7 Roiling Takes

7 Roiling Takes December 9, 2016

One
Didn’t mean to become all Book all the time, but considering that I only held it in my hands for the first time this week, I don’t think I’m doing too badly. So, before I go on to more important matters, I just have to say a big thank you to CT for putting my little effort on this list, and for the amazingly kind words of Karen. I want to gush gratitude everywhere, but I’m so overwhelmed I don’t even know where to begin. For those of you who kept running into me at church over the last month, you’ll know I succumbed to a tidal wave of anxiety, furrowing my brow and not sleeping anymore. I think it’s because, even though I write here every day, I was super anxious people would get the wretched book in the mail, open it up, and think, “Oh for heaven’s sake. How dumb is this.” It’s an exposing, naked feeling. Think of it as the Dumpster Fire of My Vanity. So, I’m relieved to have gotten through the week, and most especially thrilled with this most delightful meme.

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Two
Just spent an entire half an hour scrolling through pictures of a hundred years of the royal family. Haven’t gotten to finish the Crown yet, which means I haven’t even started the Gilmore Girls. #failing Can’t put my finger on exactly why the pictures are so compelling, except maybe pure escapism.

Three
Every day a child comes and asks me when we’re getting a tree, and every day I look at which ever child it is (different ones very time) in a rage of incomprehension. A Tree? Now? Sometime? It’s cold! Is the basement clean? Can I find any ornaments? Why do you want a tree? There are trees outside. Isn’t this new glorious house enough for you? Go do more math! Nevertheless, I feel the sad day of tree acquiring on the horizon looming up before me. I’m going to have to face it. There’s something like only two weeks left.

Four
THERES ONLY TWO WEEKS LEFT.

Five
There’s only two weeks left…..”So when is Jesus coming back?” One of the little girls asked this over luncheon the other day. We’re reading through Revelation because they don’t have enough fear going on in their lives. Yesterday it was the four horsemen of the apocalypse which didn’t faze them at all. “That seems cool” seemed the general consensus. “We don’t know when Jesus is coming back,” said Matt to this child, “so we just need to be ready all the time.” “Ready for what?” asked another child who was smearing ketchup together with mayonnaise in a large ocean around a plate. “Can we have our calendar chocolate know?” asked a third who was lying on her tummy on the chair feeding cold French fries to the dog.

And that’s why we hate Family Devotions.

Six
It’s not like I myself don’t read books. I do read books, I just read them all out loud to the children. So they are not the stack of books I want to be reading. Not that I don’t want to be reading books to the children, but, it feels like they don’t count. But still, in a few short months I’ve read out to the kids two of Dorothy Mills history books (which I won’t lie, I really enjoyed, great ancient history refresher), The Princess and the Goblin and Princess and Curdie (which, if you want to see the source and roots of both Tolkien and Narnia are a must read, however fantastical they are), JH Tiner’s The History of Medicine (again, but good every time) and some book or other about the Middle Ages. All these are children’s books, but, they are still books. And I spend a big chunk of every day beating out my vocal chords on them. So, it’s not like I don’t read. That’s what I’m trying to say. It’s just that I Haven’t Had Time To Finish Finding Livelihood by Nancy Nordenson which when I have a moment for a snatch I Totally Am Loving. Plus lots of others.

Seven
Speaking of which, which I wasn’t, if you want to leave an Amazon review of my book on Amazon, where you can also buy it, then I would be super grateful, as would my publisher. If you don’t want to, I mean, that’s fine too. I’m really good at meaning to do things, intending to do them, planning to do them, writing it down on my list to do them, and then Never Actually Doing Them. Sorry for all the caps today. Someday I will sleep again and everything will be completely deescalated.

Go read more takes, especially Kelly this week, and maybe say a prayer for the family in her life who is in such devastating grief.


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