Thank Goodness It's Sunday #7... and reading list #10

It's a difficult day to say I'm Grateful it's Sunday because it's also Mother's Day. Difficult for far too many reasons, but the goal isn't to be perfect but to be a little better than I was before.

~I attended church. I had actually specifically planned not to attend church because it's all about Mother's Day. I didn't want to deal with it. I even stayed up late reading, so I'd sleep in. I didn't. In a very informal prayer, I talked to God about the day. And the words could almost have been whispered in my ear, "I want you to go to church, today." I sighed and replied silently, "You know why I decided I wasn't going to do that, today." "I know, and I understand, but I want you to go, today." I sighed again. "For You, I'll go." "That's all I ask." So I went. I chose to sit on the opposite side. Good thing, as the perfumey couple showed up a few minutes late, as usual, on the other side. I didn't have to move. One of the women greeted me warmly as she usually does. We exchanged names, again, and were both grateful that the other was willing to admit they couldn't remember the name. She wished me an uncertain Happy Mother's Day, almost as if she knew it might not be the right thing to say. It touched my heart. Then the cutest little blond boy, maybe four or five years old, walked to the back of the chapel to give me a little cellophane bag containing a carnation corsage. I watched him walk back to his mom, who mouthed to me, "Happy Mother's Day." But I felt like a fraud. I wasn't married and wouldn't and couldn't have children, and my two furry children were waiting for me at The Rainbow Bridge. I couldn't keep it, but I didn't want to waste it. A young couple, with a baby, came in a little late and sat in front of me. I gave the little gift to her. I'm sure she would have been given one at the end of the meeting, but I was pleased to see her pin it on, while her husband held their precious little baby. (And I mean little.) I couldn't sing the opening song; it was all I wanted and didn't have, couldn't have. I stayed for the Sacrament, a then left. My back had had as much as it could take. I walked home, but part way there, a neighbor was also headed my direction and asked if I needed a ride. Thanks but no, I really needed to stretch my back. The only reason I went was because God asked it of me, and I'm not sorry I did.

~As always, I'm grateful for good friends, who understand when I fall apart and don't tell me to buck up, especially as I'm quite capable of doing that myself, but they do try to make me smile and laugh, after they've acknowledged my right to be sad.

~Cooler weather, coming this week. Maybe I'll be able to salvage some of the blackberries. Again I say: God bless farmers!

~So many good people in this world, who care about others, and continue to move forward in Hope.

~And, of course, good books. I took the weekend to read Stephanie Meyer's The Host. Oh, my goodness! One of my nieces let me borrow her copy. Thank you!! I'll be purchasing my own copy soon, to keep. Wow. I also tried a new author, Anne Patrick's Lethal Dreams. A "sweet" or "inspirational" suspense (depending from which publisher you take your definition). Dr. Erin Jacobs is a sports physical therapist. She stumbles on a crime scene where two officers have been shot, Detective Logan Sinclair and his partner. The story is well paced; the characters are engaging; and there are some great twists and turns. She is now on my must-buy list. Unfortunately, her books go to ebook format first, so I have to wait for them to come out in print, but well worth the wait. I'm past the introduction to Sink Reflections and have been struggling with how to do much of anything when so much doesn't apply to me. To start, what to do about the shiny sink, since I don't have my own kitchen. I chose a spot on my desk that easily gets cluttered, but I feel so much better if it isn't. Marla would call it a Hot Spot, but I need a sink to shine every night, and I'm choosing this spot. I figure I've got plenty of other Hot Spots that renaming one won't hurt. I've been working on it for a couple of days, and I really do enjoy seeing that one spot look like I want it to look. Now that I've made that adjustment, I think it will be easier to make more.

And a final note about preparedness: I've been trying different instant potatoes. My favorite are the ones from the bishop's storehouse, potato buds, if I can get them, but otherwise I prefer the ones that only require adding water, as opposed to those that require adding water, milk, salt, and butter. Both seem to have the same shelf life. If I'm going for long-term type stuff, easier is better.