Thursday Fridays

I work strange hours, my call is does not have any typical hours, my days are anything but ordinary. For the most part I wouldn't trade it for the world. One quirk to being pastor is my Thursdays are like everyone else's Friday's sort of, I get Friday as my usual day off (of course pending youth events and other type church related stuff) and so I begin to get my Friday twitch every Thursday afternoon, it is almost time for a day off. A day where I can go to the gym at an odd hour, I can wear my sweat pants all day and not shower till the evening, I can wake up and read while snuggling my cute puppy on the couch, I can crochet till my hand/wrist hurts. I love the potential of a day off with nothing or minimal planned. I love knowing a clean house is around the corner.

I look forward to tomorrow. I rejoice that God hasn't called us to be work-a-holics and values me for who God created me to be rather than by how much I do or don't get done in any given day. I am thankful for a day dedicated to whatever I want, a day dedicated to rest, a day to be still. I am thankful for grace that claims me each and every day so I know I don't have to earn my own worth, rather I have been marked with the sign of the cross and sealed by the Holy Spirit.

Tomorrow night's highlight: a pintrest party at my place. I have invited over several people from church and requested that they all bring a "pintrest dish" to share with the group and I have come up with the "pintrest project" for everyone to create, now really I need to limit it to a couple projects because I feel like I have about 10,000 options of great projects. Super excited, I am sure I'll post pictures of it or at least take a billion, be sure to watch my instagram feed, that seems to be where lots of photos are going these days.

What do you enjoy doing on your days off?
Do you loathe or love cleaning?
Any day off rituals?
What's the best thing you have created/made off of pintrest?

Rest.

Matthew 11:28-30 "‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

 

Seriously these few verses seem to be carrying me as of lately. I feel like I am overdue for a vacation, a time of rest, some time for me, myself, and I and many a long chat with God. I am due for the chance to sleep in and read a book for fun. I am due for a chance to unplug and my cell phone. I am due for the chance to sit in conversation with God and not do all the talking. I am due for the chance to relax and let someone else cook. Today a friend and I leave for a cruise for several days. It couldn't come at a more opportune time! Seriously, I was feeling the end of my rope before I left, I could see the end hovering below me and I was just holding on. I am thankful for all those people who have supported me and uphold me day in and day out. I am thankful for a gracefilled God who knows we are not called to do life alone. I am thankful that God has called us to rest - to recharge to serve the world, Jesus even retreated to rest.

 

Why do I from time to time act as if I am better than Jesus himself and try to keep going all of the time, to meet the demands from all around me, to pretend to be someone who I am not? Why do I wait till I hit near the end of my rope? I am given vacation days for a reason. Here is to vowing to use them, here is vowing to not having extra days. Here is to taking a vacation day to stay home some days.

 

I love where I serve and the people I serve alongside. I too just need a break from time to time. I need to claim my own needs from time to time as well. Here is to coming back from vacation rejuvinated and ready to love and serve the world again. Here is to not trying to be more than Jesus, I can't be, I am not. Here is to reading some books, doing some crocheting, going for long runs, eating yummy food, enjoying good company, disconnecting from the world, and enjoying several days at sea.

 

Where do you like to go for vacation?

Where do you like to find rest?

How do you rejuvinate?

Training Plan

There is something utopic about planning for future races, there are the things I hope for (much fast times and personal records), the plan that seems totally do-able at the start (clearly not considering life, the weather, or any injury that will inevitably happen), and there is the excitement of upcoming races. I think I have most of my races planned out for the summer and into the fall. I need to fill in a few more races in September, November, and December, but I am excited to say that I am finally going to earn my coast to coast medal in 2013.  Ever since I heard of this medal I have wanted to earn it. I signed up for the Tinkerbell Half Marathon this coming January.

I just sat down and mapped out my training plan up through this race. I worked my schedule so that it easily fits the other races that I am registered for. It will take dedication to be committed to my training schedule, particularly since I have a couple mission trips this summer.

Note to self:

• you will miss some of the training runs and cross trainings that you have planned - it'll be okay
• keep dreaming big - keep challenging yourself - keep working hard
• update your ipod - stop being lazy - you know you are sick of the music on there
• this is a challenge between you and yourself - don't compare yourself to others - you are unique and you will have great victories and great challenges - embrace them - grow from them
• update your ipod - seriously - get it done

My friend Grace

 

Krumkake

      This afternoon I was baking krumkake for the youth bake sale at church tomorrow. I began to think a bit about my friend Grace, she no longer remembers me, her mind has been taken over by Alzheimer's Disease but today while making krumkake she was close to my mind and I gave thanks for Grace. As a young child I remember Grace bringing krumkake to every potluck, bake sale, and other event at the church. Grace's krumkake is famous amongst our small church as clearly being superior to all others.
      One day my mother asked Grace to teach her and I how to make the cookies. I remember her coming to our house and I was maybe a third grader and at that time I was close to being able to look Grace straight in the eyes, she is a petite lady. She brought with her all the supplies we would need including her krumkake iron, she had the kind that goes on the stove, it looked well loved and treasured, I could tell then that it had been used countless number of times (I now have an electric one - it hasn't quite made the thousands of batches that Grace's has). I remember her patience with me as I put far far too much dough on the iron and I all too often wanted to open the iron to check on the cookies. Grace had it down to a fine science, she put on just the right amount and knew exactly how long to let the cookies cook. I on the other hand have a variety of sizes due to my still inability to get it quite right and I still open the iron far too much due to my lack of patience. But I remember Grace patient with me and carefully showing me the art of krumkake an old Norwegian favorite. And today I give thanks for Grace and her willingness to pass on an old traditional cookie to another generation and for teaching me about patience and love.