Around the House: February

An unusually mild winter is finally giving way to some seasonal weather, though not nearly enough.  I want to hop into my calendar page, all white and glistening. I can almost smell the crisp air, feel it burn my lungs. It seems as if this year, my hopes for winter evenings of reading and snuggling by firelight are all but dashed. Yet in my disappointment, there are plenty of blessings.

~A week at home, which allowed me time to clean out closets and cull bookshelves. The more stuff I purge, the more I want to purge. The breathing room and the peace it brings are a healing balm.

~A weekend trip to the beach with a dear friend, filled with long walks and even longer conversations.

~In an effort to broaden my horizons, an intentional change of pace in my reading as of late. I've already devoured Anderson Cooper's Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disasters, and Survival, The Hunger Games, and Catching Fire. I'm in the middle of Mockingjay now. Next up,The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. The need for Jane has me listening to a wonderful audiobook of Persuasion.

~I am slowly and deliberately pondering The Priority of Preaching, which I was supposed to finish for a blog tour. Written for pastors, this small book offers a thoughtful approach to exegetical preaching that is also quite helpful to congregants.  I'm learning much about what I should be looking - and listening - for.

~The beginning of indoor field hockey for my girl. I know little about the sport, except that it's fun to watch. 

~An upcoming family date night to see this movie.

~The release of Masterpiece Classic: Downton Abbey Season 2 this week! I've missed the entire season for various reasons, so I'm thankful I'll soon be able to catch up without resorting to watching on the laptop.

~Carl Trueman is speaking at a nearby church at the end of the month. I'm hoping to attend.


The blog lies dormant more often than I want, yet I seem to have few words to add to this space. Various attempts to blog through books or studies have failed before they've even started. I find myself too busy living my life to write about it.

And that is a blessing that cannot be measured.