Midweek reminder: Learning to love others more than we love ourselves

A-Z is over, and it was fun. Very fun. But it is also enjoyable to think about returning to some of my old blogging habits, and the midweek reminder is one of my favorites. I have quite a few tucked away to share in the coming weeks, but this one raised it's hand up from the drafts folder this morning and said, "Pick me! Pick me!"

“And so my prayer is that your story will have involved some leaving and some coming home, some summer and some winter, some roses blooming out like children in a play. My hope is your story will be about changing, about getting something beautiful born inside of you about learning to love a woman or a man, about learning to love a child, about moving yourself around water, around mountains, around friends, about learning to love others more than we love ourselves, about learning oneness as a way of understanding God. We get one story, you and I, and one story alone. God has established the elements, the setting and the climax and the resolution. It would be a crime not to venture out, wouldn’t it?” -Donald Miller

The sun is up, and my love for mornings and morning routines is running at about 100% today. I was just--moments ago!--standing in the kitchen, making my kale smoothie, stirring the oats, turning over Seth's egg muffins, watching the sun stream through some pretty grimy windows... and feeling very blessed indeed. Another day. What a gift.

Time to venture out! What does your day hold?

Thursday 13: Randomness is awesome, even when I'm not.

1. My brain is foggy with a cold that is trying to plant itself in my head. I'm fighting the good fight and will not give in. I want to have a peaceful and happy weekend, not a head-exploding and snot-filled weekend. (You're welcome for that last lovely visual.)

2. My treatment cocktail of choice right now includes, but is not limited to: Airborne, Vitamin C and Echinacea, with a lot of water to wash it all down. If you try and tell me that one or all of those are placebos, I may have to hunt you down. All I know is that the sore throat I had when I went to bed did NOT advance in the night, and that in itself is a victory for the cocktail. So kiss my lack-of-substantiated-research hiney.

3. Do I seem to have a bit of a 'tude? Pardon me. Some weeks are like that. Add an almost-cold, and well...

4. Love love loving the sunshine.

5. Feeling a little less love for the cold temperatures. 33 two nights ago. 37 last night. I went out at o-dark-thirty this morning to pick apples off the tree--I know, what?--and the crescent moon over the hills was just lovely.

6. Have been in discussions about the 9/11 remembrance ceremonies and a) how long we should keep them going and b) how big a deal they should be. My thoughts are: how about somewhere between an enormous hoopla and talking to the Kardashians? Seriously, NBC. You suck. I mean, other than SMASH, which you had better bring back soon. Maybe I should just say The Today Show sucks... that might cover it. (Did you like that "in discussions?" That was pretty juicy, like I have these executive sessions to discuss important issues of the day. Sure, I'll let you think that.)

7. Slowly resigning myself to the end of the fabulous fruit-and-veggie season... slowly. Very much enjoying the bounty of tomatoes that hasn't quite slowed down yet. There is simply no substitute for picked-three-minutes-ago vine-ripened tomatoes (not to be confused with run-of-the-mill vine-ripenend tomatoes). Heavenly.

8. I've been hankering for some fall arts-and-crafts time, and can feel it coming... crochet hooks at the ready! Maybe a little yarn shopping this weekend? Because of course, there's always room for more yarn, am I right?

9. I can feel my head/brain/thoughts drifting as I type. I am curious if I'll actually get to 13 before nodding off (sleep has been less-than-optimal the past couple of nights). May need another shot of espresso...

10. In general, I love mornings more than any other time of the day, by magnitudes of, like, a billion. Even mornings where I'm half-there are better than afternoons. Afternoons are just energy-sucking, to me. A little afternoon nap (can you feel me plotting?) and the evenings can perk me up. But mornings, glorious mornings!

 

I was singing Morning Has Broken early this morning, if that gives you any idea of exactly how annoying I can be. I was actually quite taken by how husky my cold-inclined voice sounded, so that's probably mostly why I sang... Ha, such a dork. Luckily, husband is equally morning-oriented, and Seth slept through it.

11. Not feeling breakfast-y this morning but know I will regret that later. What to eat when you're not feeling 100%? I would love some ideas. Please share.

12. I am fantasizing about my afternoon nap.

13. This list ended up being less random and more "look at me and my sleep-deprived-not-well self." Lucky you. Thank you for indulging me. I am sure there are many more interesting Thursday 13s out there that you will find your way to... and you can find them, here!