Expert on the etiquette of perilous times.
Eden awoke at 3:00 this morning from a recurring nightmare of being eaten by a shark.
I made her chamomile tea and brewed up some peppermint for me. I plugged in the lights for the trees and started a video while they steeped.
All told, we were up til after six.
It is noon and I am still wearing pajamas and school is untaught, but no one has been emotionally abused.
We have all day.
SOME of you haven’t been posting very much and YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!
I realize I’m right there with you, but I’ve been tired, Baby. I’m typing this from bed. If I could get someone to brush my teeth I would just pass out.
I have a rash.
That always clears the room.
I just discovered it on Friday. It’s almost rings my neck. I keep trying to remember making a poison ivy scarf. No recollection, Senator. Have been applying salve semi-religiously. Paul helps me. At times being a human is so humbling…
We are still alive, just itchy and tired.
Will try to get good rest.
Remind me to tell you about the epiphany I had at the writer’s conference about Joseph, Mary, Jesus, God the Father, Paul, Christopher and me.
Although it’s been quiet here at Older Than Jesus you know it’s never quiet in our real world.
I had quite a big week last week, was gone a couple days and then Paul, just to remind me who the real traveler is in this family, left for four the minute I returned. He’s back now, safe and sound.
The homeschoolers are taking the week off. I built this into the schedule this summer, knowing I would crash after my conference. At odd moments I will think, “We’ve got to get back to it!” before remembering that this break is sanctioned. We are all unwinding.
Remind me to tell you about:
Eden, thumb sucker no more
the creative process
community
a horrific story about Jack
some thoughts on home education
A Ukrainian Tragedy
I will consider expressions of interest in my prioritization.
Hope everyone is well.
If I had to leave you for so long, didn’t I leave you with a nice picture? Eden thinks so. “I love that picture of me.” She said when she saw it the other day.
Who doesn’t?
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.
I arise today
Through the strength of Christ’s birth with his baptism,
Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial,
Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension,
Through the strength of his descent for the judgment of Doom.
I arise today
Through the strength of the love of Cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In prayers of patriarchs,
In predictions of prophets,
In preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors,
In innocence of holy virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.
I arise today
Through the strength of heaven:
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock.
I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me:
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptations of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in multitude.
I summon today all these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations of false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul.
Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me abundance of reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness,
Of the Creator of Creation.
St. Patrick’s Breastplate
The workshop is finished. It was great and I want to talk about some things about marriage in general. One of the guidelines the participants agree to is complete confidentiality: what comes up in the workshop stays in the workshop. I am sure you can appreciate that. In the past I have confused confidentiality and anonymity. Now I would rather error on the side of caution, which demands a certain amount of circumspection before saying anything at all.
One of the roles Paul and I filled was Prayer Captain. We shared the role, which gave us lots of opportunities to see where we struggle working together, where we don’t communicate, where we assume, where we don’t combine our strengths and divide the labor. This while we were already navigating some painful aspects of our marriage as well as feeling the heaviness of carrying others in prayer. And I think I mentioned that Eden had night terrors almost every night…
It was arduous.
Which is what marriage can be sometimes.
Way back in early December our little band of volunteers – the team – came up with a theme for this particular workshop “Receive it all/Give it all” based on part of Luke 12:48 “For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required.” One guy suggested the verse and I felt strongly about the theme. I was thinking of how, so often, we miss the gifts that our already ours: the fullness of our relationship with God, the love and grace he offers, the gifts of our families and other relationships, etc. For myself, I sometimes get a little stuck on what I think I’m not receiving or make up that “I’M GIVING SO MUCH ALREADY!”
Perhaps I’m the only one…
So there’s lots to tell, but I need to sleep.
I’ll try to write tomorrow.