A Wednesday Afternoon Daybook: 2/1/17

For Today

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window

It really looks like it's going to snow, but much to the boys' dismay and grumbling (and to my utter happiness and delight), I see no flakes in the immediate forecast. On Monday the view out my window looked like this, but only for about an hour or two.

I am thinking

About writing. About this blog. About books and articles and and essays. I think about writing all the time - when I'm doing laundry, when I'm cooking, when I'm driving, when I'm exercising, when I'm drying my hair. I am thinking exactly this all.the.time:

"You think words are powerful and beautiful and devastating when used correctly. You have a story, ideas, a lot to say. These things rattle around in your brain and if you don’t get them on paper, YOU JUST MIGHT DIE. You’ve always been a good communicator; you prayed for an essay test over those devil-sanctioned multiple-choice scantrons. You stare at your laptop like a frenemy. If you could just sit down with it for an extended time and write your words, or maybe if you could just set it on fire and be free of it, or both, you would finally be happy." - Jen Hatmaker 

I am thankful

For lots of choices for college for Joe and for the still, small voice that whispers for us to be thoughtful and patient in decision making and mostly this:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make you paths straight." Proverbs 3:5

One of my favorite things

A Mack and Me Selfie

I am creating

a few changes to my blog including setting up some affiliate links, a list of most popular posts and hopefully easier ways to comment on the blog as opposed to on Facebook which seems to be causing a lot of hurt feelings and high anxiety of late. :-/ Thank you for your patience in the next few weeks as it might look kind of wonky. If you are a regular reader, I'd so appreciate it if you would subscribe by email by signing up in the box on the top right of the blog titled "Follow by Email". You will likely have to take one more step by clicking on an email in your inbox to confirm your subscription. This will be helpful to me in understanding my readership. And again, big bonus: if Facebook is making you tired and cranky, you won't have to go there to find my posts. Posts will come directly to your inbox! YAY! 

I am wearing

Only three games left this season for Kyle's basketball team so I'm all geared up and ready for tonight's hoops! GO EAGLES!

I am reading

I finished reading (and marking up and highlighting and sighing and yelling "AMEN!" about) Falling Free: Rescued from the Life I Always Wanted by Shannan Martin. 

I am watching

Parks and Recreation. I know I am so late to this party, but I feel as if I have found the tv version of the love of my life. I adored every single character in the first episode and was laughing out loud all by myself. Then I suddenly felt deep, irrational anger and regret for having missed the boat on this show. It's like Friday Night Lights was my drama soulmate and Parks and Rec is my comedy soulmate and in a tragic turn of events, WE ALMOST MISSED EACH OTHER. Joe and I are planning to binge watch it together. These are the meaningful activities I feel will seal our mother/son bond before he goes off to do frivolous things like pursuing higher education.

I'm listening to

I'm not sure NeedtoBreathe has ever released a song that I have not played the fire out of. I love this song.

I am hoping

That Modern Mrs. Darcy's 2017 Book Challenge will help me meet all my reading goals this year which are basically to . . . um . . . remember that I actually know how to read things with pages and not only off of a screen. Want to join? Here's the list. Comment and let me know your list!

I am learning

to wait upon the Lord and to remember that my children belong to Him first, that He will make their paths straight and that He knows the plans He has for them. Only Him.

In my kitchen

This week's Blue Apron recipes included Mexican-Spiced Beef & Rice Casserole which did not intimidate me in the least. I made it right away because if a gal is from Texas and spent many a Sunday after church at Grandmom's house for lunch, well, then she sure as heck can make her way around anything with the word "casserole" in it. (And the women of the Wesley United Methodist Church in Longview, Texas said, "AMEN.")

Next up: Hoison Chicken Steam Buns with broccoli and marinated carrots (And the women of the Wesley United Methodist Church in Longview, Texas said, "HUH?")

Post Script

"When you are the mother of a child who struggles-- to learn, to share, to be still, to speak up, to fit in--you quickly learn that the world of Christian women (and men) look upon such kids with disapproval. And they look upon their parents with smug superiority. Before you have a child like this, you know exactly how to raise a child like this. When you live with a different child, it feels like all you know is how much you don't know." - Elizabeth Foss

Read more of these very important words here at Elizabeth's blog. I think her thoughts and the book by Sally and Nathan Clarkson that she features will be a blessing to many. 

Shared Quote(s)

"The only thing I have to offer, in all the land, is Christ. Often, the best way to share that gift is by offering more of flailing, falling down me."

"Falling into the will of God takes guts and grit we don't have. Of course we're nervous. We can't handle this alone."

- Shannan Martin

A moment from my day

Closing Notes

Just some food for thought from my very favorite restaurant in Austin, Texas.