Sunday, January 3, 2010

I'm Still A Simple Girl At Heart

So, we are here in this Lovely Place, this Warm Place, and I said that I wanted to have a vacation where we didn't try to run around seeing things all the time.

So we haven't. Which, even though I requested it, I know, still feels odd to me.

I keep thinking that since I have time, I should write a little bit.

But I haven't.

I've been exercising, though. And eating, regularly. (including chocolate-covered strawberries that I didn't ask for, but were just delivered to our room.)

And reading.

I didn't quite make it to 50 books in 2009, My 49th was a re-read: The Living Reminder, by Henri Nouwen. I read it in college long ago, and was surprised that it was a book about ministry, a book for ministers. One of the things that has always struck me and stayed with from Nouwen's book is that he talks not just about a "ministry of presence", but a "ministry of absence". The minister's absence, as well as her presence, can be a reminder, a living reminder of God, Nouwen says.

(Aside: I do blame the scarf-knitting project for the ebb of reading in December. Anyone who can read a lot and knit a lot in the same year has my utmost respect.)

(Another aside: I fee a little brain-locked because one of the Stepsons said to his dad that I "might be a big shot in the religious blogging world.") I don't think it's true (after all, he doesn't know Songbird or Mimi or Elizabeth Kaeton), but it makes me think that I ought to be having profound thoughts all of the time.

I have read two books in two days here, the beginning of the 2010 challenge. They are:
1. Among the Mad, the 6th and last of the Maisie Dobbs mysteries, dark and challenging. (There will be another, I hear).
2. The Art of Racing in the Rain, a Christmas gift from a parish member. Enzo is a wonderful dog-hero.

More later -- although how much later I can't say for sure.

What day of Christmas is this? I've lost track.

8 comments:

Terri said...

sometimes I knit while listening to a book on tape/cd. But otherwise, I cannot do both :-)

Hope you enjoy your warm few days of renewal.

LoieJ said...

My feet are freezing so I'm jealous even though I have no clue where you are.

Diane M. Roth said...

well, we'll be home soon, and it won't be any warmer!

Lori said...

Enjoy. Chocolate covered strawberries? Cannot go wrong there.

Hot Cup Lutheran said...

warmth? relaxation? oh... you needed both of those! hooray for vacay!!!

Anonymous said...

Diane: Big Shot in the blogworld? well, I found you (I forget just how) and I read you regularly, along with...Elizabeth Kaeton, for one. So you are definitely "findable."

More power to you!

Di McCullough said...

Diane, this isn't the first time I've heard you compare yourself to other bloggers. It's funny to me, because I don't think much of a hierarchy of bloggers, I just think of it as a space for people to be themselves.

And I enjoy your self.

Diane M. Roth said...

Mrs. M, I wouldn't have thought anything of it, except for Stepson's comment, which caused me to reflect: "What is a 'big-shot' anyway?"

He encouraged me to take a look at something called "google analytics" which moniters traffic on the blog, which encourages people to consider things like "which content gets the most traffic?"