Thoughts for Thursday

It is an honor to post my very first “Thoughts for Thursday.”  The tradition is long and distinguished here at BC, but it has been a while since the last Thoughts for Thursday post.  Here goes….

What am I cooking?  Tonight’s meal is a family favorite, a one-pan wonder that requires little prep:  Greek chicken with potatoes and mushrooms.  I use boneless thighs, cut back the oil to 1/3 cup, add water instead of broth, and it comes out perfectly every time.  It feeds our family of five eaters with no left-overs.  Yum.

What are my weekend plans?  This weekend we’ll make a trip to Chicago for a friend’s wedding.  Chicago is 7 hours away by car (we’ll be driving).  To ensure success, I have been loudly collecting special items for weeks to excite my children:   two flavors of applesauce squeezies (you know, the bagged apple sauces that are way more expensive than the family-sized bottle), cherry juice boxes (always a super-treat), and bags of fish crackers.  I also let each of my kids choose a sticker book at a recent school book fair, with the stipulation that they would be enjoyed only on our car ride.   I think I have succeeded.  My kids have been counting down the days to our trip for the past two weeks.  Even the two year old asks me daily when we are driving to Chicago. 🙂

What are my prayer intentions for the day?  Earlier this week I was a panelist on a pro-choice/pro-life physician perspectives panel at my medical school alma mater.  I have been praying for those who were present at the panel ever since.  I find it challenging and humbling to voice the pro-life perceptive in such a limited time segment, with colleagues who so vehemently disagree, in an environment where my perspective is such a dramatic minority.  But, it is necessary.  The medical community needs to hear the truth when it comes to matters of life.

What can my children do instead of watching TV?  I’ll be honest that earlier this week, TV was my best friend.  We normally watch very little if any TV during the week, but in the past 14 days we’ve had two bouts of the stomach flu and I couldn’t have been more thankful for Sesame Street and Daniel Tiger.  Now that we’re on the mend (hopefully!), we’re back to making pilgrim paper puppets, thanksgiving cards to send to friends, and playing at the park before it snows again.

What have I done for my marriage this week?  This semester I have been teaching an undergraduate physiology course, and to be honest, it has been a lot more work than I anticipated.  I am teaching a lab once night a week and end up preparing my lectures late into the night on both weekdays and the weekend.  I’ve realized that those evening preoccupations have taken a toll on my time with my husband most of all.  T has never complained, which I appreciate, but it’s no fun to have a preoccupied spouse for 5 months.  Last night I put away my lecture materials and made sure that we sat together on the couch for the evening after the kids were in bed: no agenda, just being together.  If  I ever teach another course, I’ll need to be sure that I protect time for T just like I have protected time for my kids this time around.

What am I reading?  A physiology chapter on blood.  Gotta brush up for my lecture tomorrow.

What is one product that made my life easier?  T recently bought us a Roomba iRobot.  “Robie,” as my kids have named him, has become a fast family friend.  The kids are mesmerized by it.  T comes home almost everyday and offers to put Robie to work.  I don’t care how much the iRobot cost if it means that my husband enjoys doing the vacuuming everyday!  🙂  I am amazed at the amount of stuff the vacuum picks up off our floor.  To think that previously I was lucky to vacuum once every 2 weeks!  So far, as you can tell, we’re giving a glowing recommendation.

What is challenging me lately?  The following quote from Mother Theresa:  “Be humble and you will never be disturbed. It is very difficult in practice because we all want to see the result of our work. Leave it to Jesus.”  In both my family and professional endeavors, I need to proceed with more humility.  Lord, have mercy, and help me leave it all to you.