2 quick dumb funny things

1. I wrote about this on my facebook status. Do not try to flick dog poop out of your yard and into the street with a stick while your trunk (however far away) is open and full of groceries. You may have to spend some time searching through the bags to find the flying poop that came from a dog that IS NOT YOURS. Thank you neighbors and neighbor's dog. Please note, NEIGHBORS, that dog poop in yards with small children's toys will get poked, while said small child says, "Poop! Don't touch it. Yucky." Still poking it. Grrrrrrrr.

2. Do not try to multi-task and put your hoodie on while you are walking at the YMCA. The probability of you running into a stranger while your head is still in the sweatshirt as you round a blind corner are very high. (Seriously . . . did I really do this today? I did. I have no idea what the other guy's excuse was. But ironically it was the same guy who nervously introduced himself to us at church last Sunday. I don't know if he remembered me from Sunday, but he will now.)

Just a couple of helpful life tips. Since I'm so successful at it. :)

Now

Now we are in 2011. Now we are all having trouble with sleeping at night. Now our fingers are splitting and our lips are peeling and our noses are boogering with 1930-our-house-is-too-old-to-have-humidity-when-it's-cold-outside. Now, for the first time in 7 months, Brett and I are the only two people attempting to sleep at night in our room. Our own room. Now, we are recovering from travelling and amazing Christmas and a New Year's Eve that ended at 10 pm. (We did a countdown at 8:15, probably with some strays somewhere in the Atlantic).

Now we wait, to see where we will live starting in June. Now, after all the hustle and hugs and food and friends of Christmastime, we settle back in and actually attempt this skill, this discipline that once came so easily . . . this thing called REFLECTION.

My cousin Mark, so dear to me, mentioned today that he kept up with us via the blog. And his sweet wife, Christine (any woman who has 4 young sons and still laughs easily and sparkles when she tells stories is of heroic sorts) reminded me that my last post was sometime in November.

So . . . even though I did not even intend to write tonight, here is what I've been reflecting about. Not deeply and not conclusively and still scattered, but . . . whatever.

1. What do I feel I did well this past year?
2. What was I ridiculously horrible about?
3. How do I need to change?
4. How am I going to do it?
5. Who am I going to employ for help as I attempt to change?

One area I am going to try to grow in, with God's sweet and gracious help, is self-control. I do not have heaping measures of it, but my magnificent husband does . . . so I am daily reminded, as he, for the 700+ day in a row abstains from eating sweet things, that I am lacking in my ability to regulate myself in the "say-no-and-walk-away".

Some other qualities I've been chewing on.
TRUST
SURRENDER
We sang "It is well with my soul" this morning at church. Acapella. It wrecked me. Lord get me there, to a place where I can say this if You choose for us to live in a town I would never choose to live in. Lord, please teach me to release my life, my expectations, my fears and to enjoy Your direction in my life, because I haven't been and it's sort of miserable.

Mark asked if I have some good days, after getting most of the information about our family from the blog. I laughed and said, "yes. If I had the guts to write about it, it means that I laughed about it even then. All tongue in cheek and for my entertainment and yours if you're reading."

So, yes, I have lots of good days but so much need more of Jesus. Need more trusting of Him. More enjoying Him. Less weird expectations of myself. Less dishes and laundry. :) Anyone? I'll pay you.

Happy New Year. Joyful New Year. Trusting New Year. Growing New Year. Restful New Year to you.