Status Report: February

Sitting…on a couch in the living room.

Waiting…for bedtime. 

Feeling…tired. So tired. But I’m afraid if I go to bed too early it will end up being an evening nap instead. I’m trying to tough it out until 10pm.

Enjoying…a lit string of Christmas lights across the mantle and a candle burning on the coffee table. And quiet.

Not enjoying…the colder weather. It’s not terribly cold (yet!), but this winter, up until now, has been so warm that what we’re having now, which is fairly average, feels miserably cold to me. The forecast is for some really, truly cold weather next week. How will I feel then?

Planning…to clean the house tomorrow. I have toddlers here for two days a week or more, and it’s amazing how much dirtier my home becomes. Sticky fingers, crumbs, noses on glass—and this week, pen and pencil scribbles covering the whole length of the wall behind the couch. The girls often care for their “babies” behind my couch, so it didn’t raise any red flags when they disappeared back there on Wednesday. But this time, it wasn’t dolls they were playing with. 

I had them help me clean the wall, but remember, they’re toddlers: A pail of water and a cleaning rag are even more fun than a ball point pen. I’m guessing this was not a deterrent for them. 

It’s a good thing they’re cute.

Not planning…to watch much—or maybe any—of the Olympics this time around. Will you be watching?

Reading…From Heaven He Came and Sought Her and The House of Wittgenstein: A Family at War. I’ve added God’s Wisdom in Proverbs to the stack, but haven’t begun reading it yet.

Wondering…where January went? January is supposed to be the slow month, the month for reading and jigsaw puzzles and sitting by the fire, but I’m afraid there was very little or none of that this year. I blame the two week January thaw.

Hoping…the Raptors start winning again.

Wishing…you a warm February without too much snow to shovel or too many rainy days. 

Great, Free, Unchanging, Particular

Love, for us, is an emotion of response; it is drawn out by the ones we love. We make a connection with the object of our love and love grows from this connection. The love of God works the other way around. He loves and so he connects; he loves us and so he draws us to him. We love him back only because he loved us first. 

I’ve got a really long post on The Love of God at Out of the Ordinary today. Yes, it should be shorter. It’s a blog post, after all. But what would I cut?

Thankful Thursday

It’s late, and I really should be in bed, but I can’t close Thursday without some thanksgiving. I was thankful today

• for a good furnace, a cozy home, and a warm bed. And socks. For the first time this year, I actually wore socks to keep my feet warm. (I’m a sock hater, but sometimes I need them.)
• for winter sunshine.
• for frozen berries bringing a bit of summer sweetness to my winter diet.
• for tasks completed and projects progressing.
• for anxieties eased because of God’s care.
• for God’s steadfast love, which keeps me secure.

What are you thankful for?