Dracula - Continuing with my October spooky books
Study is Hard Work - On my list. I think I do most of the things he recommends, but I love that it is a book a 50s professor, and he quotes the Bible regularly!
Nine Lenses on the World - It is my primary text for the Enneagram credentialing course, but I have another eight days to read one chapter, and I have not read it yet. But it is on my list.
Here is a "Spiritual Location Exercise" for contemplation.
Each question starts with "In this season of your life . . .
#1. What have been your dominant thoughts?
When will I be able to thoroughly walk again back to my normal pace and duration? Will I be OK to hike up hills on our trip in November? When will the boys both have permanent jobs? Should I move up to Hillsboro to be with George? When do we close up shop here in Corvallis? Will I have the discipline to lose the weight I gained during my recovery from my broken tibia?
#2. What have been your dominant feelings?
Dominant is peace. Really and truly. I know that God has a plan for my boys. I just would like to see some movement. It was a blow to have Michael lose his job when they had just said, "we don't want to lose you." He had a great interview but lost to the other person when it was down to two. Since then, no new prospects. I am sad. They seem to be fine, but I am anxious and sad for them.
Excitement about getting to spend nine straight days with George on an adventure.
Peaceful about the direction that he has for in spiritual direction. I think I was born to do this.
Excited to learn all I can from Dale in my Enneagram nine month course and the ten hour course with Russ Hudson.
#3. What has been the condition of your body?
Pain and spasming at my serratus posterior inferior. Every once in a while, he makes it worse, and I am not sure if it was my doctor or his medical students messing with my back, but it is spasming where it did not do this the WHOLE time I had my recovery. So I am frustrated that I even went yesterday. My foot is much better (walking on it after no weight bearing for 6 weeks made it really jammed up). So, I am just laying low all day today and might not even go to Missional Community. I need to not sit in a chair too long.
Plateaued on my weight. I lost 5.5 pounds of the 10 that I gained and then I have kept at that weight for the last 2 1/2 weeks. I have done really well the last three days. So I think I am going to break that plateau, but I am frustrated that I have not been more diligent about getting this weight off. I knew it would happen because so much of my maintenance is burning calories.
Other than that, my leg is recovering ever so nicely. It is great to walk again!
#4. What has been your strongest desire?
To see my boys established in their jobs and relationships. Michael is thriving living in Salem and being so independent, and Paul is recovering from another surgery and he took care of me so well during my recovery. Now is the time for both of them to find those jobs. Big desire.
Personally, I think it is to recover the fitness I lost from my fractured tibia.
I feel so great with the Lord who has been my strength through all of this. I want to establish a practice of spiritual direction that helps others draw to the Lord in deeper and more real ways.
#5. Where are you today? (i.e. how would you describe it?)
Today, I am forced into resting my spasming back. So I am content with what God has given me for today. I would love to ride my bike and still might because this spasming might just be my body adjusting to the manipulation. We will see. I will be wise. In the meantime, I will read and study.
#6. What is God doing in this season of your life?
The word that comes to my heart is: REBUILDING. I am rebuilding my strength. I am rebuilding my ministry as I took such a big break (that I loved by the way). Maybe another word is REENTERING.
A picture is that I have been watching other people surf the wave of the Spirit and have enjoyed watching their rides. I have been sitting on the shore with Jesus just soaking up the rays of God's love, but I am slowly getting back in the water with my board. I need to do this incrementally with no one pushing me. My waves are coming, and I will paddle out to meet them at just the right time.
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