Enjoying

My plan for tonight is to rest. Maybe chat online or by phone with some friends. Maybe take a long bath later.

I'm eating dinner at the moment. Yes, it's a weird combo, but I like it. I made a huge bowl of fruit salad with mango, apple, kiwi, strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. I also made a pot of couscous (of the plain variety at the moment).

I'm actually rather proud of my ability to cook couscous. I know it's maybe the simplest thing around to cook, but it feels gourmet. And it tastes good. And, since I'm not a fan of rice, it's a nice break from pasta or potatoes in the starch category.

So, I'm eating fruit salad, and couscous.

I'm burning lavender scented candles in my bedroom.

I'm planning to read a novel, or listen to a podcast I'm working on downloading - an interview with my friends Karla and Caleb about their band "Jacob and Lily". I bought a magazine when I was at the grocery store earlier. I may just curl up in my chair, and page through a magazine while I listen to the podcast.

This is my kind of night. Low key. Full of things I love. Restful.

AND

Tomorrow is casual day at the office, which always makes me happy!

Trust and Thankfulness

I’m thinking a lot about trust lately. About how I’m not very good at trusting. At trusting people. At trusting God.

I’m very good at believing. Even at hoping. But I stink at trusting. And I’ve been trying to get a little better at. To do it in spite of fears. To figure out the little ways to make steps that indicate trust.

And then, I realized something this morning, as I was making a mental list of things I’m thankful for. For me to be thankful means I have to trust that someone or something has provided the things for which I’m thankful.

So, here’s my “smile list” for the moment, my list of things I’m trusting have been provided as blessings for me in the space I currently occupy:

A cup of passion tea
Half a glass of red wine while out with a friend last night
Emails and facebook messages from friends spread out across the country and globe
A sense of peace today that has been lacking the last while
Oranges
Left-overs from dinner last night to be eaten for lunch
That my roommate will loan me her car so I can grocery shop tonight
Sermons preached by Sara Miles that I downloaded and listened to on the train this morning
David Crowder Band
Specifically the song “Come Awake”
A night that was a bit more restful
Feeling like I look “pretty” today
The scarf I’m wearing which my roommate brought from China
Comfy but cute shoes
Getting things accomplished from my pages long “to do” list at work
That I’m not feeling as sick today as I did yesterday
Plans to spend time with a few different friends this weekend
That there is only a day and half of work left in the week
Laughing with co-workers at coffee break
That in a little over two weeks I can eat chocolate and desserts again

I Liked This

I liked this blog post on "being healed" vs. "being cured"

Growing into our True Freedom - Henri Nouwen

More great stuff from Henri Nouwen...

Growing Into Our True Freedom

True freedom is the freedom of the children of God. To reach that freedom requires a lifelong discipline since so much in our world militates against it. The political, economic, social, and even religious powers surrounding us all want to keep us in bondage so that we will obey their commands and be dependent on their rewards.

But the spiritual truth that leads to freedom is the truth that we belong not to the world but to God, whose beloved children we are. By living lives in which we keep returning to that truth in word and deed, we will gradually grow into our true freedom.