Today is the first day in oh so many days that I have been by myself in my home with more than a few minutes to fill and feeling healthy. My wonderful mom was here right before Thanksgiving and I savored every minute of that visit. We cooked some of the dishes for my family's Thanksgiving day meal and put them in the freezer, decorated for Christmas and just enjoyed being together. It was a splendid visit!
Then Thanksgiving was upon me, followed quickly by a trip to Pennsylvania, where I spoke to the women's Bible study groups of Christ Community Church in West Chester. I had a lovely time there and thoroughly enjoyed seeing what God is doing at that powerful church. My hostess Carla picked my brain asking me question upon question about my salvation, my calling into ministry, my experiences as a pastor's wife, and my family. And I loved answering her questions. She reminded me just how wonderful it feels to have someone so interested in you that they dig into the depths of your soul a little. That's a gift...and a treasure. Thank you, Carla, for caring enough to want to know about me!
When I got home from Pennsylvania I went straight to work! I took a little part time job at Talbots for the Christmas season. I wanted to try something new, get out of my comfort zone, meet some new people and earn a little cash for Christmas. I just work five hours at a time, and I'm absolutely loving helping women shop. That's right up my alley!
So I worked last Friday and Saturday, was home sick with a stomach bug on Sunday and worked again Monday and Tuesday. Today I returned to teach my final women's Bible study classes of the semester. I love those ladies! I tell them frequently that they are the highlight of my week, and that's no exaggeration. There's just nothing sweeter than talking about our loving, trustworthy and gracious God with other women who love Him as much as I do. And they are all such devoted students of the Word, whether they are struggling to get their little ones to nap so they can open their Bibles for a few minutes or they are more seasoned women with more time at their disposal. And then there's my evening class, which I'll meet with in a couple of hours, that is full of working women who make time in their busy schedules to draw aside with their Bibles each day. I love that these women love God enough to work at getting to know Him and I love that they love His Word!
I had lunch with a dear friend after Bible study this morning. The weather is cool, but sunny and a little balmy here in southern Arizona, so we grabbed lunch at Wendy's and headed to a local park to eat outside. We laughed and listened and talked about big and little things. She smiled when I needed her to smile and nodded when I craved a little affirmation. When I shared my heart she didn't think I was a fruitcake. That's always a plus.
And this afternoon, before I sat down with a cup of tea to touch base with you, I tried a recipe I came across on Pinterest for old-fashioned shortbread. I used this recipe here. And it turned out pretty well. The texture is great. I should have made mine a little thicker than I did and I'd add a little more sugar for my sweeter tooth next time, but I'll definitely save this recipe. It's the perfect accompaniment to hot tea or afternoon coffee.
I made the little cookies today because I already had the ingredients on hand and because I felt like I needed to do a little something just for me. I wanted to enjoy my decorated house and the quiet of my home. I wanted to do something a little domestic, but I didn't want a long drawn out project. Sometimes I just need to putter. You too?
What do you enjoy doing when you have a little chunk of time to enjoy the solitude of your home? Do you find yourself longing to do those simple things a little more during the Christmas season? I'd love to hear from you!Labels: nothing much, Tea Talk
