Daily 5 - Year 4, Day 9

Today's Daily 5:

1. Quiet day, tackling items on my to do list
2. praying for a friend from house church as she prepares to head off to school for the next nine months
3. little boy smiles, and baby boy cuddles (and getting to give one little guy a bottle!)
4. a really good meal, punctuated with laughter, shared with house church friends (I love that we eat together so often)
5. a day that reminded me how much of a blessing having some time off from school really is

Daily 5 - Year 4, Day 8

Today's Daily 5:

1. Dove chocolate with raspberry (regretting that I only bought one bag of this type in Florida)
2. Sitting on the front steps in the sun, waiting for a ride
3. a little voice hesitantly, proudly squeezing out my name
4. the hug of one of my last close friends still residing in the city, and the smile in her eyes as she shared some good news with me
5. rousing conversations over dinner with my friend and her husband, spanning the breadth of topics such catholicism, nursing, work, dating and parenting

Daily 5 - Year 4, Day 7

Today's Daily 5:

1. aloe vera gel (I got a bad sunburn on the weekend, and aloe vera has been my life line the last few days)
2. a salesman who didn't make me feel totally inadequate as I began the process of shopping for a new mattress
3. lazy morning of cleaning and sorting out what needs to happen with the remainder of my summer holidays
4. an impromptu pedicure
5. buying a toaster oven, to make cooking at home an even better possibility

Daily 5 - Year 4, Day 6

Today's Daily 5:

1. a massage appointment that felt wonderful
2. a bus trip listening to a new audio book
3. taking the day slowly
4. mango bubble tea
5. sitting quietly with my art journal, mapping out dreams, goals and hopes for this next season of my life

Quiet Spaces

About once a year or so, I begin to crave quiet.  I feel an impulse to turn off whatever it is that I've been watching on DVD or netflix lately, to quiet the stereo, and just be.

Usually when that happens I still find space to write.

But this week?  This week I'm feeling that craving creep up on me, and I'm ever so aware of the impending arrival of another full semester (rumored to be the most intense in my program).  I'm ever so aware that my short summer break is waning, and that I need to honor the craving for quiet.

I'm aware that I need to be present to friends (both long distance and nearby).  That I need to take time to read, and journal, to pray and process, to create and simply to be.  That there are parts of my life that need careful attention, that there is cleaning and organizing that I want to accomplish before heading back to school.

And because I'm craving quiet, and aware of the waning of summer, this space is going to be quieter.  None of the "regularly scheduled programming" for the next week or so.  I'll probably pop in occasionally, and I'll be here with the Daily 5, but that's it.  Just the things that can't help but spurt out of me, and my usual daily practice of thanksgiving.

I'm off to honor the quiet in my life for a while, and I'm pretty sure I'll return with more to say than I've had in quite a while.

Daily 5 - Year 4, Day 5

Today's Daily 5:

1. breakfast with a house church friend
2. hanging out all day with friends at my favorite little guy's third birthday party
3. curling up to rest for a couple hours
4. a work shift where I kept my client laughing and it went smoothly
5. texts, pictures, and facebook posts that reminded me of the sweet time with friends in Florida

Daily 5 - Year 4, Day 4

Today's Daily 5:

1. a restful night of sleep
2. grocery chopping for fresh, healthy ingredients
3. curling up in a chair to read, think, pray and write
4. the fun of concocting a lovely healthy chicken stir-fry for dinner
5. two hours on skype with L. - nothing like chatting with your closest friend to round out a day

Daily 5 - Year 4, Day 3

Today's Daily 5:

1. lazy morning
2. painting with A
3. cupcakes and conversation with a long time friend
4. baby L's smile
5. a truly random collection of titles that I can't wait to read purchased on an impromptu bookstore trip

Friday Reflections, August 24, 2012

Today's reflection is a brief excerpt from Richard Rohr about silence, and it is moving me deeply.

