Barnaclebutt

I wish I could just swallow and digest the principle of growth through suffering. Then instead of freezing up or worrying or feeling unhappy, unloved, and confused I could just throw my head back and tell the universe, "bring. it. on."

If you're not sure what the heck I'm talking about, neither am I. But here is a sum up as I have been experiencing it.

God needs his children (you and me baby) to be something we might not exactly be naturally. In my case the list includes humble, patient, loving, tender, forgiving, understanding, helpful, brave, faithful, and diligent. To name a few.

And it turns out there is only one way to get us there. We need to face a heaping plateful of pain. Because when we are faced with something that tears us up, scares the beejeebers out of us, and seems insurmountable on our own we (hopefully) start listening to God. We recognize that any peace or success we have is going to come from him.

So here is my promise to myself today: when something happens that I can't stand, instead of reacting with anger or fear or hurt, I am just going to let it sit awhile. I'm going to say to myself, "this is okay, just a little piece of pain pie to shine me up a bit, and with God's help I can totally handle it."

Something tells me I am not entirely good at follow thru.

My garden is growing...weeds. Tomatos and squash too.

The downstairs bathroom is 90% done, but I got derailed when a potential buyer came to see the house. I decided to cease improvements and leave the trim unpainted and the floor unfinished. I don't want anyone else to like the house (was that wrong?).

Ellie and I haven't done our reading homework in 4 days.

I'm not even talking about Scouts.

Fat flush has flushed some pounds but I stepped delicately off that train for an entire weekend of banana bread, corn chowder, blt on white bread, blueberry muffin, pizza, and an entire plate of antipasta at the Trucker Huss poker tourniment.

And I love diet coke. Help me Obi Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope.

So come on over and walk around, enjoy the calm. It should last, oh, maybe overnight and until I'd say, 9 a.m. tomorrow.

Look, Riley is enjoying it.

We saw these guys in Santa Barbara; they are my inspiration.

My slothful week continues fairly successfully. Exhibit Tuesday:

Woke up, put on sweats and went to track, got out of car, decided it was too cold to walk/run, returned home and went back to bed.

Got up to take Marc to Bart (like the Metro), returned home and went back to bed.

Somewhere in there Ellie got in bed with me so when I woke up the third time we were able to enjoy her hooked on phonics lesson in, you guessed it, bed.

Finally got up in time to drive into Berkeley and be taken out to lunch by the parents. Thanks guys!

Drove home to pick up the kids' swim suits and then scooted over to Dana's to watch the kids swim while we lounged and chatted. Okay, I lounged...Dana managed to throw Cabbo (her doggie) in the pool, find goggles, make cookies, and give a visiting teaching lesson while I sat there.

For dinner I am exerting all my strength and warming up pizza. Marc will be pleasantly surprised since last night I said I couldn't make dinner and had to be taken out. Progress!

In a minute I'll have to take Jonathan to Lacrosse but my plan is to wait in the car with my (embarrassingly juvenile) book, "Dragon Champion."

At various times today I have considered and rejected as too taxing: laundry, grocery shopping, making my bed, vacuuming, washing the dog, and organizing my desk. Perhaps tomorrow? Perhaps.

Okay, I know, you're wondering if I ever have any thoughts that aren't random. Just because I can't think about one thing for more than five minutes doesn't mean I don't do anything deliberate. I do. I plan (sort of), I just...forget...the plan...later.

2. I saw a large lady at the beach in Santa Barbara wearing a skirt with a petticoat, a leather vest, and a cowboy hat with a coon's tail hanging from the back. She was walking two Irish Wolfhounds. Wow, I have been dying to get that off my chest! I think she was Hagrid's sister.

3. I also saw a man on the sidewalk wearing skin tight gold pants, his hair was a white blond mullet and he was singing. Not making this up.

4. Am loving the "Hooked on Phonics" reading program for Ellie. Thanks Aunt Ree.

5. Lastly, how does anyone get anything done in the summer? I feel SO lazy. I'm thinking of renting "24" from blockbuster.

6. Well I have to add one more because now that I told you about gold pants man and coon tail lady I have to tell you about the group of 5 black surfer girls all suited up in wetsuits and talking smack that I passed at the beach in L.A. That was funny.