? Haha. That minimalism book is motivating me!

5. And remember how I was wanting to craft? I bought some Sugar and Cream yarn today on a great sale!! I’m pretty sure I’ve decided to crochet a bunch of rustic washcloths and then make some homemade soap bars to go with it as gifts this year. Another book that I’m reading for the book club I host had a mind-blowing chapter on how in the modern world our minds work so much more than our body (esp since modernism/industrialism) and there’s been a subsequent increase in workplace (and home) depression because of the body’s lack of movement/skill/innovation/etc. Because we’re created body AND soul, God intended for us to use both, to work with our hands in addition to our minds. The whole chapter was INCREDIBLE and I can’t even summarize it in a few sentences. She said mental work has great value and importance (she’s a writer, after all!) but that if our work is somewhat sedentary, to make sure we are engaging our bodies outside of work rather than succumbing to screens in the evening. Anyway, it really made me want to craft even more. Now to find my crochet hooks.

6. Children update: G is just super fun these days. We have our hard moments of course (sleep, picky eating, and such) but she is such a doll and I love seeing her little personality, her humor, and her creativity in playtime. She’s my little partner in crime each day and we have so much fun. As long as I’m not feeling sick, these are sweet times we’re enjoying before our new baby comes and we transition yet again. That being said, we heard little baby’s heartbeat at my appointment this week and it just makes me fall in love all over again. We could even hear a few kicks on the Doppler. So precious. Can’t wait to feel this little one move in a few weeks.

7. We’ve had a mix of weather this week—some cold, rainy day and some warm, sunny days. It’s a reminder that winter is coming and it makes me want to take advantage of any and all of the nice fall days and get outside as much as we can!

Tell me about your past week or your upcoming weekend! What books are you loving? Is your ship going through storms or calm right now? Where do you think is an area you can use your body to be more healthy/creative?  

Linking up with Kelly!