Day 3 {woolgathering}

Welcome back to my 31 Day Writing challenge! I'm so glad you're here! Did my 'clue' from Day 2 {courage found} give you a hint about what I'd be gathering today? 

woolgathering

[woo l-gath-er-ing] 

noun

1. indulgence in idle fancies and in daydreaming; absentmindedness:

2. gathering of the tufts of wool shed by sheep and caught on bushes.

Whew! This has been one of the busiest weeks 

we’ve had in a long time.

On Monday, the children and I went on an amazing field trip to Johnston Farm and Indian Agency with a large group (200+) from our Gateway Christian Homeschool group. The weather was so perfect to be out of doors and enjoying the amazing presentations by the history interpreters who lead us.

We were treated to a short trip in a reproduction canal boat called the General Harrison down a mile stretch of the historic Miami and Erie Canal. The pace of our canal boat ride made me think of the pace of life we endure enjoy today.

Not much time for {woolgathering} in our busy schedules.

I loved how slowly the boat moved up the canal – the pull of the donkey setting the pace. Our guide cautioned us again romanticizing life on the canal as we laughed at his tale of the severe fines levied against boat captains who went beyond the 15 mile an hour speed limit. It was a hard life and the canalers were a rough bunch, often settling their disputes with fist fights.

Still …

15 miles an hour – slower than the snail’s pace we drive through a school zone … and yet those canal boats were the fastest means of transporting goods available. I’m pretty sure there must have been time for some {woolgathering}.

I sat quietly and watched the sweet mamas with their active little ones and thought about how busy I FELT when our children were very little; how terribly tired we were at times. I remembered the immense relief of a full stop at the end of the day when all was quiet and I could take a few minutes just to breathe.

I know I did a lot of {woolgathering} in those days! In the absent-minded sense of the word – sleep deprivation will do that!

Our children are so grown up now. I cannot grasp how quickly time has passed since we became parents. Wednesday we celebrated our sweet Dreamer’s 17^th birthday quietly at home as she wished. Since it landed mid-week and corresponded with Youth Group at church we made 6 dozen cupcakes to share. She asked for vanilla cupcakes with dark chocolate ganache filling and vanilla butter cream icing. They were a hit!

On Thursday our girl finished four weeks of physical therapy for her wrist pain. She was treated for a repetitive use injury that started with an accidental fall last August. With all of the hours of practice she does on the piano each day, it just wasn’t getting better. This fall she started at our local Community College in the PSEO program taking private lessons from the head of the music department which has been such a great learning experience for her.

Today was another great field trip – which is funny because most school years we   don’t do two field trips in a month let alone a week! It was very much worth the time and effort though since we got to be the first homeschool group to attend Manufacturing Day and it was very inspiring.

I wasn’t kidding about our busy week, was I? With starting the 31 Day Writing Challenge, church activities and AWANA, THREE basketball practices, two pt appointments, two piano lessons, a homeschool mom’s encouragement night, a chiropractor appointment for our hurting boy, two field trips, a birthday to celebrate, cupcake production, two ballet classes and a few sewing client appointments … there wasn’t much room for {woolgathering} this week.

Psalm 46:10 

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

My objective for the weekend – to find some time to be still.  Not just to {woolgather}, but to re-connect with my Lord and exalt His Name. To spend time in His Word and in His house, giving my praise and learning from the Word, sharing fellowship with other believers. I need that so much! 

And hopefully, there’ll be time for a nap too!