Over the last few days, I climbed up on my soap box once to many times.  Do you ever rant uncontrollably?  This week, I did.  Not pretty.

I know why I am striving and not resting — I rushed my mornings and my quiet time.  My spirit is sounding an alarm.

So, tonight while my husband is working late, I am slowing down and taking time to reflect and remember.

Here in no particular order are 10 things that this crazy girl learned this week:

1.  Shauna Niequist’s blueberry crisp is even better for breakfast.  Have you read Bread and Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table with Recipes?  I love the Shauna’s passion for community:

“When you offer peace instead of division,

when you offer faith instead of fear,

when you offer someone a place at your table

instead of keeping them out

because they’re different

or messy or somehow wrong,

you represent the heart of Christ” (p. 250).  

2.   On the subject of blueberries, I loved how God used them to speak to Sarah about brokenness and redemption:

“Each one of us has fallen out of the door,

so to speak, and instead of a wide sweep

and an I’m-done-with-you,

we’ve been picked up carefully.

Chosen, even.

And we’ve gently been made okay again.”

3.  I am fleshy.   Erin Davis shared this “Fleshy Assessment” over at True Woman, and I found was convicted after reflecting on the questions she posed.

4.  Church should be “a big, wacky family.”  Jamie says it so beautifully in her post for A Deeper Church.

5.   I need to focus on the positive, rather than whining.  Michelle’s personal story reminded me this week:

“What we’d assumed was harmless complaining

was actually fueling an undercurrent

of negativity and discontent in our marriages.”

6.  “Renaming our fears, and reclaiming our courage, takes away the power of unseen monsters.”  — Jennifer taught me 3 step to remove fear. 

7.    “Pretend your boss is Jesus.”  — These words from my pastor about Colossians 3:23 hit me hard this week.  (Check out the whole sermon on Ecclesiastes 1 here.)

8.  I  need to meditate on Ephesians 3:20 more regularly.  Elizabeth at Just Following Jesus reminded me that “He is able to take care of those I love.”

9.  “He’s got you and this week and the next one” — I loved this end of the week reminder by Lisa Jo for (in) courage.  It refreshed my spirit at the end of a long week.

10.  80’s TV Sitcoms were the best.  This week, my husband was channel surfing, and we came across a gem — A Laverne and Shirley episode where Lenny and Squiggy go on The Dating Show.  So funny!  I could not find an episode clip for you on You Tube (bummer!), but I did discover the meaning of “Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated.”  It’s a Yiddish-American hopscotch chant.  “Schlemiel” is a clumsy person, and “Schlimazel” is an unlucky person.  “Hesenpfeffer” is a type of stew.  So, the “Schlemiel” drops the “Hesenpfeffer,” and it lands on the “Schlimazel,”  or something like that… 🙂

Q4U:  What did you learn this week?
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I am joining Jesse and friends this weekend for