Merry Christmas

I had the best blessing this morning.

I went to the temple before work to give myself with a dose of true reality.  Guess who I saw there?  My best and most favoritest temple buddy!  It made my day so much better than it was... and her hug helped make all my other troubles seem more manageable. The odd part is, she doesn't usually work on Thursday mornings, that I know of, and I never go to the temple on Thursday mornings.  Except today.

Tonight I am most grateful for true, faithful friends.

My Life Is Insane.

Just when I think I have the hang of what I'm doing:

I have a day in which all I do is have meetings,
People start telling me their anxieties and that either
     (a) sucks my time
     (b) makes me anxious
     (c) both,
My to do list is longer than my Christmas list, (OK, maybe that's always been the case... but whatever.)
AND it snows.

Oh well.

5 days 'til FUN!

4 people at FHE

At least I ate 3 meals

2 stocking stuffers (to buy)

1 BlackBerry (maybe the battery will die).

Finished!

My project for a special friend is done! - and it's not even Christmas yet!  Pictures to come, maybe ... you have to wait at least until after the surprise isn't a surprise anymore.

I am almost done with Christmas shopping. Some things I have shipped to the Christmas place; others are spread around the house waiting to be wrapped and packed (although probably in the opposite order; the roll of wrapping paper will go in the suitcase with the presents at least until I've been through security). I think I did well this year at thinking of good gifts. And I'm almost done with my shopping.

This Sabbath Day was a good and productive one.  I feel rested and refreshed and ready to begin a new week (almost).

Six days and counting!

New Hope

Yesterday, I wanted to throw my hands in the air, give up and move on. What I am trying to do is hard, and sometimes I wonder if it is worth the effort. As I was feeling most weighed down by my troubles, I ran into a wonderful friend, who listened and encouraged me to let the Spirit guide me. Later, I pondered my situation, and I remembered all the little promptings I have had in the last month and a half - many of which I remembered as words written here, for you (but apparently mostly for me).

Today felt easier. I made some progress. And then, this evening, I watched a video found here. And I felt something else. Something indescribable, but something like peace. A feeling that perhaps (more likely definitely) there is something bigger going on here than I perceive. And everything will work out - it will not only be OK, but it will also bring me joy. I have God on my side.

That is the essence of this Christmas season.

On Grace

This thought has occurred to me more than once this weekend:

Grace - the divine enabling power offered by Jesus Christ to make us greater than we are on our own - is a gift of this season.

Just as Christmas is incomplete without Christ; without His grace, so we are incomplete. "Be ye therefore perfect", He taught, "even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Perfect, in the sense of complete, finished, fully developed.

A number of friends recently have related personal challenges - stumbling-blocks, heartache, feelings of inadequacy. But in each conversation, I hear stories of miracles, compassion, and hope. Hope in our Savior, who makes all things right. Compassion when friends band together and pray for the strength of the one in need. Miracles of peace and healing after years of searching. Grace, active in the lives of those I love, touches my heart and softens me.

Grace enables me beyond my natural capacity in ways that astound me, that cause me to drop to my knees in humility and gratitude. Friends rally around me to help me carry what must be, sometimes, a burden unknown to them. Their help eases the strain, if only for a moment, I am renewed, and I feel my own back strengthened. Problems for which I have no answers become opportunities for revelation, and God gives direction as He has promised. I plead for the Spirit's guidance, then get up and go to work, marveling at the ways in which that prayer is answered. Even when I can see no more than one step ahead, the small whisperings of peace propel me forward.

My grace is sufficient - these comforting words fill me with hope. Without Him, I am incomplete, but with Him, I am stretched, enlarged, magnified, and molded into the perfect being He has seen within me all along.

Friday Freedom

The week is over! And as a result, I'm a little better at

- having hard conversations
- admitting when I'm wrong
- taking control of my time
- feeling grateful for supportive and loving friends and
- looking for inspiration

Thanks for the love, prayers, and food you provide. It all makes a wonderful positive difference.

Reminder to Myself

If a loving Father in Heaven can make it so I hit most of the lights green from Newton to East Cambridge (thus cutting the time it took to get to FHE from 25 to less than 15 minutes)...

He can help me get through this week. In all its insanity.

(Your prayers won't hurt, either...Thanks.)

Sweet is the Peace

Yesterday was tricky, and I was bothered by something that happened.  I chose to be frustrated and upset by it.  (So much so that I vented for an hour to my wonderful friend, who kindly listened.  Then I thought about it most of the night and some of this morning...)  This afternoon, I worked in the temple. What a wonderful blessing!  I let the spirit of the temple permeate my soul and help me let go of the feelings left over from yesterday.  Now, instead, I feel peace.

Sweet is the peace the gospel brings
To seeking minds and true.
With light refulgent on its wings
It clears the human view.

Simple Things

I have a totally awesome visiting teacher.

She comes over and brings dinner. She tells me a little about her life and lets me talk a lot about mine.

Usually, she's waiting for me on my porch when I get home. But she is understanding of my insane schedule.

