Lists

As I sat here thinking about writing, my tea got cold.  Tea is one of the things on my list, but I never actually drink a full cup because I forget about it and it gets cold.  But for some reason I think it would be a good thing to drink a cup of tea each day.  I think there is something about drinking tea that says you've taken the time to sit still for a few minutes.  There was a time when that would have only been a fantasy.  A time when my house was anything but calm and restful.  But toddlers grow up.  

Lists!  One of my favorite things.  I started making a list of how I could use this blog and got distracted thinking about how much I love lists.  Putting words down on paper helps me to clear out clutter in my brain and sort out the useful and useless.  My lists often turn into charts that turn into drawings and sketches as the ideas develop and take on a life of their own.  


Back in the days of toddlers I made one of my favorite lists.  It was really an outlet for venting.  I was a geographic single mom... Marine Corps wife with two preschoolers at home living on an island thousands of miles away from family.  I was feeling the pressure from all sides.  Truly in that situation all that can be done are the essentials.  Keeping two active little ones alive, safe and fed AND not loose your mind while your husband is overseas doing who knows what (I did not want to know) is all the time there is in a day.  At the same time though there are the pressures from all around...  you've got to exercise, spend time on yourself, read a book, plan good healthy meals, keep a clean house, know your neighbors...  And there is pressure from all the 'perfect' Christian ladies at church...  have a quiet time every morning (What exactly is 'quiet'?), memorize scriptures, be involved in Bible Study, meditate, spend time in prayer....  


I think I lost it when my dentist said  "You have to floss every day."  I walked out of his office thinking he's got to be kidding.  If I hear one more thing that has to be done every day I'm going to lose it.  I sat down and started a list of all the things that were expected of me.  Without a pause I came up with a list of 200 things.  I decided I would floss later.  The list helped.


I've got some changes coming up soon that will make the next year a little different for me. (I think) I'm believe this blog may be a good way for me to make a list of what needs to happen this year, keep myself on track, to sort through the pieces of my life and find out what should stay and what should go.  


(I do floss by the way.)