All These Things (3): October Edition

Cliche, but let me say this: where did October go?

I realized today that the last time I blogged was when I released my book (ongoing blog tour this week, yay! Also, you can pre-order the print edition here if you’re not fond of ebooks :D), and a lot has happened from then until now that I should write about. I should, and I really want to, but work has been especially draining the past two weeks that I kinda just want to lie down and sleep when I get home.

That, and a lot of new things happened, like:

  • Last international trip for the year – Bangkok and Siem Reap! What a lovely, lovely vacation. I promise to blog about this one weekend this month. :)
  • My sister-in-law gave birth! I have a nephew! ♥ Most of my spare time goes to him (when he’s awake, anyway), so there. Isn’t he a cutie?
    apollorafael
  • Work. Oh wait, that’s not new.

October was a pretty fun month, though, and I’m not complaining. November, on the other hand, seems like it will be busy. Up until February. But…that’s not so new anyway. This kind of busy is good. :)

* * *

But look, it’s NOVEMBER. Last two months of the year! Last week, at our sisters’ household, the question was, What’s something you want to do (this year) that you haven’t done yet?

My short answer: cook a dish. I can bake fine, but I can’t cook. Or I just haven’t tried. Next goal: cook something for Christmas/New Year dinner.

Oh, but when I reviewed the goals I set for 2014, I realized that I have actually fulfilled most of them. Wow. And there’s still two months left! A lot can still happen. :)

My longer answer for that question, in one word: study. Let’s pray about this more.

* * *

To be perfectly honest, though, there’s a lot about the next two months that I feel a bit apprehensive about. Maybe it’s because I already saw a forecast of the first two months of 2015 for work, and the worrywart in me is glad there’s stuff to worry about again. Sigh, not good. But I don’t want to get lost in the busy-ness of the next two months. I don’t want to. I refuse to. Lord, give me the grace to take it slow and to breathe, and – in her words – count the thousand glittery things You’re giving me.

I felt God saying, “This is life, my girl. This is life. You don’t need to be somewhere. You don’t need to hustle. You don’t need to hurry. I just want you to suck this moment in good. You’ve come a long way. A long, long way. Be thankful and keep going. You’re so okay, my dear.”

That’s all God is asking of us at any given moment: To suck in what is what right before us– what He has placed there so intentionally– and then say thank you. Because it’s simple. And it’s true. And it’s a gift we forget to find the gratitude for. And it fills us so much more mightily than the fears and worries we stack inside ourselves when we think this day-to-day is about getting “stuff” done.

* * *

Yes, I’m also one of the many, many people caught up in the Taylor / 1989 mania. Couldn’t help it, really. Shake it Off helps in keeping me sane – shake off all the stress, I say!

Here, have an earworm. ;)

[youtube nfWlot6h_JM]

 

Thank you, October

Also known as: A little thank you. And a cute sunflower. :)

Image from we heart it

October was…crazy. Crazy busy. I wanted to blog more, really, but in the past month, I’ve come home from work just wanting to sleep, and not even read much or write. I find it funny how there were so many things that seemed to spill over from September to October, just how July spilled over to August and August to September. Ah, everything’s connected for real, I guess.

But…October has been nice, too, despite all the craziness. I know, it’s strange. But I’m really not complaining.

I know this is utterly cheesy, but if you would ask me how my heart is this month…I would use that sunflower photo above. No, I do not have a sunflower for a heart. Remember how I said that sunflowers are my favorite flowers because they’re really awesome and cheerful and they follow the sun? My heart feels like that now — like it’s…bursting. With light. And it’s looking at the sun, even if it’s night time.

I don’t know if that made sense. But allow me to be cryptic on my blog for now.

So. If you were a part of my October…thank you. If I saw you in the past month or talked to you, or we did something together or something like that, then this post is for you. :) Thank you for making my raging October brighter. Despite all the stress, despite the lack of sleep and despite everything that has happened to me and will happen, I will always remember all those bright moments in the past month and keep them in my heart. :)

Happy November, everyone. :)