Today, I had tea, with jam and bread...for any other Sound of Music fans out there. I have had a lovely hiatus of alone time lately. Maybe even too much. I can get all inward and overly analytical. Today was probably one of my last alone days for quite a while. School is ending tomorrow. Grandparents are coming to visit. A quick, 'off the grid' vacation to TN is in the works, followed by a serving trip, VBS and trips to see loved ones and their new, squishy baby.
I made some freezer jam. It's so beautiful. I'm always alarmed at the amount of sugar. Yikes. But, it's a sometimes food, right? We still have a lot of berries just for eating these next few days. I made it alone. Clinking and smooshing in my kitchen. Scrubbing and wiping. Quiet.
The weather has been humid and full of thunderstorms lately but this morning was clear and beautiful with a light breeze. Perfect for berry picking. If my back didn't remind me I was over 40 I would have picked forever. I didn't want to be greedy though either. Last year we experienced a bit of a "hoarding' around here and fields were picked clean very quickly. I never got into a field...so no jam, apple butter, or canning happened.
Usually, I berry pick with my kids but when I saw the chance to get into the field I decided to take it. My girlie is learning to drive this summer. The boy child is very into playing and teaching board games to his friends. So, today I picked alone...I listened to others chatting around me a wee bit...and thought how good it was to be quiet...here the birds and the breeze...breathe the berry scented air...squish the mud underfoot.
I've felt a bit tender after the season of discipline and trial we've just come through. I find my usually extremely extroverted self shying away from gatherings. I have been tired in every way...and feel the expectation is for me to be my normal cheery self but sometimes we go through things that change us...and we just want some time alone. I hope I'm ready to jump into the summer season...maybe a little more sober minded, serious...not necessarily a bad thing...just different. I can say with confidence that God is good, all the time. He is close to the broken hearted. He is good and does only good...no good thing does he withhold. He will never leave me or forsake me.
1 comment:
That is amazing that your daughter is about to learn to drive. I still think of her as the little girl I used to see in your photos.
Those berries look so good. I used to make strawberry shortcake as a first sign of spring, but now we have two allergic to strawberries. :-(
I've been in the opposite mode--an introvert who *needs* quiet and solitude who suddenly had everyone working from home. I'm trying to learn the difference between need and selfishness and to learn to trust God to provide pockets of quiet when He knows I truly need them.
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