U2

I'm heading out today for a city three hours north, to catch U2 live in concert.

If you'll remember, I was supposed to see this concert a year ago, and it was unexpectedly postponed.

If you add in the time since when I bought the tickets, that means that I've been waiting more than a year and a half for this concert, which has been my dream concert for years.

I'm totally excited to be joining two good friends for the concert, roadtripping with one of them, and spending the next day or so enjoying great music and great company.

See you on the other side!

Daily 5 - Year 2, Day 288

Today's Daily 5:

1. A very slow day after a really lousy night of sleep
2. Sitting on the patio in the sun to do some homework
3. Pumpkin muffins
4. making plans with friends for the next couple of days
5. Nectarine for breakfast

I Need Your Suggestions

Recently I've been trying to spend the last hour before I go to bed without using my laptop, or watching television.  The idea is to not have screen time, and help me to wind down before going to bed.  Theoretically taking an hour to wind down at night is supposed to help me sleep better.  At least that's the goal.

Mostly, I've been using that hour for a bit of prayer, and for reading.

And reading is where you come in.

Given my particular sensitivities, and penchant for nightmares, I have to be pretty careful about what I read right before I go to bed.  I need some suggestions for happy, not super heavy, funny, enjoyable reading material to fill that hour each night.

Have you read anything lately that might fit the bill?  Do you have any favorites that might work?  Leave them in the comments for me.  It's only been a couple of weeks of doing this, and I'm already hitting the end of my stockpiled list of "light" reading!

Daily 5 - Year 2, Day 287

Today's Daily 5:

1. Starting off the day with three postcards in the mail from overseas, all now added to my wall of smiles
2. a successful trip to the library
3. a long hot shower
4. coming up with reasons to laugh after coming home to more ridiculous challenges in my living situation
5. a new mouse for my laptop - so nice to have a scroll wheel that works again
6. escapist television
7. the news that two good friends will be joining me at U2 on Wednesday
8. freshly washed sheets and pajamas
9. scented candles and an oil burner
10. Italian wedding soup

A Celtic Prayer

I've been using a little book of Celtic prayers each evening again lately, and last night I was particularly struck by the relevance and beauty of this cry for God's healing grace to descend on the world:

Like light dappling through the leaves of a tree
and wind stirring its branches,
like birdsong sounding from the heights of an orchard
and the scent of blossom after rainfall,
so you dapple and sound in the human soul,
so you stir into motion all that lives.
Let your graces of healing flow this night,
for my soul is wounded
and there is brokenness in my life.
Let you graces of healing flow, dear God,
for those whom I love are in need this night
and there are agonies in the life of the world.
There are agonies in the life of the world, O my soul,
and those whom I love are in pain.