Small Success Thursday

When I first began blogging, a site called “Faith and Family” ran a regular posting, “Small Success Thursday,” and this coupled with “7 Quick Takes” on Friday, allowed for a structure to blogging that has fallen to the wayside as people abandoned those online journals that covered the internet like spring pollen in the early 2000’s or Oughts as the kids say.    It proved a good exercise for reflecting back on the week and promoting gratitude, and I’m restarting it here.

It’s Small Success Thursday –what were my small successes for the week?

1) I restarted writing –something the love of, had evaporated because I wasn’t letting myself plunge into feeling, feeling hurt.
2) We went to Ocean City and ate bad for you good tasting food and walked in the ocean.  I terrified myself by driving over bridges and going on the ferris wheel that was very very very open.  Even thinking about it, makes me shiver.
3) We held a feast for the return of our daughter from Chicago, and my son and his girlfriend also came –it was a joyful moment for all.
4) My son returned from his vacation abroad –and had a great time.  I am enjoying my swiss chocolate stash.  I may or may not be sharing.
5) I took care of financial aid, accountant info, scheduled a hair appointment and a doctor appointment –so I’m working on taking care of the details.
6) My daughter got me to do 25 minutes of yoga.   I have learned, my body is stiff.
7) I scheduled a late lunch date with a friend since plans to hang out with my sister were squashed.

These are things we did, and they were fun.

Now, things I am grateful for:

1) This pastoral letter by Bishop Mark Brennan –he was the pastor at our church for many years and is a dear friend and spiritual father to my family. It is a thoughtful and loving rebuke that shows reflection, prayer, and an earnest desire to call all to Christ.

2) The Brown Scapular –I remember my dad wearing one, and I’ve owned one, but caught a program on the radio discussing it –Women of Grace, and that led me to do more research, and I know, I’ve worn it a few days now, and it’s like the Blessed Mother is helping me, guiding me to pray and redirecting me when I get distracted. (Which is often).

3) Tomato Salad –in the summer, I think I could possibly live on this alone.  My husband’s garden is full of a variety of tomatoes, and every day, there’s a new feast.   If you drew my blood right now, I suspect 25% would be basalmic, and 45% olive oil, –it’s been a good summer.

4) Fun summer reads.  I finished “Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone,” and am slow reading the sequel.   You can’t do summer without losing yourself in a book.

5)  We went to the zoo this week and saw the pandas and elephants and these horses that were declared extinct.  

Now, there’s a herd of these beautys, undomesticated horses -Prewalski’s horses in Virginia.

So, what did you do this week that was fun, and what are you grateful for?  Part of what made the internet fun, was people participating.  Consider leaving a comment with those things in the past week that made this week sparkle with wonder and joy and hope.   Or, if you had a rough week, leave a prayer request.  I promise to honor it by folding your intentions into my rosary.  Mary’s helping me get back into the swing of things.