My calendar has been stacked since last Tuesday. I’m just now able to come up for air. I thought retirement meant time to savor experiences rather than stack them one on top of each other in a huge pile like the one I’m tackling in this post.
My priorities include, in this order: God, family, church activities, writing, music, reading, then the mundane house stuff and other relationships.
This week, all of them claimed my “undivided” attention. It’s been a whirlwind. Let me release the torrent and encirclements, and thank God for the strength which got me through it all reasonably unscathed.
I meet early Tuesday mornings with a group of church ladies called Praying Magnolias. We care about and with each other, meeting at 6:30 a.m. at Cracker Barrel. There we interact with each others’ lives, pray for those who need supplication and intercession, then go about our other activities. From there last Tuesday I went to church to help facilitate a women’s study group Beth Moore study, then to tutoring students at Covenant Christian School. These are weekly opportunities I treasure.
Wednesday is babysitting day with our granddaughters, Kaley and Emily. Kaley is a delightful two-and-a-half year old, and Emily is two months. What a delightful time when we get to spend our special time with them. But this week, because of our kids’ involvement in Space Coast Symphony Orchestra, we had them Thursday night, and Saturday afternoon and evening.
Wednesday afternoon I accompanied an ailing friend to an appointment with her neuro-surgeon. What was supposed to be a short consultation took four hours after he was called to an emergency at the hospital.
Thursday afternoon is our Covenant group meeting for several hours. These are dear friends in the Lord who study the Bible together and do life together. My husband and I lead the group and interact pretty much daily with these folks.
What little time I had on Friday was spent putting together materials for the Space Coast Writers Conference for all day Saturday. I made two book baskets, prepared brochures and business cards for my book selling table, and negotiated with PayPal most of the day so I could accept credit card sales.
I learned a great deal from interacting with other writers all day at the concert, from attending workshops and presentations, and from seeing what others are writing. I also managed to sell some books and get my name out there. Marketing is not my forte, but I’m learning.
The concerts were marvelous. NASA films were background for the magnificent performances of Gustav Holst’s The Planets. What a marvelous pairing of visual and auditory. Overflow audiences enjoyed the experience. I delighted that my granddaughter enjoyed every minute of the concert, especially listening to Mommy and Daddy and Aunt Nancy as they played the beautiful music. No question that music is in her genes.
Then yesterday I had nursery duty with the two-year-olds at church. Such enthusiasm these little ones bring to every little event and experience. It’s refreshing. Then off to the second performance of the Symphony some fifty miles away. As volunteers, we help the Symphony to survive in this day when the group is operating on a short shoestring.
OK. So that’s the story of the week. This one might be a bit easier, although who knows the future? Tutoring today and tomorrow, women’s things tomorrow, babysitting Wednesday, and then we’ll see. Maybe retirement which gives me these options isn’t so bad after all.
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