Silence is the language of God, and the only language deep enough to absorb all the contradictions and failures that we are holding against ourselves. God loves us silently, because God has no case to make against us. Silent communion absorbs our self-hatred, as every lover knows.
(Richard Rohr -Adapted from Simplicity, p. 97)

Daily 5 - Year 4, Days 1 & 2

Yesterday's Daily 5:

1. a first class flight home from Houston, after many flight changes
2. a long hot bubble bath
3. the moment when my bag decided that it would also return after wandering like a prodigal without me for about 7 hours
4. sinking into my own bed at the end of two very long days of travel
5. a few good deals while I grocery shopped

Today's Daily 5:

1. Two days into the fourth year of making these lists.  crazy.
2. waking from a much needed long night of sleep
3. organizing my kitchen area
4. the smell of clean sheets and pajamas as I crawl into bed
5. sharing communion with my house church friends as we prayed together tonight

Catch-Up Day

After I arrived home yesterday, my luggage decided it wanted to keep traveling without me.  The prodigal bag finally returned around 7 last night, a full 7 hours after I arrived home.

That means I didn't get to my own home (I went to my parents, since that was where the bag was being delivered) until around 8:30 last night.

Which worked fine, I suppose.

I did the majority of my unpacking, and then fell into bed and promptly gained many much needed hours of sleep.

And today? Today is a catch-up day.

I'm cleaning and doing laundry.

I'm working on making the little kitchen area I've created a bit more functional.

I'm preparing for house church tonight.

I'm wrapping a present for my favorite little guy's third birthday party on Sunday.

I'm pondering rhythms.

I'm listening to an audio book.

I'm catching up, and enjoying that this is part of my rhythm, part of my routine.  To spend a bit of time creating physical order, while my mind and heart slowly work their way towards internal order as well.

It works for me, this catching-up, and I'm enjoying it - even the blisters on my hand from turning the dozens of screws required to assemble a little cubicle shelf for my makeshift kitchen.

I'm moving slowly, but with purpose, and settling into that space of rhythm.

I'm enjoying this feeling of presence, even as I look ahead to other places and things.

I'm catching up, and it's lovely.

Limbo

I was hoping to write a nice trip summary sort of post today.

Instead, I'm in travel limbo.

Weather in Florida meant I missed my connection to Calgary from Houston last night.

After grabbing dinner and 4 hours or so of sleep in a hotel, I got back to the airport to discover that weather in Portland was making my connecting flight to Denver late, and that I would again miss my connection to Calgary.

Thankfully, this time they put me on a direct flight to Calgary from Houston.  And in this case they even upgraded me to first class (which given the budgets I work with will probably be a once in a lifetime sort of experience).

And while I wait, I'm writing a blog post about being in travel limbo, and kicking back to chill a bit.

I've got something like 3 hours until I get on a plane for home, and then about 5 hours of flying, and then, then I will be home, and at this point, though I didn't feel ready to leave Florida yesterday, I'm definitely ready to be home.

Daily 5 - Year 3, Day 365

Today's Daily 5:

1. 3 full years of making these lists - how amazing is that? I've seen such impact on my heart from this practice
2. final goodbye hugs
3. airport wifi
4. book browsing and buying
5. a smooth airport security process
6. that even though my heart friends live scattered across different countries and the world, the internet and texting exist
7. a slower than expected re-entry into life
8. finding a few friends to share dinner with when I ended up stranded in Houston
9. Olive Garden and one last vacation glass of wine
10. seeing growth in being able to roll with the punches of being stranded in Houston instead of at home in my own bed like I'd planned

Wordless Whimsy Tuesday

Source: her-roaring-twenties.tumblr.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Source: themetapicture.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Daily 5 - Year 3, Day 364

Today's Daily 5:

1. baby velocoraptor noises
2. "I just threw up a little bit in my soul"
3. a last glass of iced tea and of sangria
4. sharing final hugs and knowing that these really are heart friends
5. the blessing of a week in which I was truly seen

Wordless Whimsy Monday

Source: fyeahtattoos.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Daily 5 - Year 3, Day 363

Today's Daily 5:

1. attending mass for the first time in a very long time
2. a homily that was oh so perfect for my heart today
3. brunch with dear sweet friends (and oh my goodness peach pecan vanilla cream waffles)
4. cuddling a baby in a tattoo parlor
5. all kinds of beautiful conversations

Daily 5 - Year 3, Day 362

Today's Daily 5:

1. such sweet time with friends
2. baby smiles
3. Lebanese food
4. sangria
5. sharing the deep, rarely spoken parts of my story and self with people that are safe and welcoming and gentle with my soul

