Abi's Lent: Day 38

Well, it has been a long time, no blog! After being "mostly dead" for so many days, I found that I had a number of things to do when I got to feeling like I could do anything. So, here I am, back before the end of my 40 Days experiment. :^)

And what should arrive today but Scot McKnight's new book: 40 Days Living The Jesus Creed. I am grateful for this, as it will be the perfect follow up to reading his earlier book. And after that I will plunge into his Praying With The Church, which I have been looking forward to reading. It is only right that I should be paying my dues, having been such a blog hog over at Jesus Creed this past year. ;^)

In the meantime, thanks to a suggestion from my friend Sonja, I began to ponder the power of 15 minutes. Not the 15 minutes of fame so many crave. No, I'm talking about "you can do anything for 15 minutes." Mostly this is in reference to things that you are not particularly excited about doing... ;^)

Anyway, in the spirit of a deepening color of purple, I thought to myself that I would see whether there were any of my friends who might be willing to join me for 15 minutes (M-F) as I attempt to bring order to the chaos in which I live (which has not gotten any better for my being "mostly dead" for three weeks!). And so I went for it ... and my precious friend I approached was already familiar with this saying of FlyLady ... she actually subscribes to it! What are the chances of that? Hehehe ... love seeing a little run of Divine Dominoes! :^)

So anyway, being a Quality Time person, as well as a Words of Encouragement person, and a growing Acts of Service person ... having someone join me for my 15 minutes these past two days has been more of a blessing that one might imagine. I'm hoping that there might be others of my friends, who have wondered how they might be able to help me over the years of brokenness, who might be willing to spend 15 minutes with me now and again. Just until I get a handle on things and the 15 minute routine becomes a solid habit.

Hmmm..... I can see this as a kind of "Pay It Forward" opportunity, only in reverse. At least for those of us who have homes that are nightmares and have challenges wondering just how to start to bring order. Now, I don't think this is necessarily something that you can offer ... as in, "Hey, your house is a wreck ... have you heard about FlyLady and the 15 minute miracle?" But I do think it can be an opportunity for those of us in need of help to be a little purple and humbly consider asking for help in this manner. Gulp.

So, I'm grateful for 15 minutes of friendship and service and encouragement ... it is making a significant difference in my home after only two days.

... and while I'm in humble mode, I've been having to ask my friends to schlep me around since Tuesday, when one of a pair of huge bolts wiggled its way out from my front wheel drive. Made me think I threw a Jackson Rod or something -- but that is a very deep inside joke from camp, oh about 40 years ago ... ;^)

Been busy thinking about lots of stuff ... I'll get to some of it soon. Just wanted to check in and let you know I'm still alive!

Leaning on Papa.