Advent Day 4- St. Nick and Looking Forward

"This season of Advent means there is something on the horizon, the likes of which we have never seen before." -Jan L. Richardson, artist and spiritual writer

What do I look forward to at Christmas time?  I look forward to cold nights not a cold in my chest.  I l look forward to watching Christmas movies not watching myself cough up a lung.  I look forward to seeing the decorations and lights not seeing snot dripping down my nose in a blurry haze because I haven't slept for more than 3 hours at a time.  I look forward to listening to the hymns and The Messiah not listening to my whole family hacking.  So far I haven't been able to have much Christmas cheer, but with prayers and waiting and rest I believe and have faith it will come.  God gives us just what we need and apparently I needed a lot of sitting on the couch.  

Happy Birthday to my St. Nick baby girl.

Advent Day 3- Scarves and Patience

"Why is patience so important?  Because it makes us pay attention." -Paulo Coelho, author

I don't think of myself as an impatient person.  In fact, when it comes to Christmas I will happily wait.  My daughter has even said the waiting is the best part and when the day finally comes it is almost a let down.  I tend to agree.  If I lack patience it is mostly with people not the days of the week.  I get impatient when my kids don't listen.  I get impatient waiting in line.  I get impatient with myself for being so sinful and wretched and messing up and forgetting and being lazy and getting sick.  If you were wondering why I am posting day 3 of Advent when it is already day 10 well I have been coughing up a storm and my husband took me to urgent care.  I was diagnosed with bronchitis. I have only finally started feeling normal.  So be patient with me...now you have to pay attention...haha- but seriously learning to have patience with myself is the toughest but it is just as important as the patience for Christmas.    

Advent Day 2-Hope

"Let nothing disturb you, nothing frighten you, all things are passing, God is unchanging.  Patience gains all; nothing is lacking to those who have God: God alone is sufficient." -St. Teresa of Avila

It is a good thing that God alone is sufficient because I still seem to be having a nasty cough and the stress of the season is already getting to me.  The words bills and budget and money suck the hope and joy right out of me.  I need to pray.  I need to take this a little at a time.  I don't know how other people do it, but I have to do it the way I was created to do it.  Take out the fear replace it with hope. 

Advent Day 1- Wreath

"Waiting is an art that our impatient age has forgotten.  It wants to break open the ripe fruit when it has hardly finished planting the shoot."

-Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Theologian

Advent has begun.  Advent- the season of waiting for the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event- in this case remembering Christ coming as a baby to set into motion the salvation of mankind.  I love this waiting time.  I love this waiting time more than Christmas itself- true and honest. 

I have always been a very slow starter and pretty oblivious to say the least.  This year as I look around it is harder and harder to see the waiting part.  Almost immediately after Thanksgiving I saw at least 10 Christmas trees posted on my Facebook feed and a handful of Christmasy things being done.  I am not upset or concerned, but I am curious and a little surprised.  I feel inadequate because I like the waiting part and the slowness of putting out a couple things at a time not the immediate rush to decorate all things Christmas.  I begin by setting out the Advent candles and putting a few extra candles in my kitchen window sill.  Next week I will be lucky enough if my house stays clean to put out the mugs and kitschy decor.  The week after that will come the tree.  The week after that maybe a few things like baking and going to see the lights.  I guess I just do Christmas slowly and I don't want to feel bad about that. 

End of Summer, Start of School

Dearest Reader,

All children are officially in school.  I have missed writing to you so much!  Summer was fun and full, but also busy and I barely got to read AT ALL.  Between camping trips, the heat, not being able to read in the car, Eclipse 2017 across America, and all the paperwork involved in registering 3 kids for school I have been feeling officially wiped out. 

I am at the library right now and I get to sit in a place that is NOT the children's section.  I could get use to this, but I am most likely not going to complete my Popsugar reading goal unless they are picture books *shrugs* although I am not giving up- I am going to keep on reading just not looking like I will actually complete my intended goal. 

Some pictures to end summer:  I was able to do #25 Watch the Sunset which is perfect for the end of summer and I can not tell you how excited I am about rain on Sunday!!!!!  After all the fire news here, we could use a good soak. 

I don't have a great viewing area.  This is outside our house.  I needed a quick break but someone followed me!  Oh well, that's mom life.  Praise God for the beautiful sky and the sun AND the rain (coming soon). 

This next week...will be.....the first...FULL week...of school for the girls!!!!  The house is getting clean- inch by slow inch- hopefully it will not be destroyed over the weekend.  My husband graciously encouraged me to focus on house projects rather than finding a job right away.  I am so happy about this.  I felt I was living a little bit on pins and needles trying to approach the subject.  Maybe it is a little selfish but I get to focus more on the Happiness Challenge and my reading and writing. 

It really is a good life.  I may complain from time to time about lack of money, low self esteem because of weight, awkward social skills, miscommunication with spouse and children, but I know God and I have love and faith and hope in Christ that can not be broken.  This is just the beginning of a new chapter with Him. 

So back to the Happiness Challenge...it looks like (#26) Send someone you miss a postcard is next and I found so many postcards while I was cleaning I think I will be sending more than one.  It looks do able for sure.  I will send YOU a postcard if I know who you are and you can send me an email of your address (langsather@gmail.com).  It would be fun to get mail that wasn't a bill.

Yours truly,
L.L.  

Half Way Point Summer 2017

Dearest Reader,

Well....here we are.  I just wanted to send you a quick note because I love you and I want to let you know I am alive.  I have been busy but....mostly busy being lazy!  I have been to Women's Camp, a funeral, a concert, and been binge watching Mad Men and Criminal Minds.  None of these things were Happiness Challenge specific- especially not the funeral which was one of the hardest things I have had to witness.  It was for a friend's 6 year old little boy who was killed by a semi-truck.  An unimaginable, parent's worst nightmare situation.  To be honest, I have been a little angry with God over it.  Every time I think about it my eyes swell with tears.  I also did not come here to write about that, though I wish I could say SOMETHING, ANYTHING to make the ache and pain and fear and anger go away for those hurting from this. 

No, I came to say I am behind on a handful of goals and that life is precious...soak it up.  I wish I could hug each and everyone of you and tell you personally how much you matter.  Any way, I will keep this short and end here.

Love,

L.L.

Summer 2017 Official Beginning

Dearest Reader,

What...a...trip!  I was so stressed and full of anxiety and nerves that I haven't been "happy" enough to count anything on my Happiness Challenge although technically I did a bunch of stuff during this trip I am not going to count it.  My stomach was mostly in knots the whole time and it didn't end exactly well but overall it was an excellent trip.

We started off in John Day.  My husband ran a soccer camp/VBS.  I didn't feel very helpful but it was beautiful out there and hot.  It was also a wonderful bonding time with awesome people.  I didn't have to cook so that was great.  

My husband did amazing by the way!  My kids did pretty well, but were not much into soccer.

After John Day we went to visit my parents.  You might find I have a lack of pictures of my parents- oops- I bet my mom has some.  We haven't visited in a long time.  We haven't done it in nearly 10 years.  We aren't exactly rolling in dough and getting time off is not exactly a cake walk.  But we are thankful for the time we do get. 

Here are some random pictures from various things we did.

My mom cooked some amazing food.  My dad had fun having the kids around though he got a little sick near the end of our time together.  My brother gave the kids fidget spinners!  That is a good uncle.  My sister came around to hang out and bought s'more stuff- yum.  So it was good.

How has the start of your summer been?  I need to get back into reading and writing and finding my Happiness- btw the car made it!

Yours truly,

L.L.