When she leaves, I am a better person than when she came.

Tonight, Heavenly Father knew I needed a little more to get my mind of the concerns of the day.

So he also sent a friend with ice cream to see me.

It was a good thing. (The ice cream was good too...)

I am glad for friends who step up and help me before I ask.  That is a great blessing.

The Christmas Season Has Begun!

See?  Gingerbread houses!

A front view... and some of the details - a snowman... a tree... and a nativity!

I am admittedly very proud of the snowman. Two vanilla tootsie rolls, two grains of green sugar, five grains of red sugar, and a very very small sliver of an orange gumdrop for the nose.

It is the first time I've made a manger scene from tootsie rolls - I did also use a few gumdrops, a smartie, and a gummy frog for the sheep, with frosting-wool.  Perhaps, then, it's just a frog in sheep's clothing?

Happy Holidays!

Grateful? or Giddy?

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I'm excited.

I am really excited because I don't have to work. I am totally excited to see my east coast family. I am also excited for the actual day itself.

There is a lot to be thankful for this week. Here are some of the more random things:

- wonderful, trustworthy associates
- BBQ pulled pork
- my down comforter
- that the ticket I found on my windshield tonight after I forgot to put money in the meter didn't make me mad
- Chipotle burritos, chips & guacamole
- service, both given and received
- Celtic Christmas music
- spiritual guidance
- and (of course) the fun of keeping awesome presents a secret!

Happy Thanksgiving.

Just Like Jeremiah

I learned a little something in Sunday School today.

When Jeremiah was called to be a prophet and do hard things, he said (paraphrasing) You couldn't mean me! I'm just a child.

The Lord answered (again paraphrasing) Don't worry. You'll be fine. I'll tell you what to say.

And later, He also said (this is for real) I have made thee this day a defenced city, and an iron pillar ... and they shall fight against thee; but they shall not prevail against thee; for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee.

When Father wants us to do something hard, He does not just say, hey, go do that hard thing.  He also says, it will be hard, but I'm going to be with you every step of the way. Just trust me.

That is important.

The New Normal

I made a comment last week: stressed is the new normal. I made it in jest. But it's accurate.

The usual pace has picked up a notch.  It's kind of like trying to run a six minute mile... six times a day, with maybe a little chance to catch your breath in between. (I haven't done even one that fast since high school...)

I used to wonder how my supervisor could go all day on a banana and a few pieces of rye bread with raisins. (It's pretty good stuff! He shares.)  Today, he counseled me to take advantage of every offer for a lunch run - it was the only way he was guaranteed to eat.  I know what he means - there isn't five minutes to warm up the leftovers. Today, between the time I got the lettuce out and the time I had a salad on my plate, I had two conversations with colleagues and had walked to the other side of the building to consult with the construction guys who wanted to schedule some work on an adjoining wall. If people need you, they'll find you - in the office or in the kitchen. I started my lunch at 3.  I finished at 4. I worked the entire hour.

I am learning what makes me really stressed, what is essential to delegate, what is ok to take on, and what has to wait until everyone goes home. I have learned to love my assistant and everything he does for me, and I am eager to begin relying on even more people to help me succeed.  I have learned it's ok to do the dishes only once a week, and to wait to clean the house until Friday night.  I am learning how to unwind on weekends.

More than once, I have looked at what I'm trying to do and been amazed that I am starting to get the hang of it.  And that, my friends, is a miracle.

Making My Tuesday

I read my SIL's post about sword fighting with gogurt and laughed and laughed and laughed.  It makes me laugh just thinking about it!  (Of course, I wasn't the one who would have had to clean it up...)

I remembered to call a friend I've been thinking about for a few weeks. At an hour reasonable enough to actually call, not just think about. Yay! And, another friend called me this morning, and we had a lovely chat on the way to our respective destinations, arriving at approximately the same time, so neither of us felt guilty for getting off the phone when we did. I love it when that happens.

It only took 2 tries to successfully parallel park in the space I found on a busy street in Washington Square tonight. Awesome. I have skillz (especially if the space is half again as big as the car...)

My headache was apparently inversely correlated to the number of calories consumed in the past four hours. Who knew? (she says, as she continues to eat dark chocolate covered pomegranate goodies after dinner... (hardly a permanent solution (but boy, are they yummy!)))

The above paragraph slightly resembles some independent if statements I wrote a few weeks ago... minus a few commas...

These are some things that made me happy today. Thus endeth the randomness. Back to work. After one more chocolate pomegranate thingy.

Saturday Miracles

This morning the sun shines brightly through my windows, and my eyes open at 8 am in spite of a late Friday night. I spend a few hours inside, poking around on the internet and thinking about how I want to spend my Saturday.  Then I head outside to get some yardwork done. To my surprise, it is warm! Oh, happy day!  I spend about an hour outside, raking and bagging leaves, cleaning up the back yard, and making friends with the neighbor kids, who are outside playing. It is wonderful. A beautiful day of sunshine is exactly what I need today to relax from a long week.