Confession: Some days the trivial is infuriating, and some days it brings the most satisfaction. Or humor. Or sheer joy.
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Did you know that it is possible for a woman to trim three heads of hair and 80 nails in approximately one hour?
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My little magnolia tree—the five-inch infant that got hit with hard frost the night after it was planted, the one I prayed and agonized over, the one I loved and whispered to, the one that dropped each of its leaves, one by one, and turned into a five-inch stick, that magnolia—grew a tiny bud.
Enter whoops of joy from Kelly and me.
She has contracted the strange habit of kissing baby trees. Wonder where she learned that.
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If you live near these stores and are interested, check out the following sales:
- Home Depot’s 88¢ geraniums!
- Valu Home Center’s Tiki torches for $2.97!
Home Depot has patio torches for $3 as well, but I liked them less.
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Confession: I have a mental list of “Urgent Items to Replace ASAP,” that somehow slips by very comfortably week after week. You, too? Why is that?
I won’t give you the whole list, just mention two. First, my home hair-clipping set, which sent Ryan through the roof 3x last night, causing much trauma to his head and to his wife’s self-esteem… He has become a Nazirite until the lady of the house purchases a new clipper.
Second, my aging vacuum cleaner that smells like arson each time I run it. Aarick nearly refuses to operate the thing. He thinks it’s gonna blow, and you know, I have fleeting thoughts along those lines as well.
My husband gave me permission weeks ago to buy a new vacuum. I don’t know what I’m waiting for. Why is that?
(This snippet does not really belong in the happiness camp. I did not enjoy discovering the deficiencies of my clipper by drawing blood. I just enjoy questions that tickle my brain, and this is one of them. Now, the drama of the vacuum I do find rather fun… an innocent form of gambling.)
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If you want to get really gooood cornbread, let your four-year-old do the stirring. I’m usually too impatient, and whisk-whisk-whisk. He took a wooden spoon and stirred very slowly, then stopped. It was the best we’ve ever made—tender and luscious, the perfect pairing for our taco soup with corn chips, shredded cheddar, and sour cream.
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I found a very helpful tool online. I’m studying to teach 1 & 2 Thessalonians to our church ladies for the next three months. Here, Mark Copeland shares introductions, outlines, and FAQ’s for numerous book of the Bible—with permission to use his materials free of charge. I appreciate the Scriptural accuracy, the minimal human interpretation, and the quality of the outlines: parallel points and accessible wording.
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My six-year-old chose to learn about MLK Jr. as one of many great summer projects recommended by his teacher. We chose some library books, and after reading them he asked if he could read the original I Have a Dream speech—his library book offered an online link. He was slightly stunned by the volume of text, so we read it aloud, stopping frequently for explanations. Confession: I had never read this speech before. What a brilliant man! Among a million quotes to ponder, here was my favorite this morning:
We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.
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People say happiness has little to do with surroundings and much to do with viewpoint. The very thought makes me unhappy, because I have so far to go. Most of my days are overwhelmed instead of joyful. But some days I get a whiff of it: What if quality of life has little to do with wealth, circumstance, and velocity; and much to do with moments–savoring the glass of tea, the act of stirring, the smell of wind, the feel of dishwater, the slow ticking of time?
What trivia made you happy this week?
I saw it this a.m. the full sunshine pouring into my living room at six a.m. hitting the mirror on the wall and shining onto the rocking chair on the opposite side of the room, just minutes before the clouds hid the sun and darkened the same room. Is my memory chip able to hold onto those few moments to savor throughout this overcast day. So glad to have had that reassurance that the sun is still there behind the clouds!
Just got finished teaching SS from Thessalonians. I used Copeland’s stuff along with another book the church gave us. If you want to use it you are welcome to it. Better yet, lets have coffee and talk about the book!