Tuesday Freewrite

I had a good day yesterday. I know not working has given me much more time than I realized. This time last year, I was teaching six classes a week. That is six extra hours teaching plus commuting time and prep time and weight training that I did after the classes that amounted to about 13 hours a week. So I have had that extra time every single week in the fall. I hope I have used that time wisely.

I am almost certain I will use the Tetlow 18th annotation of the Spiritual Exercises for M. I don't know if I will have the time to adapt my 19th annotation by January, and I have always been curious to use his with another person. I love how he has a handout every week for the person, and on the back of the original are tips for the director for that week. He also has additional "brief" notes. I paid a lot of money for that thing (then my directed gave me his copy so I really did not need to buy it, but it went to a good cause). I am so grateful for this opportunity to invest in someone. I am going to chose not to make it awkward because she is a peer in my training cohort. It can be really fun because I really like her. 

I finished both Half of a Yellow Sun and Salt Houses. WOW! Both were excellent stories. Then, this morning, I meditated on Isaiah 11:1-10 about Jesus being the "root of Jesse" and what he will do for the nations. I was struck by that familiar verse of the "earth being filled with the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea," and I decided that part of my obsession with reading is to open my eyes up to the world. Both novels were works of historical fiction dealing with the history of their region. So, I decided to pray for these places after I finish reading about them in the novels. I learned about the history of Nigeria and the Palestinian's migration from Palestine to Kuwait to Jordan to Lebanon to America. I started reading about the Chernobyl accident after I was done with my novels too. So, this morning I prayed for Kuwait and Belarus. I will pray for the other places throughout the week. Jesus will judge all of the things that I have gone on through history. My heart breaks for people when they are displaced or injured due to a lack of responsibility of those in charge. 

Today, I meet with K for SD or just for lunch. I can tell by her texts that she is stressed. So I hope to get to the bottom of this in prayer. I want to be prepared. Our lives are so different as she still has two at home and is working more than half time. I really do have a much more serene life, but I am eleven years older so life does slow down. 

I continue to pray for my kids to find their passion in a career. I pray they can make some decisions about their future, even if that means graduate school. I cannot live their lives for them. I have let go and still have an amazing amount of hope!

One thing I did not do yesterday is schedule my SD times for the month. I need to do that. ACK! I wish someone would help me set up some online kind of system. I think this hit or miss, willy nilly is not for me. :) 

OK, I am off to get the 18th annotation set up for M and to do a little Enneagram work for my class. 

BYE!