Busy as a Bee

     The past few days have been so busy. I'm sure this is a common feeling for everyone, and I say it all the time, but it seems to be especially true this time. I've been constantly buzzing, almost literally flying from one event to the next and even when I'm at home I bustle around cleaning, working and just generally being busy. So often when I get busy I forget to step back and take a look at all the wonderful gifts God has given me, especially animals.

     I have many pets and I adore animals so it's only natural for one of the trips I made this week to have been to the pet store. I promise I was actually doing something important, not just gawking at animals and begging mom to let me take them home. Anyway, seeing all the small animals they had for sale got me thinking.

     We, as human beings, are constantly worrying about the future or stressing over the past. We do not live in the present, we live online, on the television, through the phone, but never in the moment. Looking at the hamsters for sale at the petstore, I thought to my myself how nice it would be to be a hamster. An animal in the petstore doesn't not have a terribly easy life, they get moved and handled so often at strange hours during the day/night depending on whether they're nocturnal or not. But they do not sit and worry about what comes next. They don't speculate all the horrible things that could happen or all the things that they have to do, they simply live in the moment as it comes. 

     For example, I was watching the sweetest little hamster sleep in a pile of other hamsters. He suddenly woke up and noticed me. It took him quite a while to finally leave his nest and come see what I was doing on the other side of the glass. But, once he came out, he didn't seem so bothered that a giant was staring in at him. He waddled on his way, finding some food and another warm nest. 

     

      Often I will freeze when faced with a giant. I'll sit and I'll panic, thinking of all the terrifying things that could happen to me, when really the giant isn't gonna do me any harm. Instead of focusing and accomplishing the little yet important task I already had in front of me, I will waste all my time on what could happen. I need to wake up, snap out of it, and see what's happening now. Not that I shouldn't be aware of what I should be ready for, but here and now is immensely more important than tomorrow's maybe. 

     Today I am especially thankful for all the amazing lessons I have learned and have yet to learn from animals. Somehow, they seem to know what they're doing a whole lot better than me. God didn't make me a bee for a reason, I guess. So pause, take a deep breath, pet the family dog/cat/rabbit/horse, and focus on the present. Simple take everything as it comes. Worrying will only make it worse, and smiling will definitely make it better. 

Mondays

     Most Mondays aren't the horrible, cataclysmic events that they've become notorious to be. Most of the time, I'm even thankful for Mondays because I love going to my girls' group and my job. Today, I was not so thankful. 

      I work as a mother's helper/babysitter on Mondays, starting at 9. Typically, I'm full of energy and quite effective at wrangling five kids. Today I was really feeling the effects of a crazy weekend and I just could not keep the kids from going nuts. Needless to say, I was feeling discouraged and tired when I got home. 

     After lunch, I headed to my room to finish some schoolwork and ended up falling asleep, consequently getting no work done. I then rushed off to a flute lesson that I was not prepared for, and I had to skip girls' group tonight. So at first glance, I did not have a very good Monday. 

     After putting a few hours between me and the less-than-ideal happenings today, I have changed my opinion. I did have a good day, and I have plenty to be thankful for. Firstly, I'm thankful for a job, especially one that teaches me important life skills like how to keep a baby happy while directing other children. I'm also thankful that it's not really the end of the world if my schoolwork doesn't happen on time. True, it's not very good, but it's not a huge deal. I'm especially thankful for my flute teacher, who knows just how to make my day a little better: a flute duet with a reference to my blog in the middle. And, even though I missed girls's group, I drank tea and I finished five tests tonight. 

     As proven by my day, even when there seems to be nothing to be thankful for, you'll be surprised at what you can find when you look back on what you've done and experienced. This is also a time where practicing thankfulness makes a difference. Before I started making a conscious effort to be thankful, I might not have been able to look back and see any good in my day. But, having practiced thankfulness in small things, I can now look at a larger picture and find plenty of blessings and gifts in disguise. 

     Don't give up when the going gets rough, because you can be thankful, even on Mondays. 

As many as the stars of the heaven...

Today, in small group, I was thinking about my high for the week and came to the realization that my high is that I have much to be thankful. Indeed, as many as the stars of the heaven or the sand of the sea, God has blessed me abundantly. I am thankful especially for the hard things - for by being thankful, I am entrusting it to God and learning from Him. With this in mind, I am thankful specifically

• for a great talk with a friend/mentor today where we both got to think out loud together and share lessons we have learned
• for girls' group
• that one of the younger girls came to girls' group
• for the long drive to and from Wilmore
• for new beginnings
• for endings
• for loneliness
• for communion and fellowship with others
• for the Eucharist
• that I can pray to the saints
• for quiet days filled with books and good conversations
• for long, hot baths
• for beauty
• for good articles and readings
• for homework
• that I am not alone
• that I make mistakes and learn from them

To God be the glory! May we be aware of His work in us and around us and give thanks to Him!

