monday rest

today is monday.
i was supposed to sub but i cancelled.  too much to do.
bills, budget, bank.
piano stuff.
phone calls.
license plates.
grocery shopping.

after i finally got my act together this morning, i went to walmart.
on the way, a man called. he saw my sign advertising piano. i thought - yay another student! he wanted to sell me a package with windstream, the internet company we already have and hate. but there's no competing companies. so we're stuck with it. i tried to be friendly.
i walked into walmart. no list.
could have sworn i grabbed it. i ripped it out of my notebook. i made the list saturday. had no idea what was on it today. because it's monday. that is 2 whole days to forget my list. ugh. said a polite goodbye to the advertising man on the phone and the man who just gave me the cart at the door. back home for the list.
15 minute drive.
list is on the counter.
yay.
back to walmart. feeling a little irritated.
then i remember that last night, we served food with the salvation army out of a truck downtown.  the food wasn't very good. we gave out 100-ish meals. to people who were waiting outside for not-very-good-mac-and-cheese-chicken-casserole from a truck.  and then i realize it's not that big of deal to have to go get the list because then i can go back to walmart and get fresh food to make for this week.
do my shopping. $30 on this week's groceries. this is why i make a list. score!!
get home. can't find the mozzerella. just had it yesterday. probably i threw it out on accident. it is nowhere to be found...
can't find the stamps.  just bought them last week. a new packet. cute christmas ornament stamps. nowhere to be found. they're probably with the mozzerella.
there are other things on my mind. i'm distracted. hence all the forgetting. forgetting despite the bajillion lists i made in the last couple days.
i'm distracted by the mom of a piano student who is a jehovah's witness.  we're meeting wednesday.  she is misled. i feel the spiritual warfare in my soul.
i am burdened for another mom who said to me "I'm starting to worry about where I'm going when I die" as i lent her the book "how good is good enough."  yet, i'm glad the Lord brought her to me and opened her heart and we're getting together this week.
i'm burdened for the people in need around me and around the world.

meanwhile, still can't find the mozzerella, stamps, AND i forgot something at walmart. distracted.

then i turn on my new favorite CD that one of my bestest friends in the whole wide world sent me for my birthday. the song i turn to is "restless." 
that's how i felt all morning. and yesterday.
restless.
the lyrics say....

and i'm restless... until i rest in you, o God.

so true. i listen to it repeatedly, singing it from my heart. praying. resting for a few moments. choosing an attitude of rest over anxiety. an attitude of gratefulness over grumbling.

Jesus invites us into his sweet rest. are you resting in Him today?
i am. and this afternoon is shaping up to be nice and peaceful.

p.s. the other day, i sent my husband an email in all lowercase letters. his first comment in his response was "i like the lowercase. very artsy." :) so, i'm going for it again. haha all these deep thoughts are making me feel artsy. and i'm really not artsy. so the only way i can express my artsy feelings is through lowercase letters on this blog. 

Kisses from Katie

That is the title of the book I just read.  Just read in a total of 4 hours.  Just read in 3 hours last night and 1 hour this morning. 

Just read, as in, finished 10 minutes ago. in tears. happy and sad tears.
Tears for the brokenness of this world.
Tears of repentance for my materialistic dreams, self-reliance, selfishness, desire to live in safety.
Tears of rejoicing in the truth that Jesus has come to bind up the brokenhearted and set the captives free.
Tears of rejoicing that Jesus will return again to take his children home to an eternity where we are restored.

Long story short, a young woman from a wealthy neighborhood in Tennessee was obedient to God's call on her life - she moved to Uganda and he is using her miraculously to accomplish his purposes there.  He is using her story to convict my heart (and probably many others).

This book is not a guilt trip.  It's a testimony of God's greatness.  Of the truth of the gospel.

I am still processing it and don't have anything more insightful to say, except that I will be sharing it with everyone I know.

Go get it.  Immediately :)


If you can't stop what you're doing right now and go get it, here's the link to her blog... a good place to start.
And THIS is the website for her ministry.  Perhaps all the women in your family should get a necklace from this ministry for Christmas this year?!?!? 

Right now...

I stole this idea from this blog.  (I don't know her. is that creepy?)

Right now, I am...

listening: to nothing. and it's peaceful.

feeling: cozy. heat on. windows closed. thoughts of carmel apple cider dancing in my head.

watching: The Office & Parks and Rec.  (not this second, but in life).

missing: my dear friend Kristen.

this feels like a super old pic! when she was preggo with her firstborn (who's almost 3 and has an 11-month old bro) and I was in college. 

wondering: whether or not I'll teach in public schools again

reading: The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer

thankful: for God's provision and love

excited: for this weekend

i turn 24. that feels old.

working: on gathering Christmas music for all my students (except the Jehovah's witness kid) and coming up with a fun winter contest!

praying: for a piano student's mom who asked to borrow "how good is good enough?"

admiring: these china patterns

would i get sick of turquoise? it's so pretty. not very compatible with christmas decor. but so pretty. life's hard choices. :)

avoiding: my "insanity" workout

wanting: to learn how to sew... so i can make things like this for less than $40

excited: for a night with 2 girls from my bible study

anticipating: involvement with "city impact"

what are you doing?