I am around and am learning

I haven't posted a new quiz this week. I am still alive! Just now, I am at the close of one of the first free and quiet evenings I have had in quite some time.

Miscellaneous bits:
1. I am well under way with Christmas shopping. I could possibly be halfway done at this point. What about you? My hope is to decorate my apartment for Christmas on Friday.
2. I made some chili tonight that I looooove. I posted the recipe in the entry below and look forward to lunches and dinners and lunches and dinners of chili in the near future.
3. I am now one of Those People who purchase dog clothing for their (family) dogs. See evidence below. Micah and Asher look quite funny. Too cute! It was a one-time purchase though! I promise. hehe.


4. I have become a fan of Michael Buble's music. Listen to one of my favorites here.
5. What a wonderful time I had last weekend meeting and having lunch with Catherine and Hannah! Catherine made a beautiful lunch for the two of us, and it was a true delight to see them (and Josh) in person after being blog friends for some time. Yes, Reader, that was the very first time we met!

On a more serious note, God pricked my heart this week to consider prayerfully how I can best use my time (evenings, weekends, etc) at this stage of my life. I have been verrry busy the last couple of months and have enjoyed many things. However, that pace can only continue for so long. God has given me direction already in the last few days to be purposeful about what I do in the evenings as I consider my calendar the next couple of months. I've been compelled to remember that while activity and fellowship is great, I personally need a slower pace than having all or nearly all of my evenings booked with something outside of my home, as wonderful as those things might be. I need to pace my self and be at home more than I have been. God lead me as I thought through specific things that I do want to give my time to and also considered what kind of regular down time I need. I have generally been good in my life at not feeling like I have to say 'yes' to everything as is the tendancy, I think, in the church, whether it's related to church or not.

To sum up, below are the items that I have considered so far to be where I primarily want my time during the week to reside:

1. Developing more prayer time (serious weakness, great desire)
2. Auditing a seminary class on the Gospels
3. Seeing my family once a week outside of church
4. Exercising
5. Two evenings a week at home

I really enjoy having people over on the weekend for dinner and prepare as much as I can ahead of time so as to not be rushed that day.

I have benefited greatly from Sabbath rest for seven years (especially while studying for the CPA Exam). It is a haven for me to slow down and enjoy rest in the Lord. However, I don't want to go into the Sabbath worn out and desparate for that rest. I will welcome it either way, but some slowness interspersed in my week would allow me to skip a nap here and there if I am, say, having someone for lunch after church and want to use the afternoon for fellowship. It is a purposeful way for me to honor the Lord on the Sabbath by preparing for the Sabbath. If I run all week and collapse in a fit of nappiness after I get home church and am then too groggy to go to evening church, I am not resting purposefully but out of necessity. Does that make sense?

Have you yet needed to pray and think through something like that before? Do you need to now?