Carolyn and the kids left for Pella earlier this week, leaving me to "hold down the fort" and spend some quality time with Cannon. Dog days? We're officially in the dog days of summer (I think) but the weather hasn't felt like dog days at all. It has been absolutely gorgeous lately. Today was warm, but hardly humid, and this evening it is positively and perfectly pleasant. As Luke said to me a few days ago, it feels like Seattle. Seattle, by the way, is not at all dreary and rainy during July. At least that's the secret we were told not to share with everyone. The days we spent in Seattle were all sunny and 70s.
Holding down the fort and trying to use up a little more of my vacation, I spent more than half the afternoon cleaning house. Honestly, I don't do this enough. I tend to take the dog for a walk or -- more often -- visit a coffee shop with a book and/or crossword and/or a journal. And those things are therapeutic for me. But so was cleaning the house. I need to do it more often. Not that Carolyn needs my help in this department. Don't let me even imply such a thing! (And certainly not on the eve of our 15th wedding anniversary!)
Most men would rather fix something. I'm not good at that. I can write stuff, but I can't "right" stuff. (Play on words there.) Kathleen Norris wrote a book about the healing power of the ordinary stuff, like doing laundry and picking up the basement and dusting furniture.
Anyway, I could usually write something cohesive. Tonight I feel like I'm just going on and on without any destination in sight. At least as far as this post is concerned.
But in life, I feel a strong sense of purpose. The Westminster Confession says our highest purpose is simply to know God and enjoy -- yes, ENJOY -- God forever. I sense that one of my highest callings is to simply live in an attitude of gratitude, to say thank you more often, and to encourage others to discover the incredible joy of living both "on a journey" and, at the same time, "at home" in God. Henri Nouwen says we can be "at home on the journey" -- or something to that effect. Don Postema, author of Space for God," says this simply means affirming -- every day, every hour, every moment -- that "I belong to God." Or, as I learned in catechism classes, that "I belong... body and soul... in life and in death... to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ..." who loves me to the uttermost.
How did I get so theological all of a sudden? Sorry if that caught you by surprise. I think what really prompted it was thinking about all the things I am thankful for! Making that list is an easy exercise on the eve of August 7, the date -- 15 years ago -- when I married the beautiful woman who makes me happier than I could ever deserve.
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