Daily 5 - Year 3, Day 361

Today's Daily 5:

1. sweet babies
2. hearing the parts of hearts that are sometimes uncomfortable to share
3. awesome food
4. stocking up on some chocolate treats that I can't get north of the border
5. the companionship of dear, sweet friends

Wordless Whimsy Friday

Source: kittywitter.tumblr.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Source: whitenoten.tumblr.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Daily 5 - Year 3, Day 360

Today's Daily 5:

1. honesty
2. safe spaces for conversation
3. frozen yogurt
4. ice wine
5. laughter

Wordless Whimsy Thursday

Source: imgfave.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Source: fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net via Lisa on Pinterest

Daily 5 - Year 3, Day 359

Today's Daily 5:

1. baby cuddles
2. laughter, tears, and conversations that ranged wildly
3. friends that read!
4. being in a place where my heart feels free to simply be itself
5. cats sleeping on my feet

Wordless Whimsy Wednesday

Source: myyogaon.tumblr.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Source: sfgirlbybay.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Daily 5 - Year 3, Day 358

Today's Daily 5:

1. early morning airport muffins (thank you Tim Horton's)
2. meeting four awesome friends
3. the hugs and laughter that ensued
4. an unforgettable ride home from the airport
5. red wine and great conversations

Wordless Whimsy Tuesday

Source: everythingetsy.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Source: sunsurfer.tumblr.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Daily 5 - Year 3, Day 357

Today's Daily 5:

1. discovering the ability to flex when a 2am work emergency call pulled me out of bed after I'd only been there for about an hour.
2. the taste of early morning Tim Horton's breakfast as I drove home from the aforementioned emergency at 5am
3. errands with my mom
4. the fun of packing and cleaning and anticipating my trip - so joyfully excited for this!
5. rounding off the day with an apple fritter courtesy of dad, and heading for bed early, so I can make my early flight in the morning.

Wordless Whimsy Week

I've been pondering what it is that I would do with this blog space this week.

You see, super early tomorrow morning I'm boarding an airplane to fly away to spend a week enjoying some in person time with four friends that I've made because of this space, and I plan to focus on the friends, and not the blogging during that time.

As I pondered, two options emerged.  I could leave this space quiet (barring the occasional check-in), or I could do a whole week of Whimsical Wednesdays.

I settled for a compromise, and so I present you with a week (lasting through next Tuesday) of Wordless Whimsy.  Just pictures (one or two a day) that inspired, challenged or otherwise caught my attention (thanks to pinterest).  I hope you'll chime in with your comments over the course of the week - I'd love to hear your thoughts on the images.

I may or may not be around for the Daily 5 - this may just be a week where I write them all in a journal and add them there.  I may or may not pop in with some words, too, but mostly, I hope you'll enjoy the whimsy here this week.

To kick us off, I chose this image:

Source: belindafireman.wordpress.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Daily 5 - Year 3, Days 355 and 356

Yesterday's Daily 5:

1. a lazy morning 
2. beginning the packing preparations for my trip
3. a last dose of olympic watching
4. tasty day old pastries purchased on sale
5. successfully navigating a new and rather large challenge at work

Today's Daily 5:

1. loving my Sunday morning alone time
2. random errands with my folks
3. a long shower
4. styling my hair so the curls had a chance for a change
5. the last work shift and beginning of vacation!!

Daily 5 - Year 3, Day 354

Today's Daily 5:

1. a super chill morning
2. knocking a much avoided task (defrosting my freezer) off my list after several months
3. writing my last final of the semester
4. being 1/3 done my nursing schooling
5. a perfect birthday gift in the mail from L.

Friday Reflections, August 10, 2012

Another challenging reflection from Henri Nouwen today:


A Window on Our Spiritual Lives

Even though our emotional and spiritual lives are distinct, they do influence one another profoundly.  Our feelings often give us a window on our spiritual journeys.  When we cannot let go of jealousy, we may wonder if we are in touch with the Spirit in us that cries out "Abba."  When we feel very peaceful and "centered," we may come to realise that this is a sign of our deep awareness of our belovedness.

Likewise our prayer lives, lived as faithful response to the presence of the Spirit within us, may open a window on our emotions, feelings, and passions and give us some indication of how to put them into the service of our long journey into the heart of God.

