From Lake Michigan

I am writing from Lake Michigan,

quickly, quietly, in early morning. 

My husband and I have been here since Monday night.

On Wednesday we took two walks on Lake Michigan's beach.

Did I ever tell you that my childhood included 

some visits to my Great Aunt P's cottage on Lake Michigan?

Some of my most happiest memories. 

If I have my happiest dreams while sleeping, I am there.

It's been busy as there are about 30 or so family members with us.

Two days ago I baked chocolate chip cookies with 5 of the nieces and nephews;

yesterday vegan chocolate brownie cookies with 2 nieces

and hopefully sour cream apple pie today,

though I just realized that I don't have a pie tin...

It's been an intense week in some ways;

this past Monday and Saturday we were determined to take care of 

boxes of stuff that has been sitting in my old bedroom at my parents house.

Things I just never moved, old letters, journals, books.

Well, sadly they were literally moldering at my parents house.

While my parents house is on very dry sand that drains well,

mold, thankfully only white mold, 

set in and I had to Bibles, books, journals, kids books, all with white mold,

all quickly removed and put to be disposed of.

I went through boxes of letters, not moldy, and got rid of most other than

letters from my Mom, Cousin A, my Sister, a few close friends.

I was amazed to realize the amount of correspondence I used to do

by snail mail.

I remember living for the mail box, I was a bit isolated a kid and teen,

not driving until I was 21,
though I was at camps full time working since I was 16...

So many memories; many people I am not really in contact with anymore;

it happens even to the best of us.

It takes a lot of work to keep up with people;

thank God for email.

Even then, life gets busy, it's hard to stay on top of things.

*

I think that is actually one of my themes now days,

constantly feeling behind schedule.

There are so many things I want to be doing, dream of doing;

hosting more things at our home;

baking bread, house keeping,

having our house finished in terms of unpacking and decorating,

knitting a new blanket, learning a new knitting pattern,

Christmas crafting, book reading, writing,

god-child visiting, baking, having a more 

disciplined life, a routine.

*

That's something I can't fully get into it seems,

a workable routine.

*

It's partly default situation of not having anywhere to go on set days.

It's partly being behind and settling into a new house.

I know it will take a year.

It really does, even just emotionally.

*

And then there is my efforts to learn to drive.

So that I can do more, go places, see friends...

*

Balance.

It's a tricky thing.

*

Meanwhile at home I am taking time every morning more or less

to sit in the chapel.

Mr. Husband and I recently got this set of hagiography and 

I am loving reading it in quietness.

 It's actually been my quiet reading on this trip too, along with my Psalter.

The words, the stories, they give rest...

*

I think that is what I am looking for most of all:

Learning to centre my life in Christ so that I can stay with Christ

and have that stillness that is at the centre of a the wheel of 

activity that my life comprises of.

*

For now I am going to try to get to the beach at sunrise....