Making them is one of my favorite things about blogging.
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Is anyone else doing a 30 Day Challenge? Praying? Reading? Exercising? Dieting? Photography? Writing? Cleaning?
I'm finding the "Pray for the Entire World in a Year" website to be practical and educational. I am going to try and keep this up, even after my 30 day challenge is over. Yesterday I prayed for Morocco. Today it's Mozambique.
And... reading through the Bible in One Year is a good challenge as well. As luck would have it, I've now finished Ecclesiastes and moved on to that book that I've avoided for 12 years: Song of Solomon. Oy. Oh well. It's probably better than Leviticus. But really? All that sex? It's a little hard to take.
The walking 30 minutes per day? YOU'D think this one would be easy, yes? I started strong. But then. Then I got another bladder infection and seriously. The very last thing a person wants to do is walk for 30 minutes. (Yes, by the way, I know. Too many bladder infections this year. BUT what was interesting? On Sunday, when I went to a clinic (after going to 4 that were closed) that had NO cars in the parking lot, so I thought it too was closed, but I checked the front door anyway and there were 2 doctors and 2 nurses behind the counter, "waiting for me, come on in", and when I told them I thought I had a bladder infection, they laughed. "That's all we're doing today. Bladders and ears. Every single patient." So that made me feel better. I'm not so rare. EVERYONE'S got it too.
And then I went to Safeway to get my prescription filled, the pharmacist said, "What's this for? Bladder?" and I nodded.
"GET OUT", she exclaimed. You're my fifth bladder infection in the past 8 minutes. We've been handing out meds all day for bladders. Must be something in the water."
So. It's something in the water.
Good thing I'm moving.)
And that's why I haven't walked for the past few evenings. But I walked tonight. At the beach. As the sun was setting. For an hour. So that kinda makes up for it.
By the way, while I was standing in line at the pharmacy? There was this young mom and her 4 year old daughter. (Daughter had a bladder infection too.) A grandpa-type was waiting with his wife (she too had a bladder infection) watching the little girl twirl in her shiny, frilly, bouncy skirt.
"I have a granddaughter about her age. I bet she'd love a skirt just like that one. It looks like a princess skirt."
The young mom said, "Her grandpa just bought it for her at The Children's Place in the mall - she's worn it every day since he gave it to her. They probably still have them there..."
The grandpa looked over at his wife and suggested they go pick up one for their granddaughter.
"Oh, you're right. She'd love it."
My eyes teared up and I had to look away.
Grandpas.
They are so awesome.
And then I felt sorry for myself.
I loved the way this grandpa and grandma were equally thrilled the idea of spoiling their grandchild. Together they planned to surprise their little girl. I have friends who are now grandparents and they all say how unbelievable awesome it is.
These past 13 years? Whenever I want to brag/talk about/share/bubble over my kids, I call my mom. She loves them as much as I do.
Realistically, who will I share 'grandchild' joy with?
Maybe the sharing isn't the big thing?
Maybe it's enough to hold it into your own heart?
Maybe you don't need to see the love reflected in your husband's eyes as he is captivated by the little additions to the family?
Whatever.
To be safe and to ensure my granddaughter has a twirly skirt too, I went to the mall:
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The other 30 day challenge I was tackling was the PHOTOGRAPHY CHALLENGE.
I spent alot of the weekend sitting (see long explanation above) PLUS there hasn't been a cloud in the sky since September rolled around, so I'm going to be doing the challenge in random order. Yes. You totally are allowed to do that.
So.
THIS IS PHOTO 23, "Sunflare":
Although, I kinda like this one for it's sunflare as well:
Or this one:
(By the way? I'll be redoing the "WHAT I WORE TODAY" one. That was not good photography. That was me being lazy.)
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While dealing with that pesky discomfort, I did some reading:
This puppy was 839 pages and the first 100 were killer. Like Hard. I almost gave up.
But I pushed through and then got wrapped up in the story and obsessed; were Melanie and Jared ever going to get together again? What about Ian and Wanda? Would the seekers find the rebels hiding place? WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN?
Sigh.
Those 13 hours will never be returned to me.
I finished this one too:
... which had many more redeeming qualities. David Platt challenges us to consider how we have manipulated the gospel to fit our cultural preferences. And he drops down some challenges... two of which I'm giving a go. (The reading and praying ones.) I would recommend this book to anyone who's ready to squirm. Anyone who thinks maybe they need to realign their fiscal priorities. Anyone who is uncomfortable with the poverty levels in the world today. Anyone who wants their lives to COUNT for SOMETHING besides acquisitions and upgrades.
"Where your treasure is, there your heart is also."
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I was thinking about this statement the other day, and couldn't remember how it went exactly. I had put it as my facebook status about a year or two ago, and wondered if I could look it up - when OUT OF THE BLUE, there it was! In a fancy format. ON PINTEREST:
I love that.
So much.
And I was thinking...
I'd love to have/host/be apart of a group that meets regularly, like once a month, or every other month, and talks about IDEAS.
I first felt this nudge back at the start of the summer after I'd read a few pages of Half the Sky. I was anxious to talk to Karm about her thoughts, as she was reading it too. And by the time I finished it, I KNEW I needed to talk about it. I am getting (Holy) echoes weekly regarding the oppression and poverty of women in the world. Random books, movies, conversations, Bible verses, facebook events... I tell ya - I'm being bombarded here.
So. Let me know if you want to read this:
... and I'll get you a copy.
Then let's talk.
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Three things I'm thankful for:
1. A great Saturday evening with Max and Drew.
2. A lazy Sunday evening with Clint.
3. A long, conversation filled dinner with my dad and mom on Monday.
4. Sunshine all weekend.
5. That I live in a country where I can get meds during the very same hour that I need them.
6. Books. Ideas. Inspiration.
7. Creativity.
8. Brilliant colors.
9. Facebook chats with stranded relatives in different time zones in foreign countries.
10. Iodized salt. (Seriously. Go read that book.) DO YOU KNOW HOW LUCKY WE ARE?
Shalom,
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