Daily 5 - Year 3, Day 353

Today's Daily 5:

1. An encouraging final evaluation conversation with my clinical instructor
2. hanging out with a friend and her two puppies to eat lunch
3. one final down, one to go!
4. listening to a fascinating audio book on the bus
5. chinese food and cider with the house church gang tonight

Exam Day

I have my final clinical evaluation and first final exam today.

My second final is tomorrow.

Tonight I'm hanging out with the house church gang to eat Chinese and drink wine.

It's just that kind of day.

Where it's about doing and not so much about writing.

But I'm hopeful that as I head into a month of time off, from rest will spring writing.  Hooray for that!

Daily 5 - Year 3, Day 352

Today's Daily 5:

1. a lazy, restful day
2. watching the show "Parenthood" on Netflix
3. a good olympic medal day for Canada
4. spending the afternoon cooking with a good friend
5. baby cuddles and little boy cuddles

Whimsical Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Per usual, it's a truly random and eclectic mixture here today.  Things that made me laugh or smile.  Things filled with whimsy.  Words of wisdom or truth.

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts on these images!

Source: tinywhitedaisies.tumblr.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Source: bookfessions.tumblr.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Lisa on Pinterest

Source: bookfessions.tumblr.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Source: nextstoplondon.tumblr.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Daily 5 - Year 3, Day 351

Today's Daily 5:

1. the leftover joy from encountering Jesus in a special way through worship, journaling and prophetic words last night
2. birthday love that came from 4 different continents and at least 6 different countries (and who knows how many states and provinces!) via email and facebook
3. an awesome last day of clinical
4. dinner out with my dad
5. wearing a few different pieces of clothing that I really love
6. sunshine
7. getting a "good customer discount" on my last day of rental car usage for the semester
8. a couple hours of alone time this afternoon
9. a joy of freedom and anticipation of the year to come, largely stemming from the experience I had in worship last night
10. the growing excitement as we plan and scheme and laugh and talk online in preparation for our girls retreat in Florida
11. hanging out with my friend N, and going for cake to celebrate the end of classes and my birthday
12. white chocolate raspberry cake
13. chicken and snow peas (mmm... chinese with Dad)
14. laughing at dad's fortune cookie fortune which said that people are often jealous of his beauty!
15. reading another chapter in "Love Does"

Tuesday Anticipations, August 7, 2012

This week I'm anticipating:

• the end of the semester
• hanging out at house church and enjoying good food together
• celebrating my birthday over cocktails and appetizers with a few friends
• a quiet weekend of work and prep to travel next week
• the beginning of a month of time off
• reading things that have nothing whatsoever to do with nursing!

Daily 5 - Year 3, Day 350

Today's Daily 5:

1. a restful sleep
2. banana with peanut butter
3. finishing up and submitting my final paper of the semester
4. a fun tea pot (Keep Calm and Drink Tea) gift from a friend
5. a worship night that was just what my heart needed, with words of confirmation whispered in the secret spaces of my soul

Holiday Monday

This is my nearly perfect day...

A holiday Monday, preceding the last week of school.

All that I have going on is a bit of studying and paper writing, and a couple of errands.

And I'm so loving that.

So loving that.

Can't wait to sink into rest in a new and solid way.

Here's to finals week that won't be super stressful.

Here's to a holiday Monday for resting.

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.

Daily 5 - Year 3, Day 345

Today's Daily 5:

1. chatting with a bus buddy
2. favorite seat on the bus
3. facebook comments that made me giggle a lot
4. drunken chicken
5. the indescribable thrill of cooking in my own space for the first time in several years, and sitting down to a really great plate of food

Whimsical Wednesday, August 1, 2012

This week's Whimsical Wednesday has a decidedly bookish theme as I anticipate the end of the semester, and a month of time to spend catching up on reading for enjoyment and personal fulfilment.

As always, I'd love to hear if any of these images catch your attention.  Or, in this case, if you have a great suggestion for summer break read!

Source: spacesays.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Source: whispering-literature.tumblr.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Source: nerdquirks.tumblr.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Source: chicagopubliclibrary.tumblr.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Lisa on Pinterest

Source: heromind.com via Lisa on Pinterest