Thankful Thursday: A busy schedule

I’ve wanted to skip Thankful Thursday all week now. Every time I’ve thought of what I might say over the past week, I’ve fallen into a doldrums. What have I to be thankful about busy, busy, busyness that makes me feel like I’m perpetually playing catch-up at home.

But then, finally, I realized what this busyness represents – people – and, for that, I can be very thankful.

This week I’m thankful…

…for crafting with a friend
It’s been several months since we last spent time together, so spending Saturday morning working on our respective projects while catching up on life was wonderful. I got some pompoms made, she got some quilt blocks sewn. And we visited. Nice.

…for fajitas with an out-of-town friend
He was coming back into town for a wedding and asked Daniel if he’d like to hang out sometime. Daniel thought Monday night, since I’d be gone at a meeting, would be a good time – and invited him to dinner beforehand. We had fajitas before I left for my meeting – and it was nice to hear what he’s been up to since he moved.

…for settling things
Our monday night meeting was for Sunday School, and our classroom team hammered out the teaching schedule and center schedule and all that. I don’t particularly like evening meetings – but it was wonderful to have some resolution about how we’ll be doing Sunday school this year.

…for old friends at Happy Food
Tirzah Mae’s birthday buddy, who was born on Tirzah Mae’s due date, moved away a couple months ago – but her family was back in town for a wedding and came to our Tuesday Night dinner club. The two children tentatively interacted with one another and the two mothers compared notes. And it was tremendous fun.

…for friendly faces at church
None of our team particularly wanted to put up a bulletin board before the Sunday School “Meet the Teacher” event this next Sunday – but I had an idea and I’m at home all day with Tirzah Mae, so I had the time (right?) I volunteered to put up the board. Tirzah Mae and I went out yesterday to assemble things – and Tirzah Mae got held by, well, everyone in the office :-) And, as we went from resource room to resource room, we ran into a friend, setting up her own classroom, along with her three children. She told me that the kids had just been telling her “Remember when we went to Barn’rds and met Rebekah and Tirzah Mae? I’m so glad we did.” Awww. The five-year-old opened the elevator doors for us (Tirzah Mae was in her stroller) and told me that we should come over again – and maybe spend the night :-) I agreed that we’ll plan on spending some time together soon – but that we probably needed to sleep at our own house!

…for friends with skills
A friend of ours, a realtor, is coming to look at the house this evening to give us recommendations for whether/what we should fix/improve before we put it on the market. It’s nice having a friend who we can trust who’ll give us advice (even though it’ll be a while before we’ll actually be putting the house on the market – probably. maybe.)

…for the promise of new friendships
We’ve been trying to get together since our Bradley method childbirth prep reunion in January. But life as a brand-new mom (or, in her case, as a newly-minted mother of two) is busy and we’ve gone back and forth with emails but haven’t set a date. Except now we have one – and Tirzah Mae and I are so looking forward to spending time tomorrow with our new friends.

What have I to be thankful for when life is busy?

I am ashamed for this week’s attitude. All my fussing over feeling rushed at home. The busyness of this week is because we have friends. We have people we love and who love us. And that is something worth thanking God for.

Thank you, Lord, for the many people who make our lives rich and full. Forgive me for valuing my processes over people, for complaining when these gifts interrupt my routine. May I ever rejoice in your good gifts, holding my plans loosely and embracing people tightly.