Thursday Morning Freewrite

Time with God at the Memorial Union, OSU

Fifteen minutes on my timer. Here I go...

What a week. It was my birthday on Tuesday. I told George this morning that the key is to have no expectations. I had none. I had no plans, and I ended up having the most wonderful day. After the OMS Prayer watch and praying for North Africa, I got on my bike and spent some time doing Pilates in my classroom at OSU and then having time with God in the MU "Living Room." It really is one of my favorite places in town. I had a window seat and delighted in an extended time with God. 

Then, I rode my bike to Pastini's for lunch with my favorite human being: GEORGE! We had a lovely talk. He went and got me steak for dinner and lemon curd at Trader Joes' while I rode my bike home and had Centering Prayer with the nuns of East Moseley. Then I had Evening Examen Prayer (evening for them but 1:00 pm for me) with the OMS Prayer Watch people, and they sang me Happy Birthday to you! 

After this, I rested and watched a couple of show. Then I decided to take a shower, wash my hair, and get into my PJs. As I was getting out of the shower, I thought, "I have not heard from Nancy in the longest time. I wonder if she is "pulling in". Just then the doorbell rang, and it was NANCY bearing balloons and a card and chocolate! We had a nice visit. We realized we had not really spent time with each other since lunch in DECEMBER! I did drop a mean off to her after her surgery, but she said she was still on pain meds and barely remembers it. :)

So nice to catch up. Then, George and I watched The Bridge, a British-Danish mystery show starring the person in Atlantic Crossing, Sofia Helin. Such a good show but a bit dark.

I got up the next morning to lead a small group for the 2nd Half Collaborative. We shared our Beloved Charters and calling statements. It was lovely to review the Beloved Charter that I wrote five years ago. I shared it with them because there was time in the end. I think the time went well, and I was not too nervous. I am getting more comfortable, but I am realizing that I like one-on-one spiritual direction best of all. 

After this, I rushed to the athletic club to film the moves of the guy whose class I am taking over, but he didn't have the MP3 of his class, and he has not taught it in so long that he couldn't do it for me. So I am going today.

Today, I am not feeling so hot. I think it is a combo of being exhausted from leading the small group yesterday and many things coming down the pipeline that I have been a part of for the last few months. My podcast with Heidi is coming out tomorrow. She interviewed me on the "One thing that is Needful," and it was so fun because TODAY on both Lectio365 and Pray as You Go, the subject was Mary and Martha because it is the Feast of Mary and Martha today. That is so cool since that is my interview. 

I am also going to have a book club discussion on Welcoming Prayer with the Mercy Center. I have been waiting for this chapter to come up for months. YAY!

I think I am going to go back to bed though. I need to relisten to T's talk to do a blurb for it since it comes out on August 11. God is so good to make all this come to fruition. I feel like it has been months and months of work, but I can see the downhill side of it. Next, I would love to have "Contemplative Cohorts." Maybe J can help me with these? He would be so good at it. I really love his heart. 

Wow! I thought the time was up, and I looked, and it said 30 seconds. I love to freewrite. I needed to process through some stuff. Not things I would write here, but as I wrote, I processed my thoughts. LOVE LOVE LOVE!