Monday, September 20, 2010

A Simple Woman's Daybook 9.20.10

Inspired by A Simple Woman's Daybook ...


Outside my window...the darkness hides the untended weeds, brings the crickets out to sing, and sets the moon on display just above the distant trees.

I'm thinking of nixing all the sequential art history lessons I'd planned, the ones featuring art from 1848 to 1948. They involve a lot of set-up, explanation, and clean-up. Instead, how about I give the homeschooled kids a pile of yarn, Dixie cups, buttons, and duct tape every week and see if they can come up with 30 new things by May.

I am thankful for my pastor who told us to think of the most annoying person we know and look for ways to celebrate grace in his or her life. He said that the way to keep it from becoming cliche or formulaic is to believe it. Believe it. You don't have to make it up. It's there. Pray for them. Ask God to show it to you. The other thing the pastor was quick to point out is that you could well be the annoying person someone else is thinking of right now. I probably am. If so, shoot me an email celebrating God's grace in my life. Go ahead. It's there!

From the kitchen comes a strange combo scent of mahi-mahi on skewers, and egg rolls.

I'm wearing an avocado top, ankle-length black skirt, a big peridot ring that Barb gave me for my birthday, and a soft gold bracelet I found in the jewelry box I just organized.

I am creating a new plan for Thursday, having decided not to introduce that painter and painting I was originally going to discuss. The more I thought about the possibility that one of the students (or someone in their family) might curiously google other works of his, the more certain I became that it just wasn't right. It wasn't worth the risk for the sake of art history. Besides, my sample was pretty lame. So, back to the "drawing board" for this teacher. I believe we'll start with Claude Monet instead.
I am going to post pictures of our newly redecorated upstairs bathroom as soon as Sarah finds a few more necessities (towel bars and shower curtain she wants). I found the curtain I want, but it's $35 and that's too much.

I am reading... a bit of Genesis every day with Joel, some art history books and geography books, but those are school-oriented. I want something light and funny, and I want something else to make me cry hard and wake me up from this coma of comfortable Americana.

I am hoping...to try some fabulous new recipes now that fall is here and I'm in the mood for knock-'em-dead cooking. And by that I mean outrageously delectable, not surprisingly fatal.

I am hearing with more difficulty lately. Don't know if I'm losing my sense of hearing, or if more people are mumbling.

Around the house I am having more trouble keeping things tidy than I was in the summer. Putting two more adults into the mix means more dishes, books, clothes, towels, food, and other stuff. I love the people, but not the added stuff.

One of my favorite things is painting long nails red.

A few plans for the rest of week include more homeschooling, more physical therapy for Joel, teaching a lesson on Realism, going on a field trip in the Inner Harbor, and doing a 5K Run / 1 mile walk (ummm....I personally am doing the latter) to help fund a van for Lance, the son of a friend of mine . Lance has a driver's license but needs a specially-equipped vehicle . He has Muscular Dystrophy. When he was a teen, he went in for a spinal fusion and came out paralyzed from the waist down. If you're reading this and would like to donate toward this worthy cause, let me know. The walk is Saturday! I am trying to raise $400 on my own. Please help if you can.

A picture thought I am sharing... my oldest and youngest having an uproarious fun time. Joel was pretending he was bullriding, just a' slapping away at Ben's butt. Ben, who had just finished playing a round of rummy, couldn't "keep it together". He was laughing so hard, and so was I, which made me jiggle the camera, but the effect turned out pretty cool. The media center looks like it's on fire, doesn't it?

3 comments:

Rachelle said...

your picture reminded me of when my dad and brother would wrestle all over the living room! Clyde doesn't do that-he was born to 40-something parents and his sisters were much older, so he never learned to rough-house. haha!
I am going to message you about the run.
Are you still thinking about reading Radical? Another good book I've heard about is Crazy Love by Francis Chan-haven't read it but I hear it's along similar lines. Of course, these are the "crying books".

Zoanna said...

Rachelle, I am still thinking about Radical. From your posts, it sounds excellent. I think I'll wait till I can't NOT stand to read it. I can tell from your chapter review posts that it would stir me up and maybe tempt me to self-righteousness? I tend to get all worked up adn then want everyone around me "on the same page" and passtionate for God and when they're not....errrr! Or the opposite happens, I feel discouraged about this lukewarmness in myself.

At any rate, thanks as always, for being willing to put your faith and works together (in this case helping Lance). I appreciate it.

And I'll check out the other titles. Right now I'm getting ready to start a difficult read.

Laurie said...

Zoanna! I love these Daybook glimpses! Real life calls for deeper real trust!!
Blessings as you trust and cling to the Author and Creator of life!!