Daily 5 - Year 3, Day 349

Today's Daily 5:

1. wrapping up my clinical notes for the semester
2. iced green mango diablo tea
3. shopping and dinner with my long time friend and birthday buddy J
4. finally solving my summer long shopping for either shorts or capris dilemma (thank you Urban Trade!)
5. ice cream date with dad

Daily 5 - Year 3, Days 347 & 348

Yesterday's Daily 5:

1. sleeping in
2. brunch (french toast stuffed with canadian back bacon and gouda, and drizzled with a rosemary infused maple syrup)
3. shopping and hanging out with a long time friend
4. finally bought a pair of TOMS
5. a skype date with my best friend
6. trading excited emails, messages and facebook posts about my upcoming Florida trip
7. a smooth work shift
8. late night Wendy's to quench hunger after my shift
9. borrowing a vehicle to drive home
10. the last day of class for the semester

Today's Daily 5:

1. sleeping late
2. sunshine
3. Olympic watching (gold, silver and bronze for Canada today!)
4. errands with my dad
5. ice water
6. my email inbox sitting at zero
7. curling up in a comfy chair
8. slowly tackling the last paper of the semester
9. comfy shoes
10. a Saturday night off from work

Friday Reflections, August 3, 2012

Today's reflection is once again from Henri Nouwen...


Bridging the Gap Between People

To become neighbours is to bridge the gap between people.  As long as there is distance between us and we cannot look in each other's eyes, all sorts of false ideas and images arise.  We give them names, make jokes about them, cover them with our prejudices, and avoid direct contact.  We think of them as enemies.  We forget that they love as we love, care for their children as we care for ours, become sick and die as we do.  We forget that they are our brothers and sisters and treat them as objects that can be destroyed at will.

Only when we have the courage to cross the street and look in one another's eyes can we see there that we are children of the same God and members of the same human family.

Daily 5 - Year 3, Day 346

Today's Daily 5:

1. bus commute audiobook listening
2. a quiet afternoon
3. a hot bath
4. some insights to ponder
5. hanging out and helping a friend move for house church tonight

Anticipating Still (One Word 365 Update)

Anticipating.

I know, I know - I write about anticipation every Tuesday.

But here's the thing - it's the theme of my week this week as I begin to taste the forthcoming promise of a month or so of rest.

My one word for 2012 was Still, and to be honest, sometimes I wonder where it is that that word emerged from - what God was thinking when that word was whispered into my heart.

I kicked off 2012 by beginning nursing school, and my life has not exactly been defined by stillness.

On the other hand, I've learned to really value the little moments of stillness, to sink into them, to appreciate and rest in them.

I was thinking about that as I took the bus yesterday morning - about how I sink into those moments when I can steal them.

I look forward to my Wednesday morning bus commute.  It's the time in which I settle in to listen to Christianne's "A Cup of Sunday Quiet".  I start my day with a scripture reading, then plug in my headphones, close my eyes, and steal a few minutes of quiet with Jesus.

I look forward to the few evenings when nothing is scheduled and there isn't any pressing homework.  When I can enjoy a little bit of cleaning or reading or cooking, or simply crawl onto my bed and lose myself in a television show or movie.

And this week? This week I have the taste of forthcoming rest in my mouth.  I'm writing the last paper of the semester, wrapping up clinical notes, preparing in a lazy fashion for finals next week.  I'm organizing travel insurance for my trip to Florida, and staring at a calendar that is getting emptier by the day.

I'm so looking forward to a month or so where stillness is something that doesn't have to be stolen, but that can be the norm.