Hallow is just so cool. Now, I’m doing this 40-day prayer challenge – actually, it’s really hard that each day has a different length and I don’t know that length until I go to play the recording; some are five to eight minutes, others 22+ – and it’s already cool. But now a priest I know personally has popped up on the challenge for the German one. (Recall that I’m doing a German one and an English one, on top of the rosary and daily readings that I already do daily in English.) Such a fun surprise!
Thank you, God, for Hallow, for the wonderful people I have been able to know, and for this lovely day and my wonderful husband. Thank you. Keep us happy, healthy, holy, please. And keep us always safe and in your arms, please. In your name, I pray. Amen.
We decided to go to Galveston for the rest of the weekend, because Airbnb had some affordable places that normally cost loads more (likely because they weren’t rented already for the weekend, and today was Saturday already). Also, we wanted to take advantage of the extra time off work for me, and go spend some time together intentionally.
So, we came to Galveston. Just after we placed our meal orders for dinner, enjoying our appetizer of queso flameado, as well as the house frozen margarita that had just been placed on our table, the power went out.
It turned out that the whole portion of the island had lost power, and it didn’t seem like it was coming back too quickly. So, after about ten minutes, we had finished our queso and some final chips with salsa (not to mention that it was getting cold in there), and the rest of our food couldn’t be made until the power came back, since the oven wasn’t working. We decided to take our drinks to go, finished dinner at a gumbo place in another neighborhood, and headed home. Fortunately, as we had confirmed with the original outage look-up, the Airbnb was not part of the outage.
Funny bit, though, was that we sat at the bar for the gumbo place, and Wheel of Fortune was on. One of the puzzles was “Brief Power Outage”. We chucked at that one.
Anyway, we’re exhausted, so going to sleep just after nine right now. Goodnight!
Thank you, God, for our safety. Keep us safe and well and in your hands. In your name, I pray. Amen.
Have you heard of Walter Ciszek, SJ? He is a priest worth studying. I’ve only learned a bit so far, but have already put his book on hold with the library – I want to read it.
If you haven’t heard of the new app called Hallow, check it out and sign up for the 40-day Lenten prayer challenge called “Lent Pray40: He Leadeth Me”. That’s where I’m learning about Walter Ciszek, and am also having a great chance to try some new forms of prayer from what I typically do.
Head of athletics asked me yesterday if I could help with the track meet after school today, 4-8pm. My man had his own meeting then, anyway, so timing worked and I agreed to help. Today, it made for a long day for me, but I was clearly a big help in what I specifically did, and I really enjoyed myself at the meet. Next time, I might opt for a different job, but this one was a fun mix of chill and on-ness, and I even got to hang with some students of mine for a while, just watching the events and getting all the details of each runner from them while I waited.
I hung with other coaches and teachers for a bit afterward before heading home, and that, too, was a delight. All in all, it was a great day, and I am now exhausted.
Thank you, God, for the extra day off school tomorrow. Even though I don’t get paid, the rest will do me good and give me a good start to be able to put away clothes this weekend. Help me to make our house the home we long for it to be. Thank you for this life and this opportunity. In your name, I pray. Amen.
Yesterday was Mardi Gras, also known in other states who know no French as Fat Tuesday. It is the day before Lent begins, the period of 40 days of meditation and fasting before the celebration of the coming of Christ, Easter. All the sugar and fat stores are meant to be used up on Mardi Gras, thus the name. This includes the idea that we will not be eating sugary or fatty things during Lent, even if they don’t come from one’s own making. The first day of Lent, as well as each Friday during it, is a day that specifically includes fasting and having no meat. That day is called Ash Wednesday. It is called so for that ashes are distributed to all, via a cross on the forehead, to remind us that we have come from dust and shall, one day, return to dust – we are the creations of God and will return to him after this life for eternal life. Ash Wednesday…
Ash Wednesday was today.
Today was also the feast of Saint Valentine, also known commercially as Valentine’s Day. It is a day filled with treats and commercialism and indulgence and, even, waste. It does not line up with the morals of Ash Wednesday… which was also today.