Music of the Heart

     Last night I attended and performed at a flute concert. When I was getting ready, I didn't want to go. I considered skipping it altogether. I was tired, stressed, and pessimistic. Previously, I had not practiced the music well and I felt that I would not perform well. But I did it anyway. 

     After the concert, I felt none of those things. I was still tired, exhausted after two hours of playing, but it didn't seem so bad anymore. The music kept running through my head and I felt like dancing. Simply the act of playing music had made my day better. 

     I think music and thankfulness are quite alike in many ways. Both take deliberate practice to learn, and both get easier as you practice. Also, there is no end to the knowledge you can gain by practicing both actions. But as I see it, the most important similarity is this: both thankfulness and music, either playing or listening, change hearts. Every day music touches and changes the hearts of people everywhere. Thankfulness does not do it quite so obviously, but the change is still there. It pulls emotions from people they didn't know they had. Like music, thankfulness defines people. 

     Music has always been a part of my life, and I believe it always will. It is constantly teaching me things words cannot quite express. I can already  efficiently play music on my flute, now I must learn to master the music of my heart. 

Compelling Beauty

Today, as I was driving home from church, I took the back roads back through beautiful Kentucky horse farms. I was late to pick a friend up and was stressed about that, but seeing the setting sun over the brilliant emerald grass with every color sparking and clear pulled me back to thankfulness. Beauty has an inexplicable power to amaze and to draw me, and I believe everyone, beyond themself. And so, I am thankful

• that I live in Kentucky and that I have always lived here
• that you can turn off a main road and be in horse country in thirty seconds
• for pictures which capture beauty and remind me of it
• for good friends
• for water
• for long drives in the car
• for the (occasional) day when I do absolutely nothing productive but simply enjoy a good movie or book
• for the Walmart employee last night who heard me humming in the aisle and smiled
• for hidden gardens (see picture)
• for church services, even when I'm tired and would rather be sleeping
• for a car that works
• for God
• for church in the morning
• for sleep
• for wooden desks
• for towels (because we spilled a lot of water this weekend)
• for snugly blankets

And with that I bid you farewell and go to get some sleep. <3 Have a blessed rest of the weekend!

The Comforts of Tea

     In the past year or so, I have grown very fond of anything to do with tea. This development has stemmed from the Monday night girls' group I attend, at least semi-regularly. Every meeting, one person makes and serves tea to the other girls. We rotate who plays "hostess" each week. 

     The practice of serving and gracefully acknowledging that act of love has been a very eye-opening experience for me. I have found it extremely challenging to simply sit and allow someone else to serve me. My natural instinct is to jump up and do it myself, saving the hostess the trouble of doing any work. That simple act, however helpful it might seem, is extremely selfish. By refusing to be served by another person, I am pushing away their love in exchange for my own desires. That is not thankfulness.

     In a situation where someone is serving you, the way to show true gratitude and love is to accept their gift of servitude. In John 13, Jesus washes His disciples' feet.

And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?” Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.” Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”

      Like me at girls' group, Peter tries to refuse the Lord's act of love, but Jesus rebukes him. It is not always easy to accept, but we must follow that example of serving and accepting service in love. Only when we understand how to act with and receive such love can we be truly thankful.

    So now, whenever I make tea, with or without friends, I am reminded of that all-consuming love. I will eternally be grateful for the lesson drinking tea has taught me.

(Very) Belated Birthday Blessings

Today I am, very belatedly celebrating my birthday. But I am thankful for much besides that.

I am thankful for:

• Church services in the middle of the week. 
• The strength to get up at 6 AM. 
• Little snoozes of 5-10 minutes that help me get up in the morning and make the day better. 
• Tea. 
• Good friends. 
• Confession. 
• Incense. 
• Good books. 
• Math, even though I don't love it. 
• Chocolate. 
• A job. 
• Nice customers this evening at the store. 
• A great coworker. 
• Snacks. 
• My cashier friend at Dollar Tree. 
• Shopping at half-price books. 
• Curling up on the sofa with close friends to watch movies. 

My life is full of blessings. :) Thank you, Lord.