The patterning of life

When I first starting writing in this space, I started to identify more themes in my life. I suppose it all comes from me wanting to write about something boring, but also wanting to connect that boring/routine thing to other boring/routine things in my life and then I notice patterns. And patterns, for better or for worse, help me see where I'm growing, where I need work, where I'm stuck, the beauty in the mess of my life, and where I need Jesus. At the risk of melodrama, if I didn't write blog posts (and journal privately—as there are some things better left unpublished) would I ever really process my life? Without noticing patterns, maybe I'd grow, but maybe I wouldn't call it that. God would likely do work in my heart and life, but maybe I would miss it. I don't ever want to let myself not think about my life. I'd rather not just in the car to drive to work to do work to come home and recover from work with Netflix and then go to sleep to prepare for work. I want to notice the nuances and the idiosyncrasies in between, because those are some of the fullest bits of life, and some of the places where God does incredible things, whether or not we notice. But I'd like to notice—and noticing requires walking through life with a bit more intent than what is immediately comfortable.

You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told. Psalm 40:5

If I wake up and notice more of His work in my life, His "wondrous deeds and thoughts toward us," then I make more of Him and less of me, and give Him praise. These are some moments in the day that I could gloss over, or instead find more joy in them, ang "proclaim and tell of them," because all joy comes from Him.

• while I wash dishes—Nicholas playing upcoming movie trailers for us to watch
• while I run—listening to the new Needtobreathe album (it makes me want to dance so much)
• while we wake up—taking early morning trips to the pool for a quick dip before he starts work
• while we re-watch Downton Abbey—discussing the cultural and historical details I read about so many scenes in this book about the Downton series (I've mentioned it previously). It's so fun to know the backstory and see all the little nuances in the show, we notice so many more details now
• while I work—praying for and working on being "interruptible." If I need to take a moment to encourage someone, or pray with a patient, or help out a fellow coworker (if I'm not already asking someone else for help)
• while at IKEA—enjoying Swedish meatballs and fika, with coffee and knitting and a friend
• while at home—enjoying flannel pillowcases and cozy lighting
• while editing another episode of the podcast—enjoying coffee and knitting

These are trivial things, yes, but I'd rather find joy in trivial things to the end that it brings me back to the ultimate source of joy—my Creator. And this patterning of life, the beauty in the midst of the mess, then serves as a reminder of His grace and goodness to His children.

P.S.— We just published episode 3 of our podcast, Stirrings, co-hosted by me and my friend, Molly! If you missed the first two episodes, you can find them here: episode one // episode two