So, today was a bizarre Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday combination – one I haven’t known to happen previously in my life. Definitely interesting to have the solemn day land on and, therefore, trump the celebratory day.
But also interesting that, as someone noted today, “Lent” is right in the middle of “Valentine”, you could say at the heart of it… 😛
Interesting thought to have us reconsider how we want to do Valentine’s Day in the future, too.
Thank you, God, for your love and your creativity and your forgiveness and generosity. We love you. Keep us well, that we pursue and fulfill your will for us in our lives. In your name, I pray. Amen.
Bizarre stresses, but good. Job stuff isn’t sorted yet, but improving for both of us. But, fortunately, we don’t have a horrible green splotch in our hallways or this terrible white section of paint in the hall bathroom anymore, and it feels Really good having them both gone.
“Haha. It’s amazing how little things like that make such a big difference”
…….
And, boy, is she right…
A friend of mine offered to help with whatever when she came to town for my wedding. I didn’t have any wedding stuff that needed help, but a last-minute panic of my man’s had us wanting to paint these two spots that have been the same for actual years. But, since his family was coming over, he suddenly cared about them… them being these two areas of painting that needed to be covered and that drove me nuts every single day… My friend has spent much of her career working in technical theatre, building and designing and painting sets. She also taught shop classes and such. I knew she could handle it and wouldn’t at all be upset at the idea. I asked, and, sure enough, she not only agreed immediately, but agreed with excitement. Just up her alley, she’d said.
So, they got fixed.
And it’s been amazing not staring at the green strip next to the updated A/C panel in the hallway or that horrible white section where the piping had been redone in the bathroom, and it was only ever painted with white, instead of the grey of the bathroom walls.
The friends who don’t do well with long-distance friendships, I’m always glad to see them when they come to town and remember me. Tonight was a night for that, and I’m so grateful it all worked out. I’m also very excited for the job my friend got while we were together – super cool job, and one that will have her back in Texas much more often than the past several years. So, not only proud of her for the job, but excited at the prospect of getting to see her more than once every couple years.
Thank you, God, for a great time this evening (and also tonight spending time with my husband). Keep us all safe, and grant us success in our work, always working to pursue and fulfill your will. Thank you for this life. In your name, I pray. Amen.
Today was the finals for the youth clay shoot that the rodeo hosts. My mom came and joined me to watch the kids shoot, and, by golly, these kids are impressive. Sure, some have tempers and others have varied emotional reactions to missing a clay they feel they should have been able to hit. But the amount of training that has to go into any level of natural talent for them to do what we saw them do today… that is dedication. Guns always make me nervous. Not a single moment today did I feel nervous being around the hundreds of shot guns these kids were handling and carrying around. They are capable and reliable regarding all things shooting, including safety.
And it’s all just really, really cool to see.
I am grateful to be a part of it, as well as a witness to it all. Thank you, God. Keep us all safe, please. In your name, I pray. Amen.
I imagine, every day is a good day for sex, given the relationship is founded for such an act. But, after resting Friday night, Saturday is a great day to be super active and to exert much effort doing things one loves, right? Right. In married life, things can get away from folks, schedules can get busy, things can be pushed aside. So, keep it simple and easy to remember. Fridays are for rest and Saturdays are for sex. Saturday’s just about always a good day for married couples to have sex, so let’s go ahead and let them rely upon it, keep it in the books, put it on the weekly schedule. 😛
I know. I’m ridiculous. Thank you for noticing. 😛
God, help us to be well and to be in your image. Help us to lead the lives you long for us to lead. Help us to confess our sins often, that we be made whole more and more frequently in life, drawing ever closer to you and to the people you call us to be, our best selves. Thank you for this life and this opportunity. Help us always to honor you. Help me, also, always to honor and respect and also to serve my husband, helping him to be his best self, who you can him to be. And thank you, especially, for him in my life. Thank you, thank you, thank you. In your name, I pray. Amen.
Fridays are for sleeping. I used to think that Fridays were for celebrating, partying. But that is not so. By Friday, we are so worn down that we just need to have a rest. Saturdays, we can celebrate, filled with energy and with joy. But Fridays are for sleeping.
hannah ananas 