cozy day.

today is the first day in a long time that my afternoon priority has been something other than "nap." it's really pretty wondrous to experience being a little more spunky than usual. but it's sort of cozy-spunky. sort of as an added benefit, i'm ready to get my crafty on.

i got a beautiful letter from a dear friend today, in which she reminisced a bit about old times we had on Nightingale Way, sipping tea, enjoying the silence of a grey day like this, talking or not talking, praying, cleaning up, making a mess in the kitchen. just reading the letter made me rummage through my sock drawer to find my Echte-Deutsche-Oma-Socken [socks made by a real German grandma], because i always had to borrow some woolly goods to warm my soggy feet after a drippy uphill trot.

so, while neither of us have the opportunity to go back in time and over the sea to revisit that peaceful street, i kind of got inspired again. life's been busy lately. i get so many phone calls, it's almost overwhelming [i'm a 4 phone calls per year type girl, whether i need to or not]. and these are all from my recent explosion in acquaintance with medical professionals. i'm feeling ok in general, for which i am truly grateful. but being sick takes time, as do working and sleeping and playing with nephews and driving around the prairie for hours on end.

so now it's time for that loveliest of questions, "what shall i do with these hands You've given me?" i've had a bit of a dry spell, creatively speaking. sort of. i go in spurts. i read about another creative person [musician/artist/writer] who couldn't really do more than one "medium" at a time- she'd go through a painting season, and later a writing season, and then a music season. i was grateful to read that. i've loosened up a lot on self-expectation and over-achieving-eager-beaver-ness, but i still feel the need to achieve sometimes. i think we all do.

anyway, the most recent season has been one of hearing and learning new music. and also of playing classical [of course]; i find that the dip into colder temperatures has made me really crave bach and handel and other more baroque composers. [i was wild about the romantic period this fall.] i play some of these baroque pieces and take an imaginative trip into a chilly cathedral and soak in the ambience. i'm not that big on cathedrals, but my heart will skip a few beats upon hearing a good pipe organ. and i can't help but love bach's heart. and the way his mind worked. and the way his hands played.

it's been a season of reading and pondering and reading and praying and taking a proverbial bath in Scripture. so strong are the promises. and they all fit together so perfectly. the Word is living and active in my life- are you letting it transform your mind? let's be washed in the water of the Word. time is short.

i've missed riding my bike, but walking isn't so bad. it's always good fun to walk as fast as possible, until my hands regain their warmth. but i'll miss my bike. i know i talk about it alot. it was such a peaceful outlet. i love fresh air. and riding fast. and watching the scenes by the bike path change from week to week.

i haven't really even been reading much else lately. i have about 12 half-read books on my bedside table [always]. i like them when i read them. but it isn't really much of a reading season. i started another one yesterday. we'll see how that goes.

it's been a writing season for sure. i guess that has been my creative outlet. maybe you haven't noticed, but words have regained their preeminence on this blog. i probably have some photos to upload. but words are nice.

anyway, getting back to the creative thing, i think i'm ready to be crafty again. i love being crafty. but i am not as craft-prone as some, being of a more painstaking and deliberate nature. i really wish i had learned how to knit socks, because i think it would be a good outlet for my hands. i love using my hands. i have mentioned this before. hands are the best. if i were to lose my hands someday, i know God's grace would supply all my need, but i would miss them something dreadful. i am so thankful God gave us hands.

i like the quietness of this current season. it's chilly and the sun is setting earlier every day and the wind makes your nose run and your cheeks flush, but it's really wonderful to feel winter. i shan't wish for any great storm of snow, but i wish every year for that first-snowfall-night's perfect quietness and wonder and snow-so-quiet-you-can-hear-every-flake-fall. i think when there's peace in our hearts, nearly everything is more lovely.

i might sew something tonight. or make some really delicious cookies. or paint. or something.

but no matter what i do today, it'll be a little slow. no pressure. "sometimes i just sits and thinks, and other times i just sits."

sits-ing is good too.