Life

Life is a mystery.  We cannot see the bigger pattern.  According to author and speaker, Richard Rohr, life is a river.  He asks an interesting question, "Are you trying to change the course of the river? Or are you in the river?"   So often our focus is on how we can change things instead of simply living in the moment.  One of my favorite expressions I learned in college during a LaVida trip with Rich Obenschain .... "BE HERE NOW!"  It means that we should soak up every moment and enjoy life.  Jesus said, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."  Matthew 6:34   God wants us to be able to experience all that He has for us in each moment.  Life is so often about "letting go."   Let the river carry you.  Trust that God is in control.

Quote From Richard Rohr on Contemplative Prayer

The importance of Interior Design

Found this quote in a Dick Francis mystery [Enquiry] and it articulated something for me.  "The kitchen was white and brown and copper and yellow.  The colors pleased me.  Colors gave me the sort of mental food I imagined others got from music.  I disliked too much music, loathed the type of stuff you couldn't escape in restaurants and airliners, didn't own a record player, and much preferred silence."

I love silence and solitude; and particularly in a place that is aesthetically pleasing ... light and bright, pretty colors, comfortable furnishings.  My surroundings are important to me.  But I often wonder if I am alone in this.  The fact that an author describes me so well is enlightening.  There are others out there for whom environs is key.

My Typical Day

up at 7 to exercise
off to meet a friend for Bible Study at 8 at the local Starbucks
an unexpected opportunity to encourage an acquaintance and pray for him
stop at the post office to mail a package
pick up daughter and take her to extra help session for math [logarithms anyone?]
grab lunch
drive daughter home for more homework
accomplish 8 hours of work for full-time job while juggling life
drive daughter to volleyball game
cheer for team
drive home
fall into bed
sleep
get up and do it all again

ah, this is the life.  I wrote this just over a year ago.  little did I dream how different things would be one year later: new city, empty nest, quieter life!

A Season of Travel

Where have I been?  I am beginning to lose track of all the places I have been this year - it's been hectic. Fun, but crazy.

Rhode Island [4 or more times]
Norfolk, VA - Feb
Virginia Beach, VA - Feb
Philadelphia - Jan onward
Brewster, NY - Jan
Stuart FL - Mar
Gainesville - Feb, Mar, May, June twice
Boston - Aug

Washington DC - April, November
Jersey Shore - Sept
Seattle - Sept
Chicago - November

I don't know about you, I get tired just reading the list.  Some of the travel has been for work, but mostly for visiting family ... it's been a huge blessing even though it has been exhausting at times.  I've been delighted to get to see so much of our beautiful country this year and tried to spend time outdoors enjoying it.

Will we stay home for Christmas or go to Florida ??

Empty Nest

Got to visit beautiful Seattle again this fall.  Sunny and warm, dare I say hot? at 85 degrees.  SPU is a beautiful campus.  Discovered a nice trail along the canal nearby.  Got to see Lake Washington and visit two old friends.

Dropped my younger daughter off at freshman orientation ... the emotions took me by surprise.  Until I realized that this has been a year of too many goodbyes.  As we fell asleep in the hotel the night before orientation started, I began to pray, realizing i would be alone in the hotel the next night.  Pray, pause, wait for response, pray, pause again, realize that she is sound asleep!  Not surprising since we got 5 hours of sleep in Denver the night before and traveled 3000 miles and adjusting to a 3 hour time difference.  Bittersweet moments.

We said goodbye in January (twice - once while at a funeral saying goodbye to a beloved grandpa), then again in June when she went off to sailing camp, and then finally in September.  The adventure of college begins for my youngest - and the adventure of a new stage of life begins for my husband and I.

Cycling

I completed my goal of bicycling the Schuylykill River Trail this summer over the course of several different rides ... parking my car at one site, biking 4-6 miles then back to the car and then choosing a different location for my next ride.  From the Art Museum to the end is about 22 miles ... I did some sections more than once on rides with various family members.  I also did a portion of the Audubon Trail and the Wissahickon Trail.  For the most part it is a pleasant trail... wide and 95% paved. I got to enjoy various portions of the trail with both my daughters, my husband, my sister-in-law and brother-in-law, and two nephews and one niece.  Next year perhaps I will attempt to do the whole trail in one ride.  Our longest ride was 14 miles just last weekend.  It's great to live so close to a nice public recreation area.

Fifty for 50

My friend Liza turned 40 last year and celebrated through the year with 40 experiences which she then blogged about.  I thought this was a really fun idea ... and I will be turning 50 this spring, so I am beginning a list of 50 fun things to do this year to celebrate ...

Here is the beginning of my list:

• go to an art museum and make a sketch of one piece of art
• go cross country skiing (done - blog photo coming soon)
• go to Virginia Beach
• bike along the Schulkyl River
• see the cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C.
• go to the Smithsonian
• climb the Rocky stairs

I'm open to suggestions for more creative experiences to enjoy life.