thankful on a thursday—a little crazy

Life these days feels a little crazy. I feel like I have so many different things to manage, and I never sit down and organize all of them at once. I'll be in the midst of putting together a to do list at work, and something on my list will remind me of an email I meant to send to a friend. So I'll open up my email and get half a sentence in before I realized I've abandoned my previous task of organizing my to do list.

A few years ago someone asked me how I kept myself organized, where was my calendar? I smiled, tapped my index finger against my temple, and said, "it's all up here." Now, I'm not at the point where life is so crazy that I'm forgetting what I'm doing when and with whom...but I am at the point where my schedule is a little more than crazy. My homebody self is not getting enough time at home, while my extroverted that-sounds-awesome-lets-do-that! self is getting PLENTY of time out with others.

I get that it's MY CHOICE to say yes or no to spending time with friends. No one is forcing me out of the house. Maybe the problem is reminding myself to stay in. Self-imposed lock-ins, or designated nights each week that I'm always home? That seems a little too rule oriented for my taste.

It's not so much about rules as it is making sure I make time for the things that, regardless of how crazy life gets, keep me grounded. It's making sure I have time to just sit with my Bible and my journal, without anything else to distract me—this is why I no longer attempt to read my Bible during lunch at work or on the bus. It is taking time to be alone, in my room, on a run, but to just be alone without music, TV or a book to distract me.

1. The peace and quiet that accompanies every run.
2. Library books.
3. A handwritten card full of love and encouragement.
4. The familiar ache in my quads as I climb the stairs, a byproduct of running regularly.
5. Hood strawberries fresh from the farmers' market.
6. The smell of coffee as I prepare to take my first sip of the day.
7. My nephew Jonah Bear, who is about to turn ONE.
8. Homemade pie, lemon meringue to be precise.
9. The light in the kitchen, early in the morning, and the inevitable sigh of relief I breathe as I sit down.
10. Last, but CERTAINLY NOT least,Kathleen Alice Simpson, who was born 28 years and one day ago today.