Gathering my Thoughts

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I find myself:

::noticing God's glory

We are in the midst of one of the infamous wintry mix storms so familiar to this region. Right now, ice is coating everything. My fervent hope is that I can get some pictures before the whole things turn to cold rain.

::listening to 

Ice falling hard and fast against the house.  

::clothing myself in 

A sweatshirt and sweatpants. Schools have been closed for the day. That might just mean I have no where to go unless I choose to go to the gym later this afternoon. And that might just mean I'll wear sweats all day long. 

::talking with my children about these books

Snow books. Poor Sarah was absolutley traumatized by My Brother Loved Snowflakes . Bentley dies of pneumonia. Mary Beth has had pneumonia this winter. Just a little too much for my sensitive four-year-old to process.

::thinking and thinking

about renewal. It's been a long time since I've intentionally taken care of my body. I tend to push myself to the absolute outer limits of endurance, but not in a good way. This January, at Mike's insistence, I've really been paying attention to exercise and relaxation and sleep. Still don't have the nutrition thing nailed down, but the rest is coming together. Now, I see just how merciless I've been to myself.

::pondering prayerfully

"Remember the precept that St. John the Evangelist used to give to his disciples: “Love one another.” Since it is not a mere exhortation, but a command, it would be sinful to do otherwise. Therefore, do away with insults, quarrels, envy, revenge, mockery, or bad will. Be good to one another. This will prove that you love each other like brothers."

- Don Bosco

The feast of St. John Bosco is January 31. There is a treasure trove of great information and resources here.

::carefully cultivating rhythm

Schools are closed today, but not here. I remind my children that all those January long weekends for teacher workdays and the random snow days easily add up to a week in the woods in April when the bluebells bloom and everyone else is stuck inside. Now, if we were to get significant snow, I could persuaded to call a snow day .

::creating by hand

I really must tackle those nightgowns anew this week. And hustle along with knitting plans for Easter sweaters, because they're not moving nearly as quickly as the shrugs did two years ago. All my projects seem to be for Katie and they all seem stuck at the yoke. Hmmm...

::learning lessons in

teenagers. I am not a quick study, but I do think I'm making progress. 

::encouraging learning 

This week we'll begin our study of Matthew. I'm really looking forward to doing this study with my kids and I think they're pretty enthusiastic, too.

We've also been meandering down the Alphabet Path. Last week, H was for "heart" and we did some tweaking to the Valentine plan.

::begging prayers

for all the intentions of our prayer community. Also, Elizabeth DeHority is facing a formidable struggle this week as she battles an opportunistic infection. Her bone marrow is utterly depleted and her body has very little with which to fight.

::keeping house

Up this week: Reorganizing the linen closet (It's been a long time since it looked like this, but I have photographic evidence that it once did, so I'm motivated). Also,  the storage room in the basement is in need again. Last time I did, it was a big emotional epiphany. I don't have time for epiphanies this week. I just want to clean it up. 

::crafting in the kitchen 

Christian took over my kitchen several times last week. He made New England clam chowder that was met with deep sighs of approval,  an amazing dinner of grilled chicken, creamed spinach and mashed potatoes, and then a raspberry chocolate cheesecake. He's got some impressive skills. He's got absolutely no desire to cook according to anyone's dietary limitations;-).

For my part, a friend challenged me to eat a salad every day. Nicholas took it a bit further and asked if I could somehow turn their dinner meals into salads for myself. I played with my food a bit last week and it was fun. I'll share it here on Wednesday, I think.

::loving the moments

When I have a chance to catch up with a friend. My friend Barbara joined me to watch Stephen and Nicky play basketball on Saturday and we had a whole hour to just sit and chat. And Colleen called from Costa Rica on Sunday and we had absolutely the best phone connection we've ever had.

Patrick was there for the basketball game, too, and he brought a friend home from school with him. It was nice to have them in the stands and I know the "little brothers" loved it.

::giving thanks 

for safe travels. Patrick came home last weeked. Christian drove down to Charlottesville and back in the snow without incident. And Mike was gone last week, but traveled home from Miami safely last night and is tucked up in bed while the sky rains ice.

living the liturgy

We are preparing for Candlemas. Candles. I do love what they do for our home.

Ginny and I sat down a couple of weeks ago and sketched out some plans for celebrating the rhythm of the Church year with our families. We're really looking forward to bringing those plans to life and our kids are, too! 

::planning for the week ahead

Pretty mellow week, I think. I have a hunch that a popcorn ball nibble did some bad things to a tooth, so there is likely to be some dental visits in my future. Other than that, it's just some lovely "normal" and a visit from friends on Wednesday to do some candle crafting.

Oh, and Stephen turns fourteen on Friday. I'm not a huge fan of fourteen, but I think Stephen is just the guy to change my perception;-) He's on board to take on the challenge of re-branding fourteen.

