Motivation

So I haven't been feeling so hot lately. Nothing major, just the longest lasting cruise-induced stomach bug in the history of the world (that the boy also contracted but seems to have recovered from already).

B.C. (Before Cruise) my days consisted of laundry, sweeping, vacuuming, playing with the Beagador, doing dishes, cleaning bathrooms...etc. A.D. (After Debarkation) my days consist of lying in bed, moaning, sipping ginger ale, and maybe doing a load of laundry so my poor husband won't have to choose between doing his own midnight laundry and wearing a dirty shirt to work, again.

Then today, I stumbled upon this blog, which I generally read every day but had let slide since we got back.

I know that at least half of the world reads Nie's blog, but she has this unique ability that I always find good pastors have at church: they make you feel like they're talking just to you. Every word out of their mouth is something that God knew you needed to hear, and they say it gently, sometimes in a whisper or in silence. Even if they're telling you that you need to do better, or that you've been making mistakes, you still feel like the message is a sweet gift and you welcome it wholeheartedly without defense or anger.

Today she showed me that life sometimes sucks to one degree or another, but we have to get up, smile, and power on. I have not experienced her degree of suffering even in my darkest nightmares, and yet she's ironing clothes in her beautiful dress, probably humming to herself in perfect harmony while marinara from scratch bubbles away on the stove.

So today, while the boy is out watching the remake of "Nightmare on Elm Street" (I wisely opted out), I will tackle the three loads of laundry that need to be folded, the kitchen that looks like we live in tornado alley, and maybe even a few of the weeds that time forgot in the backyard.

Or at least take a shower.