This week was a doosey. Several meetings, ministry times and of course getting lots of work done.
There are many many things I could say about the changes in my life that made today so significantly better. I'll mention structure a bit and stressing out when I don't have structure on the weekends. But its more than that. God has been showing me that if I seek Him for help He will help me. I had tried different ways to find some R&R on the weekends and I was doing a miserable job at it. Sounds funny - most people don't have to try so hard to enjoy a weekend. But, if you know me well you know how pragmatic and certain I am about things. Letting go completely doesn't work because then I worry about what needs to get done. And trying to do it all so I can rest afterward doesn't either; the little tasks in life are never done.
I started off my day with a run. I rediscovered, again, how much I enjoy and actually need to exercise. I think today was the first Saturday that I didn't stress about plans, errands and chores or what to do and who to try to meet up with. My weekdays are so full and then I get to my weekend and freak out a bit at the complete lack of structure. But this morning's 35 minute run around the gravel roads up in the junkyard was just what my body needed to stave off stress and
cruise along a Saturday stress-free.
Later I took the batches of dried Moringa leaves (remember that miraculously-nutritious tree from northern India I keep talking about?) and I threw them in the blender to make a nice powdered supplement for my smoothies. I also photo-documented each of the steps, which are really simple, to put in our blog for the department of Science and Technology. Through my processes this morning I also narrowed down a rough measurement for how much dry moringa it takes to make a daily dose - about 1 cup firmly packed leaves makes a little over 2 tablespoons which is actually 2-3 doses.
Then I got together with a good girlfriend of mine that I met during our DTS together last year - we did the same photography discipleship program together. We went swimming and tanned a bit and swam some more and tanned some more. Usually I'm not in the mood for more sunshine but I've been getting quite the farmers tan these past couple weeks as I have been slacking on the sunscreen. It felt so good to just lay in the sun and relax and share some small talk and real talk.
Getting in the kitchen also makes me feel good, like running. I made some bean dip with my dad's garlic and some homemade tortilla chips and caught up with another girlfriend from DTS, Talea. She contributed the oft coveted mango + peach salsa from Costco and that made things just...peachy!! It was soo good to recap our week and vent and process and such. We had lived together off and on this year and now that she is staffing a DTS program herself our schedules are so different we just don't get to see each other all the time.
This day was quite busy indeed! But the weeks are so busy with work related things that catching up and chilling out is divine!
Tonight I had plans to go out to a micro-brewery with some girlfriends and I hadn't quite got my Saturday nap in yet. So during dinner time I napped for almost an hour - this reminded me SO much of living in Argentina in 2010 where my host 'mom' encouraged me daily to take naps, especially if I was going out with friends later. Good thing I did because it became quite an adventure!
My friend Nayanne and I were waiting for our friend Teresa to meet us on campus and as kept getting later we re-checked her last text message - we realized she wanted us to meet her there! WHOOPS! So we were about 45 minutes late as it was so we decided we would bike there. This was blissful! I haven't ridden a bike across town since my days at Davis and it was bringing so much joy to me! And then, the chain on Nay's bike came off. oops. So we were figuring it out while trying not to mess up fresh nail polish or get our skirts caught in the spokes. Goodness. Anyway we got to the brewery and restaurant just fine and had a good time talking about normal things like theology and idolatry, destiny, and even a bit about the central coast of California!
God spoke something so simple to me at the beginning of this quarter: that this season would be full of spiritual growth and practical growthl. That sounds generic, doesn't it? Hah! But it was specific indeed: He said His grace would be enabling those things that I had been trying to manage on my own to fall into place. So far - He has already done so much! From showing me how to let go of controlling and micro-managing my days to stumbling across the simple idea that I need to go for a run to get some energy out, to providing and arranging materials, plans and help for projects in the ATV. Things are really cooking around here and its going over so peacefully. My stress and anxiety are down and my health is stable; I feel so content with what I am doing and why I am here. This is a beautiful milestone and I shall build a remembrance here!
In 2 Corinthians 12:9 God says "My Grace is sufficient for you." Not only is it sufficient for times of pain or enduring trials, but I am learning that my Father's grace is sufficient for all situations where I need grace. When people around you, even friends or people you expect to use grace generously don't - you've got to hold onto the promise of God that His grace is there for the taking. It means that His grace is there to cover the lack of other's. And thats central to the story of salvation: God sent Jesus to be everything we cannot be and what others can't be to us and for us.
Thats just a bit of daily life + a quick summary of recent growth in love with my heavenly Father.
