7 Quick Takes, Vol. 4 – Let’s Redirect

Linking up with Kelly for this week’s quick takes! 

Ok, I know I’m not the only one who has been dismayed all week long at the state of practically everything in our country now. Therefore, here are a few things to inspire and/or distract.

one

My friend, Hannah, wrote this post essentially about the sanctity of mundane household chores, which really struck a bell with me (is that even a saying?). For the past two weeks, my attitude has fallen into “I just need to get through this and that,” so the simple reminder that we can love through all things helped change my tune. Also, I loved how she related her experience of dishes and laundry – in that she usually only has 3 minutes of perfectly folded clothes and a shining kitchen counter. It is so true! Oh the irony of working so hard for a few spare minutes of cleanliness!

two

Teresa, offered a short and sweet reminder that the best thing that we can do is – as Mother Teresa hearkens – “to go home and love your family.” This also something that I have been striving to actively focus on – my family is my ministry, my children are my ministry, making sure the household is still running is my ministry. Drying those tears, changing the stinky diapers, even cleaning the kitchen floor from a broken bowl filled with my leftover gumbo is my ministry.

three

I cannot remember the blogger who wrote this, but a few months ago someone wrote about how now is the perfect time to re-read Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. Beauty is our greatest inspiration, and Tolkien’s writing is transformative. My husband re-reads the Lord of the Rings every year, and this year I’ve decided to join him. Last week, I finished The Silmarillion (for the first time!) and was absolutely blown away. (Yes, I am aware of how ridiculous it is that I have a daughter named Luthien, and I am just now finishing The Silmarillion, but that is not the point). Throughout the book there is constant tragedy after tragedy, but despite everything there is always hope and good always prevails even in the most seemingly hopeless circumstances.

four

This excerpt from Wendell Berry that keeps popping up:

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

five

Yesterday I took both kids to the library for only the second time since Rainer was born. I used to take Lu all the time when I was pregnant, so it’s been such a while. Hallelujah, it went so well! And now I might begin to take both children to the babies and toddlers’ storytime on Tuesdays, fingers crossed!

six

We are starting to make time for family prayer, which we really haven’t done before other than bedtime prayers. At the moment, we are just praying one decade of the rosary. I really want to make it a habit early on, plus we need that as a family. ❤

seven

Lastly, I just started reading Little Women for the first time! Gosh it is too adorable, and the characters are already so endearing. I’m really trying to eliminate all the noise that netflix and social media provides and begin a habit of reading regularly again. So it’s Little Women and (re-reading) The Hobbit at the moment!

That’s it. This was probably my quickest quick takes ever. Have a great weekend y’all.

Peace,

Dot