random

That's how things have been lately...kind of random.

I went to confession the other day and started off by saying that I just had a collection of random thoughts.  My wonderful confessor shot back that was OK, because he could give me random absolution. 

He was on retreat last week.  So I attended Mass here in his absence.  It was echo-y.  But a nice change of pace, and another spot to put on my itinerary for weekday Masses.

I liked this picture because you can see the early morning blue sky and some of the outside lamps that are still lit.  

Work has been difficult.  I don't really like fifth graders all that much at all.  But I spend half of my day with them this year.  Whining doesn't really help.  I like that nothing is off the table for confession...all is fair game.  My kind confessor reminded me that fifth grade does not make up the sum total of my life...and that I have an oasis from that.  He is right, of course.

Distractions....they have been huge lately.  My mind feels like that butterfly in the tree.  Can you see it?  In prayer, my mind is everywhere.  Just like the butterfly - up, down, from tree to tree, eventually landing for a second....  And God?  I'm not sure where He is.  Intellectually, I KNOW He's there, but it feels like He's taken a vacation somewhere.  (The butterfly is a little northwest of center.)

More good advice....Sometimes all we can do is offer God the distractions.  He knows.  Sometimes God does "play hide n seek" with us.  He does that to draw forth fidelity from us, the Good Father says.  Fidelity that doesn't depend on feelings.  He plays "hide n seek" because He wants us to seek Him, to focus on Him.

Part of my morning routine....working out.  Not a favorite part, but a part.  I can still wear the same clothes that I wore when I started two years ago.  I guess you could look at that as a glass is half empty / half full kind of thing.  I do feel better, though, and have more endurance.  This T-shirt happened to be there the other day when I was there.  A sample?  It's mine now.  I have about 250 workouts. 

Pictures of the spiky things on the Bird of Paradise plant.  I have no idea what they are there for, or even if they are supposed to be there. 

Random.  Don't say I didn't warn you.