Blessings to you!
There are many many things I could say about the changes in my life that made today so significantly better. I'll mention structure a bit and stressing out when I don't have structure on the weekends. But its more than that. God has been showing me that if I seek Him for help He will help me. I had tried different ways to find some R&R on the weekends and I was doing a miserable job at it. Sounds funny - most people don't have to try so hard to enjoy a weekend. But, if you know me well you know how pragmatic and certain I am about things. Letting go completely doesn't work because then I worry about what needs to get done. And trying to do it all so I can rest afterward doesn't either; the little tasks in life are never done.
I started off my day with a run. I rediscovered, again, how much I enjoy and actually need to exercise. I think today was the first Saturday that I didn't stress about plans, errands and chores or what to do and who to try to meet up with. My weekdays are so full and then I get to my weekend and freak out a bit at the complete lack of structure. But this morning's 35 minute run around the gravel roads up in the junkyard was just what my body needed to stave off stress and
cruise along a Saturday stress-free.
Later I took the batches of dried Moringa leaves (remember that miraculously-nutritious tree from northern India I keep talking about?) and I threw them in the blender to make a nice powdered supplement for my smoothies. I also photo-documented each of the steps, which are really simple, to put in our blog for the department of Science and Technology. Through my processes this morning I also narrowed down a rough measurement for how much dry moringa it takes to make a daily dose - about 1 cup firmly packed leaves makes a little over 2 tablespoons which is actually 2-3 doses.
Then I got together with a good girlfriend of mine that I met during our DTS together last year - we did the same photography discipleship program together. We went swimming and tanned a bit and swam some more and tanned some more. Usually I'm not in the mood for more sunshine but I've been getting quite the farmers tan these past couple weeks as I have been slacking on the sunscreen. It felt so good to just lay in the sun and relax and share some small talk and real talk.
Getting in the kitchen also makes me feel good, like running. I made some bean dip with my dad's garlic and some homemade tortilla chips and caught up with another girlfriend from DTS, Talea. She contributed the oft coveted mango + peach salsa from Costco and that made things just...peachy!! It was soo good to recap our week and vent and process and such. We had lived together off and on this year and now that she is staffing a DTS program herself our schedules are so different we just don't get to see each other all the time.
This day was quite busy indeed! But the weeks are so busy with work related things that catching up and chilling out is divine!
Tonight I had plans to go out to a micro-brewery with some girlfriends and I hadn't quite got my Saturday nap in yet. So during dinner time I napped for almost an hour - this reminded me SO much of living in Argentina in 2010 where my host 'mom' encouraged me daily to take naps, especially if I was going out with friends later. Good thing I did because it became quite an adventure!
My friend Nayanne and I were waiting for our friend Teresa to meet us on campus and as kept getting later we re-checked her last text message - we realized she wanted us to meet her there! WHOOPS! So we were about 45 minutes late as it was so we decided we would bike there. This was blissful! I haven't ridden a bike across town since my days at Davis and it was bringing so much joy to me! And then, the chain on Nay's bike came off. oops. So we were figuring it out while trying not to mess up fresh nail polish or get our skirts caught in the spokes. Goodness. Anyway we got to the brewery and restaurant just fine and had a good time talking about normal things like theology and idolatry, destiny, and even a bit about the central coast of California!
God spoke something so simple to me at the beginning of this quarter: that this season would be full of spiritual growth and practical growthl. That sounds generic, doesn't it? Hah! But it was specific indeed: He said His grace would be enabling those things that I had been trying to manage on my own to fall into place. So far - He has already done so much! From showing me how to let go of controlling and micro-managing my days to stumbling across the simple idea that I need to go for a run to get some energy out, to providing and arranging materials, plans and help for projects in the ATV. Things are really cooking around here and its going over so peacefully. My stress and anxiety are down and my health is stable; I feel so content with what I am doing and why I am here. This is a beautiful milestone and I shall build a remembrance here!
In 2 Corinthians 12:9 God says "My Grace is sufficient for you." Not only is it sufficient for times of pain or enduring trials, but I am learning that my Father's grace is sufficient for all situations where I need grace. When people around you, even friends or people you expect to use grace generously don't - you've got to hold onto the promise of God that His grace is there for the taking. It means that His grace is there to cover the lack of other's. And thats central to the story of salvation: God sent Jesus to be everything we cannot be and what others can't be to us and for us.
Thats just a bit of daily life + a quick summary of recent growth in love with my heavenly Father.
Blessings to you!
No comments:
Post a Comment