Tuesday Thoughts

It must be (almost) fall because I’m nesting. It’s been a long time since I baked, but I’m browsing recipes and made a Starbucks copycat lemon loaf today. (Gerry deems the recipe to be “a keeper.”)

There’s a piece of paper on my countertop with the start of a small grocery list. Icing sugar and pumpkin pie spice: those are the only things on it at the moment. It’s been ages since I bought icing sugar and aeons since I bought pumpkin pie spice.

Once upon a time I used to make pumpkin pie at this time of year, then Costco came along with their pumpkin pies and I stopped. There is no Costco in Moose Jaw. The closest one is in Regina about 45 minutes away, so there will be no quick runs to pick up a pie when the mood strikes. Perhaps it’s time to get back into making my own.

One of the reasons I stopped baking pies is because I haven’t been able to find a large pie plate for years. I have a smaller one—the size similar to the aluminum pie plates you buy. I used to have larger pyrex ones but I haven’t been able to find them for years. Truth be told, I’m not sure a batch of pumpkin pie filling would fit into the pie plate I have.

I’m thinking about . . . not very much. This morning, while the lemon loaf was cooling, I sat down on the sofa. Molly came and curled up on my lap for a nap and there I was—trapped (because one simply doesn’t move a sleeping dog 🙂 ).

I realized that I am not taking enough time to simply sit and think these days. It seems I’m always doing something or thinking about doing something and it’s a challenge to break that pattern. I need to stop trying, stop making excuses, and just do it. I know that.

On the other hand, I have been thinking. Overthinking perhaps, and that mostly in the middle of the night. I hate that, don’t you?

This Saturday, I’m attending the InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship fall conference and, at the annual general meeting, will let my name stand for the position of Admin Assistant. I’m doing this alongside my good friend from Kamloops, Barb Fuller, who is letting her name stand for President. (Do you know Barb? You should get to know her via her website and blog here.)

I’ve been a member of InScribe since we returned to Canada and have served the organization behind the scenes as webmaster and in other ways since earlier this year. This new role will mean taking on more responsibility and that, of course, means an additional time commitment. I have a propensity to be busy for the sake of being busy and that’s one of the things that’s on my mind in the wee hours. The role’s documented responsibilities are many. Daunting, even. I pray I’ll be able to serve well and with grace, find and maintain balance, and learn what God wants to teach me in this time.

And do you know what? I believe that in order to things that will require more of my time, in the way the Lord would have me to do them, I must take time to simply sit and think, ponder and pray, listen and learn. It’s a quandary, in a sense, that in order to do more, one to do less.

Maybe, I need to shut the door to my office sometimes. Or, perhaps, I need to intentionally set aside some days, or parts of days, as non-volunteer activity times and make more lemon loaf and pumpkin pie. Or write. I’m not writing anything these days, save for these blog posts, and maybe that’s okay in this season.

Anyway, that’s some of what I’m thinking about today. That, and the fact that the potatoes are almost cooked and the meatloaf (a new recipe; I haven’t made meatloaf in many years) is almost done. It’s time for supper. It’s time to feed Molly. It’s time to put things away and settle in for the evening.