Thoughts for Thursday

What am I cooking?

Last night I made a Shepherd’s Pie for a dear friend who is in the throes of morning sickness with her seventh pregnancy. I saved enough meat and frozen veggies to make us a family-size one tonight — I will just have to whip up fresh mashed potatoes for the top. I love shepherd’s pie because kids get all the food groups in each bite and the ingredients are toddler-boy-mouth-friendly.

What are my weekend plans?

With me at 37.5-weeks pregnant, we are on Grandma-watch. She comes to us as a standby passenger on military cargo planes (free, but highly unpredictable timetables) – so we are never sure exactly the day she will arrive. Fortunately there is a large Air Force Base just an hour from us, so the drive is a cinch. We have zero backup plan for who else will care for the other three kiddos when labor begins, so prayers for St. Christopher’s intercession will be rolling up to heaven from here for the next week or so until she gets here.

What are my prayer intentions for the day?

For some very difficult human/personality issues that are interfering with ministry at our current Army chapel. I am praying to stay out of the fray despite my heavy involvement with (drama-rich) women’s ministry and my “passionate” temperament. We are all made to be like Christ, and he dealt with everyone with love – man I have such a long way to go.

What can my children do instead of watching TV?

Laundry baskets and bungee cords occupy an insane amount of my 4 and 2 year old sons’ time in these indoor, nasty German days. I have three laundry baskets – 2 which nest and one smaller. They get turned into cages, boats, forts, train carts. The bungee cords are the real “Daddy ones” that have metal hooks on the end and my mom is always horrified that I allow them to play with them (“they’ll put their eye out”), but she isn’t here yet, so we press on homeschooling at the kitchen table while laundry basket boats get pushed by with happy giggling brothers in them.

What have I done for my marriage this week?

Been positive and flexible about the possibilities for our next duty assignment. We are due to leave Germany this summer, so now is the time when my husband has daily talks with the Pentagon to see where we will go next. He is very concerned that we will be happy at the new spot and that he will avoid any unnecessarily long deployment, but I am trying to ensure that he also keeps his own job satisfaction in mind while deciding. I really feel that way too.

What am I reading?

I just finished The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood. I am mildly enamored of her since reading The Handmaid’s Tale in college, but as an older, married woman I think I have decided that she doesn’t believe men and women can have fulfilling relationships – at least none of her characters ever do. So, I might steer away from her for awhile. I am now reading The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton because I saw it on a Mom blog. It is way lighter and set in Australia, which is a first for me. I didn’t realize how Britishy customs are there, I guess I should have figured. Good book so far.

What’s challenging me lately?

As mentioned above, I think I am too embroiled in Parish life at our chapel. Being an Army wife typically gives one the freedom to break ties and start anew every three years or so, but we have now been here longer than that. During that time I have worked hard to build a vibrant program for stay-at-home-moms who want to grow in their faith, we have weekly Scripture study and monthly guest speakers. But Satan has really been attacking the group this year. I am torn between wanting to pull out entirely for my own (and my family’s) mental health, or “sticking it out” for the sake of the other women whom I have come to treasure as dear friends.

Something that made me think?

Yesterday’s Mass readings – for the feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul – mentioned how Ananais cures Paul’s blindness when he arrives in Damascus. I couldn’t help but think of all the areas in my spiritual and intellectual life where I am blind.  God is continually placing my own Ananaiss in my life.  These friends, and even my husband speak great truths to me, I just need to pray for the humility to hear what they say with openness of heart.