Remember Me?

It has been so long since I posted any random thoughts of any sort that you have probably imagined that I had disappeared.

Nope. Here I am.

I have been busy with odd things. After several months of procrastinating about it, I read four books on the Psalms and then wrote a reasonably intelligent paper on them. I had 12 months to do this class, and I turned the paper in 36 hours before the deadline. As one of my friends always says, "The lazy man works harder."

As if the Psalms weren't enough to swallow me whole, we are now in the midst of an unplanned mini-remodel, inspired by the accidental flooding of the downstairs. (complements of an unattended hose left by the back door.)

Feeling a bit overwhelmed by this series of events, I have found less time than usual to write - or even to think. I have also found less time to knit, to scrapbook, and to go for long walks. Today I noticed that the leaves on our tiny new Japanese Maple had turned red. When had this happened? The tree is in a pot in the front yard, and I pass it daily. How did I get so preoccupied with the mundane things that I did not notice something as amazing as the turning of the leaves?

Daughter Two looked forward to Halloween for weeks. She planned her costume. She was a princess, which, for her is more of a lifestyle than a costume. She selected and decorated her trick-or-treat bag so that it was fit for a princess and - more importantly - big enough to hold the loot. She practiced saying, "Trick or Treat, please."

On the big day, she spent a wonderful hour at the church Harvest Party. She played the games, collected candy, giggled with friends, and even won a cake on the Cake Walk. After the party, she was set to go trick-or-treating for an hour with Daughter One and a teenage family friend. This was the highlight, the activity about which she had been talking for weeks.

She was back in ten minutes.

Her explanation: "I have enough candy."

I thought about that for quite awhile. "I have enough." Do I sometimes forget to notice when I "have enough?" An obvious example is food; I've lost 39 pounds thus far and recognizing when I've had enough is part of that victory. But it is more than that.

There will always be unfinished projects. There are always more things that "should" be done. So, I am learning to say, "That's enough." That's enough work for today, it's time to play. If I never take Daughter Two to the Aquarium while there is laundry to do, then we will never get to the Aquarium. If I never take Daughter One out for tea when the house is untidy, we will never go out for tea. If I never take a walk with my husband when there are unfinished to-do lists posted on the refrigerator, we will never go for a walk.

Between dealing with the mess from the flood, helping Daughter One deal with school, taking enough classes to keep my teaching certificate, juggling the household, and gearing up for the holidays, my life can so easily become an unending series of to-do lists. Indeed, just a few minutes ago I created a list of at least 25 items - large and small - that I hope to tackle tomorrow.

This is rambling a bit, so here's my point: Maybe instead of being so disciplined to get everything finished, I need to be disciplined to be able to say, "That's enough for now," and to turn my back on the work and my face toward the sheer joy of living. relaxing. playing. whatever.

After all, I am not valuable because of what I do, I am valuable because God IS.

Play hard this week.