I wanted to start participating in a wonderful blog series called "The Simple Woman's Day Book" as a way to publicly journal more and take part with the other wonderful women who I see participate. So here I am :) Today is November 1st but I actually started writing it yesterday so we will consider this October's post ;)
Looking out my window...
The trees' leaves are golden and their trunks darkened, all of which sing against a soft blue sky. A mist clings all around. It's the perfect crisp day for trick or treat.
I'm thinking...
of what it means to truly love. Sacrificially and without holding offense.
I'm thankful for...
having just completed the book For the Children's Sake. I've been ultra challenged by motherhood lately and I have loved diving into Charlotte Mason's ideas on children- of how to value their personhood, put them in natural contact with their Creator and cultivating a love for learning and shared life. (I thank my friend Amy for introducing me to this book).
One of my favorite things...
when Judah calls me "Pretty momma!"
I'm wearing...
Jeans and a v-neck. My trusty go to ;)
I'm creating...
-More space and time to be present with my boys
-Finishing up a Skillshare class entitled The Insecure Artist
-a digital painting for a friend as a Christmas present
-fun outside lighting! Ryan and I are all about twinkle lights so we strung them up outside. Also, I have always loved the candle lights that people place in their windows but we do not have windows that we are able to do that with, so Ryan bought and installed these wonderful flickering candle lights in our lamp post hanging by our door. It warms my heart so much each time I come home after dark or let the dog in and out.
I'm watching...
Ghibli movies with Judah and Frasier with Ryan
I'm reading...
I had heard from my friend and her mother about the sweetness of Tasha Tudor and saw that there was a pumpkin book and so I ordered it this past week. Judah and I had a lot of fun snuggling up to this one. I love seasonally appropriate reading :D
Last night I started a book entitled, An Everlasting Meal to spark more creativity, enthusiasm, and economy in the kitchen. We have fallen slightly from our healthy eating and I'm facing the question with how I transition into cold weather meals that meet our needs/restrictions.
I hope to get back into reading The Iliad soon. I started it back in August and have feasted on every line, but I have to be in a special mood/head space to open it.
I'm listening...
We may have started listening to Christmas music :) I now hear Judah singing Jingle Bells to himself quite often.
I'm hoping...
that taking a social media break will give me a sense of clarity and joy in the beauty around me and help to get me back to reading more regularly again.
In the garden...
a pumpkin display has replaced the flowers. But next year's garden has taken root in my mind. I've never been much of a gardener. I meant to align the house with wildflowers and have a small vegetable garden, but I didn't finish radiation treatments (they were every week day for almost a month!) until May and I just didn't have enough time to plan and prep for what I wanted to do this year. Currently I'm dreaming about Judah and I spending summer mornings out in the garden, so I plan on researching and prepping this winter.
I'm learning...
that I am finite and therefore have to choose what I do wisely, while laying myself completely open to God. I often get caught up in things that, while good, pull me away from the wonder, awe, and complete obedience to Jesus. I have to continually take up the charge of humility.
In the kitchen...
I'm feeling stuck. Trying to come up with a better cold weather menu.
A moment from my day...
The other day was an idyllic rainy fall day. Judah loves his um-ba-na-na (umbrella) so we walked to the park, stopping for every puddle along the way. We were the only ones there and it was the perfect morning if you ask me :D
Shared quote:
"But I am in no hurry. If it is to be, God will see to it. Small beginnings with slow growing have time to root themselves thoroughly. God's beginnings are always imperceptible, whether in the region of soul or of matter. How the devil would have laughed at the idea of a society or an organization for saving the world. But when he saw one man take it in hand, one who was in no haste even to do that, one who would only do the will of God with all his heart and soul, and cared for nothing else, then, indeed, he might tremble for his kingdom!
It is the individual Christians forming the church by their obedient individuality that have done all the good since men for the love of Christ began to gather together. No organization, not even a religious organization, can ever accomplish anything. It is individual love alone that can combine into a larger flame. There is no true power but that which has individual roots. Neither custom nor habit nor law nor foundation is a root. The real roots are individual conscience that hates evil, individual faith that loves and obeys God, and the individual heart with its kiss of charity." -George MacDonald
An illustration I made of Judah, in which he was yelling to a squirrel: "Come down here! DON'T hide from me, bunny!"