Vonerable

Day Twelve - The Discomfort of Uncertainty

What do you do when you're meh? You google images of garlands. 

What else do you do when you're tired and uninspired: you quote. Another book I'm loving is Things Might Go Terribly, Horribly Wrong by Troy DuFrene and Kelly Wilson. They take and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy approach to anxiety by encouraging readers to embrace the discomfort and the potential for pain.

What we do mean is that, in the middle of this ocean of suffering, there’s a means available to us all to let go of our struggles and choose to move our lives in the direction of meaning and purpose—that we’re all capable of having a life we can say yes to, independent of the pain it brings.

         

 

 

 

 

Day Eleven - The discomfort of fluctuations

I like:

Our soul fluctuates between thoughts and feelings we don't like and thoughts and feelings we do like, and we don't like those fluctuations...we try to stop that swing, because our soul's fluctuations are unpleasant to us and it seems as if God wants us to stop them. We think that Christian maturity is getting that swing under control... (Emily P. Freeman, Grace for the Good Girl)

Even keel = good. Swings = bad. That's how I often evaluate my feelings. You too? Certainly, wild swings that make life unmanageable are not good, but I like this idea of Freeman's that maturity does not necessarily produce or equate to a flat line. I fluctuate. I dip and soar. I've even been known to oscillate. Letting the desire for distraction from discomfort be an invitation to brush soil away from around the shoots of faith that need more sunlight and rain.

             

 

Possibly, that is the most indulgent metaphorical nonsense I've ever written. It's after midnight and I can never tell if my prose is unforgivably florid until the light of the next day. We'll see. I'm having a not-falling-asleep patch again. After 3 am yesterday morning and it's nearly 2 am today. Not sure what it's about but, amazingly, I am coping okay energy wise. It's a new era...I have energy. Even when I'm tired. Wonders will never cease. I know it.   

 

Toys

Introducing Picframe for iPad, and my old pals Photogene and Blogsy. My other favorites apps: Birzzle, Conundra, Boggle, Glo Bible, Dropbox and Pinterest. My kids are loving Car Toons, Agent Dash, BMX, Burger Queen and Number Line. I'd love to know yours.

 

Speaking of leaving comments, I need to tell you, Prune, Simone, Jo, and Ali, I so loved reading your comments recently even though I haven't replied. I love that you took time to say Hi and I treasure your words. Which would be weird if you just said, "Hey Von, I like the Pinterest app", in which case I merely appreciate your words.

Ironic. During my month of I Shall Not Distract Myself with Trivial Pursuits, I'm posting about my favorite apps.

 

Posted with Blogsy

I'm saving the everlastings for later

It wouldn't be spring if I didn't post pictures of the everlastings in Kings Park. But not until you see these. We have the most gorgeous wildflowers in WA, right? It's their fault, and the ice rink, the board games, the dvds, the skate park, and my post-sermon-and-now-my-friend-has-linked-to-my-blog-and-more-of-my-friends-will-find-me-here-oh-heck-I-feel-so-exposed freak out, that my 31 Days challenge fell in a big, fat crater. My man, Killer, ensured I dealt directly with the nakedness feelings. He's good like that. Never lets a good berserk-o-rama go unchecked. 

 

    
The 'discomfort' highlight for the week would be the 10 minutes during which I thought I had lost Geronimo in Kings Park. If you heard an hysterical woman on Monday in the park, it's okay: we found him. Classic case of Mum thinks boy is with Grandparents, Grandparents think boy is with Mum, and boy thinks, "What's down this path? Oh, nice bush. I think I'll just sit here out of sight for a few minutes and not respond to those people calling my name". I could have killed him if I hadn't been so indescribably relieved. It always surprises me how my, normally, off-the-scale need for being inconspicuous and dignified goes completely out the window if my inner lioness is awakened.

 

Day Seven

See Geronimio dancing in the background? That was me, on the inside, after the sermon this morning. Partly because it was over and I could stop feeling nervous but mostly because it felt SO good to say something that made at least a couple of other people feel less alone. That is the best feeling in the world, I tell ya! 

It's been a great weekend: kayaking, dozing by the river, catching up with family, a nanna nap, a fire for dinner, and I finally nailed the Indo noodle recipe my friend gave me. Thanks to her I have also found a new love: fried shallots. 

 

Day Six?

Got a little sidetracked with Sideshow Alley, sheepdog trials, sermon preparation, in-laws arriving, job applications, PD and eating sultanas. Because that's only mildly medicating compared with reading other peoples blogs and toast with peanut butter.

Discomfort is about an 8 out of 10 because, for my first time ever, I'm helping Killer preach tomorrow. I love our topic and I get to share some of my experiences but it's still a lot scary.

 

You know what else is scary? Navigating Sideshow Alley with my four in a bid to find two rides for each of them without losing anyone or panicking over the rides they chose. Whilst deflecting all manner of whingeing about who was getting what and when. And whilst containing my own freak out from the sensory overload. I was so glad to see Killer halfway through and I'm not talking about, "There's my gorgeous husband" type of glad. It was pure, "Now i can go lie under a tree with my eyes shut" kind of glad.

Posted with Blogsy

Day Three of 31 Days of Discomfort

Hmmmm. Not much room for discomfort today in amongst the house tidying, cinemas, children's shoe shopping, and laundry. Twirly seems much better today and it was good to be able to get out of the house. However, it's also very nice to sit quietly while the little vonerables watch Johnny English. 

I have nothing much to say but will leave you with some of the prettiness that is in my front yard and this quote:

The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers. (M Scott Peck)

     

It's a winner!

You know I love Simone Walsh's jewellery, right? I have some pieces on my imaginary wishlist:

 

But I can scratch one off because I won it! Simone was running a '20 years of making jewellery' anniversary and gave away this beautiful, medieval arabesque pendant:

 

 

Don't hate me.