Hope for Fragmented Days

“And when night comes, and you look back over the day and see how fragmentary everything has been, and how much you planned that has gone undone, and all the reasons you have to be embarrassed and ashamed: just take everything exactly as it is, put it in God’s hands and leave it with Him.” — Edith Stein

Whew. I’ve had a lot of nights like this one lately, a lot of fragmentary, embarrassed, and ashamed nights, many, many worried nights, a lot of dreams where all the bumps of the day crowd out peaceful sleep and I awake feeling defeated before I’ve begun. 

Please join me at MomHeart today to read the rest?

Lord, Hear Our Prayer

Gospel

Luke 1:1-4, 4:14-21

Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events
that have been fulfilled among us,
just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning
and ministers of the word have handed them down to us,
I too have decided,
after investigating everything accurately anew,
to write it down in an orderly sequence for you,
most excellent Theophilus, 
so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings
you have received.

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,
and news of him spread throughout the whole region.
He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.

He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,
and went according to his custom 
into the synagogue on the sabbath day.
He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me 
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.
Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,
and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him.
He said to them,
“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Think

“I chanced on a wonderful book by Marius von Senden, called Space and Sight. . . . For the newly sighted, vision is pure sensation unencumbered by meaning: "The girl went through the experience that we all go through and forget, the moment we are born. She saw, but it did not mean anything but a lot of different kinds of brightness." . . . In general the newly sighted see the world as a dazzle of color-patches. They are pleased by the sensation of color, and learn quickly to name the colors, but the rest of seeing is tormentingly difficult. . . . The mental effort involved . . . proves overwhelming for many patients. It oppresses them to realize, if they ever do at all, the tremendous size of the world, which they had previously conceived of as something touchingly manageable. . . . A disheartening number of them refuse to use their new vision, continuing to go over objects with their tongues, and lapsing into apathy and despair. . . . On the other hand, many newly sighted people speak well of the world, and teach us how dull is our own vision.” 

~Annie Dillard, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek

Pray

Jesus, Open my eyes. Help me to recover my sight. To see. Truly see.

Act

Slow down. Look around. And really see.

Snow Day (Well, sort of)

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Once upon a time, when there were just three little boys in my tiny little house, there were grand predictions of a big snow. I got those little boys all hyped up on the idea of snowballs and snow angels and snowmen. And then it snowed less than an inch. Those boys were so bummed. In an effort to make snowballs indoors, we popped some popcorn and introduced it to marshmallows. Very yummy fun. Like so many things, we did it once and it became a sort of tradition. I think there are children here who might just hope the forecast is wrong. They know the consolation prize for just a little snow.

Still, I'm wishing for a big snow. Really wishing.

Below is the recipe for popcorn snowballs and then a list of great books that will make even the most tropical among us hope for just a little "playable" snow.

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Popcorn Snowballs

2 sticks of butter, plus some to butter your hands

1 cup popcorn kernels 

1 bag mini marshmallows 

Pop 1 cup of popcorn kernels, set aside.

Melt both sticks of butter. Add marshmallows. Once marshmallows are melted, add the popcorn. Mix ingredients together. Butter your hands and then form the popcorn mixture into balls and set on a buttered baking sheet to cool. 

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The Snowy Day. Everyone loves Peter and his dog Willy and the adventures they have on a sweet snowy day.

The Story of the Snow Children The snowflakes are snow children who are swept into the Snow Fairy's kingdom on a winter day. You'll never look at swirling snow the same way again.

Flannel Kisses This one reminds me a little of Peter's Snowy Day above, but warmer and softer, I think.

Owl Moon A little girl and her father venture into the stillness of a winter's night and experience a lyrical, almost magical (but real) adventure.

My Brother Loved Snowflakes This is the true story of Wilson Bentley told through the eyes of his older brother. It's a wonderful companion to Snowflake Bentley. We love the both. Together:-).

Winter Days in the Big Woods I just ordered a new copy of this one for our library. My children have all loved, loved, loved Laura's stories come to life in these picture books. This one is a keeper and one to replace when it gets loved to death. 

A Farmer Boy Birthday See above. Love, love, love. Almanzo gets a new sled for his birthday. 

The Mitten (and The Hat) Beautifully illustrated whimsical stories in snow. These feature handknits and, well, there is just so much inspiration to be had here;-)!

Snowsong Whistling. Well worth the hunt. 

Snow Cynthia Rylant. I'm a big fan of Cynthia Rylant. This book lives up to my high expectations. The text is brief, but lyrical, and the author wrings meaning out of every drop of word. A little girl, her friend, and her grandmother appreciate an incredibly beautiful snowfall. 

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening. Read through this bpicture book, lingering on lovely illustrations, just for a few days in a row and suddenly, you and your children will have memorized Frost, so that his poetry comes to mind every time it snows, forever.

She inspires me.

You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,

Love like you'll never be hurt,

Sing like there's nobody listening,

And live like it's heaven on earth.

~William W. Purkey