Daybook: Oct 10

Outside My Window

First off, my window is OPEN and it smells like fall! Outside of it, just our side yard. It's dark out.

I am Listening to

Wind through the trees through the open window. And some traffic in the distance.

I am Wearing

Jeans, olive green top.

I am So Grateful for

• Grace. The kind where I somehow am able to be calm and where/who I want to be for some brief time, when I need to be, completely to my amazement and humbled gratitude, because I KNOW it is so not something I would be capable of without tons of people's prayers. SUCH GRACE in the last few days. Omg. I am humbled and in awe... and SO GRATEFUL for grace I do not deserve. (Sorry if that's cryptic.)
  

• How awesome my parents/family are. I am so grateful to be their child and to have grown up in my home and to know them now as an adult and for who they are and to be who I am because of them. Wouldn't want anyone else.
  

• My new Sunday night SMALL GROUP!!!!!! Oh man what a joy and blessing these nights are rapidly becoming. I love these people who are meeting and the honesty they are sharing and how much laughter and vulnerability and acceptance there is in one room and how we all want such similar things for this group... oh. So so so great. I am so lucky.

I'm Pondering

See the Dillard quote from yesterday.

Since seeing "The Social Network" yesterday, I truly have been pondering how glad I am that my life is so much more meaningful than that of the creator of Facebook (at least according to that movie). Arrogant, but true (that I've been pondering it)... sorry.

I am Reading

I started The Cloister Walk today and am loving it so far.

I am Thinking

"The Benedictines believe that in every day there is time for prayer, work, study, and play." -from The Cloister Walk. Affirm, I'm excited to double check they're all happening in my days.

I am Creating
Hmm. Need to work on that.

I am Missing
My mom and Allie. A lot a lot.

(And for real... too many other people to mention. A lot of people I love live far away from me. If you are reading this, odds are good are that I miss you.)

On my iPod (actually, this week more in my car)

Can't stop listening to the new WEEPIES CD!!So good!

Towards Being Faithful In This Time

I'm trying to memorize Scripture before bed. I'm working on the Beatitudes. Mostly that's been wonderful and helpful. Except for the part where I haven't been as faithful with it as I should. Yell at me if I'm not next time you talk to me.

One Thing I Love About My Job Right Now

My coworkers!!!!! They are SO WONDERFUL.

One Thing I Love About My Living Situation Right Now

SO MUCH. Seriously. They deserve their whole own post. Um, but one thing... I love the hard and really worthwhile and beautiful work that living, really living, with other people is. When you learn people's strengths and weaknesses and they learn yours (yikes) and you learn how to love each other and accept each other and live well together. So special and good.

One Thing I Love About Wheaton Life Right Now

Small group. Rez. Fall activities with different awesome groups of friends. Fall. Work. Everything? Did I just write that?

One Thing I Love About My Church Right Now

Just one? Nope. Spanish service. GIVING COMMUNION. TAKING COMMUNION. The meeting for Eucharist ministry we had on Thurs. My friends who go there.

I am Hoping and Praying

To spend good time with God this week.

From the Kitchen

I made Simply in Season's AWESOME Butternut Bisque for everyone who was over for pumpkin carving on Saturday. So good. Mine was not as good as when Kendra made it... we didn't have evaporated milk so I had to sub yogurt. But the recipe rocks. I will be repeating. (And it was fun to serve everyone homemade soup!)

One of my Favorite Things

Feeling like you are right where you are supposed to be, both in the joyful and painful parts.

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Week

Work, HNGR small group, HEATHER IS VISITING!!!!!!!

A Couple Picture Thoughts:

• My sweet stepsister and me picking out pumpkins this weekend. She will definitely get her own post sometime soon. She's pretty awesome.

• Everyone in our small group!! At a s'mores-making party at Lauren's a couple weeks ago... I look awkward in this pic but I like everyone in it so it is getting posted anyway.