July 7, 2021
Today was a good day, in the end. Swimming early in the morning helped. Getting out helps. I am reading the Jan Karon Mitford novel series again. A bit of L'Engle's book as well. I am slowly feeling awake again, able to think about my writing project and feel excited about it again. I did a bit of research and filing of research and reading and note taking. I have a few notebooks that if I lost, I would be lost (in terms of my writing project).
Meanwhile, some of my friends are really struggling. It's always hard to hear difficult news.
But today was a blessing. And it was my summer name's day, as it is the Nativity of St John the Baptist and his Mother St Elizabeth and his Father St Zachariah are also remembered :) We had Thai fish curry and rice, fresh fruit, tea and kombucha.
July 8, 2021
Today I have spent much of it researching the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. I hope to go next week.
We are having impressive storms at present! Thunder, driving rain, lightening, some hail. So far so good in terms of power and the like. Hard to believe we went swimming this morning with blue sky and sunshine!
We had some flooding in our area but it went down quickly. We even had some hail for a bit!
July 9, 2021
So, I finished re-reading A Live Coal in the Sea and am still thinking on it. It's funny how a book can be so different depending on when you read it and what you are looking for. It's hard to know how to recommend books sometimes. This one has some really difficult scenes in it and painful trauma. Knowing the book as I did, I knew what was coming and sometimes to be honest it was really hard to keep reading, knowing I would be reading the account of a family's pain. Yet it is a rich book. It has so much in it and I really see L'Engle not only trying to come to terms with questions (probably both from her own life and also in the lives of her characters, who were very real to her) but trying to see how what she believes (in theology and in science, which to her is part of theology) plays out in terms of family drama, pain and trying to come to terms with things.
I also found out that a newer friend of mine, a really special new friendship, may be leaving. To be honest this is super difficult for me. I am coping by continuing to work on my writing project and making plans to do more research, including at the MET. My life, in structure, is going to change (as far as we know) in September as my Husband is planning on being in the office in NYC come this September (unless things pandemic wise worsen). We've been living home 24x7 with each other since March 10. 2020. So by September that will be nearly a year and a half. He will still have some days at home, but it will be a real change, adjustment for both of us.
I have friends visiting this Sunday. We have family visiting for a good while later this summer. These things are keeping me going.
Something I remember at times is what one of my fears is simply the unknown. When I don't know what is happening in the future. It's silly, in the sense of all of our future is, really, quite unknown. But when one has worked job contracts and does not know what job she will have in a few months, it's quite another thing. Now that struggle in my life is over (amazingly) but the question of what I will be doing this fall is quite another one. What will happen with the pandemic? Will I have anyone for holidays? When will be ever travel by air again? Will things shut down again come fall or winter? Lots of unknowns to merely accept as unknown and deal with what I do know.
I know the following: 1. God will be there in the future and the only time I can connect with God is now in the present. 2. I will have what I need for the times I will face and am in now.
And so, the lesson of 'take no thought of tomorrow and trust God today' is one that I am still working on and working out in my life...
July 10, 2021
Most likely my newer friend is leaving. It's for the best for her and her family and I am excited for her. I am reading the Cross of Loneliness and it is so good.
Another piece of good news is that a cafe I have been waiting for finally opened. We tried a green vegan smoothie today, it was decent. I look forward to trying more things...
I have set the table with our English dishes that have a Dutch scene :) for tomorrow for friends who hope to come over for Sunday lunch after liturgy. It will be wonderful to see them again.
I still need to prepare the fish. I should do that now. Will be back DV to write more later!
I am back. Now it is after 11 PM on Saturday. The fish is prepared and in fridge. Everything is as ready as it can be. The House is pretty tidy. I am really happy for everything being ready and for the scones, which we will have with fruit and fruit salad...
And so I wish you all well and with God's blessings, mercy and protection! God keep you!
I hope your friends were able to come for Sunday lunch and that all went well.
ReplyDeleteHave a good week.