I haven't written or doodled anything in a while. Well, actually, I have written approximately 7,642 blog posts in my head, but none have made their way to the computer. And, I doodle everyday, I just haven't had any posts to attach them to.
I have been busier lately, with my substitute teaching job, which is great, but also a big change for my family. So, I haven't made time. And.
And I was all ready to post about a topic, either optimism or vanity, and even had my doodles ready, but then violence interrupted our worlds, as it too often does. First, in a neighboring community with the suicide of a teenage girl, and then in Las Vegas. And I was broken, like you, and raging, like you, and sad, like you, and a little hopeless, like you. And I tried to have something to say. I started a post.
As my husband and I are frequently reminding our children (and ourselves), is it more important to be right or is it more important to be love?
Prayer is important, not because it will help you change others, but because it changes you and it centers you and it clarifiies to you what you should be doing. And belonging to each other, being part of one body, means that we will each be called to different things. Political action, perhaps, looking at data analytically to look for ways we can make changes; sending monetary relief to hurting families, maybe; organizing vigils in our communities, causing us to draw near folks who are our neighbors, but distance among us has previously caused fear, and through our new proximity can only cause love, could be; or loving is small focused ways in our neighborhoods, volunteering time with children, sending food to our food banks, serving meals and eating with our homeless neighbors, listening to that still small voice that leads us to what is right for us, perchance.
But, I didn't get far, because I wasn't saying anything new. So many voices were crying out and saying all the things, that I for once found wisdom and chose not to. I just talked to God about it. And I don't have any answers about the problem of violence at a macro level, but on a micro level, God is calling me to love small, which is a BIG thing, and can change the world in BIG ways. SO I will start there. And it just so happens that the increase in time spent substitute teaching is providing me with ample opportunity to love on our smaller ones. But like I said, it has left me with less time. Which means my husband and I had real talk about being more intentional in all aspects of our daily grind-eating, house-keeping, parenting, exercising, etc. AND, spending.
Both of us could improve in that department and in different ways. We make all our purchases and pay some of our bills on our credit card on which we earn airline miles. Because plane tickets for four really add up, amiright? So, to start, I have decided to track all the purchases I make on my card this month, and see how I can improve. I know, I know, there are apps for that, but pen to paper is where it is at for me. I remember things better if I write them, and it feels more intentional to recognize my spending if it requires action from me. So, I made a little register that I have paper clipped in a notebook that I always have in my purse. Hope you find it useful!
Prayer is important, not because it will help you change others, but because it changes you and it centers you and it clarifiies to you what you should be doing. And belonging to each other, being part of one body, means that we will each be called to different things. Political action, perhaps, looking at data analytically to look for ways we can make changes; sending monetary relief to hurting families, maybe; organizing vigils in our communities, causing us to draw near folks who are our neighbors, but distance among us has previously caused fear, and through our new proximity can only cause love, could be; or loving is small focused ways in our neighborhoods, volunteering time with children, sending food to our food banks, serving meals and eating with our homeless neighbors, listening to that still small voice that leads us to what is right for us, perchance.
But, I didn't get far, because I wasn't saying anything new. So many voices were crying out and saying all the things, that I for once found wisdom and chose not to. I just talked to God about it. And I don't have any answers about the problem of violence at a macro level, but on a micro level, God is calling me to love small, which is a BIG thing, and can change the world in BIG ways. SO I will start there. And it just so happens that the increase in time spent substitute teaching is providing me with ample opportunity to love on our smaller ones. But like I said, it has left me with less time. Which means my husband and I had real talk about being more intentional in all aspects of our daily grind-eating, house-keeping, parenting, exercising, etc. AND, spending.
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| Quit judging my purchases. |
Both of us could improve in that department and in different ways. We make all our purchases and pay some of our bills on our credit card on which we earn airline miles. Because plane tickets for four really add up, amiright? So, to start, I have decided to track all the purchases I make on my card this month, and see how I can improve. I know, I know, there are apps for that, but pen to paper is where it is at for me. I remember things better if I write them, and it feels more intentional to recognize my spending if it requires action from me. So, I made a little register that I have paper clipped in a notebook that I always have in my purse. Hope you find it useful!
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