Intentional Mondays

My apologies for missing last week's Intentional Monday post. Not that you were wringing your hands wondering where it was. But I committed to getting it up if I did nothing else in my blogging (a lot of times I do not) and, dang if I didn't miss anyway. I blame the plague from the week before. It takes a lot to reboot after being ill for a whole week. I think we are finally back to normal but, really, what is normal anyway?

Quote: “You should always be trying to write a poem you are unable to write, a poem you lack the technique, the language, the courage to achieve. Otherwise you’re merely imitating yourself, going nowhere, because that’s always easiest.” John Berryman (Note: I substitute novel or essay or memoir or... whatever would fit for you in place of the word poem, here.)

Write Every Day... Slowly but surely the ole word count is increasing. I'm hoping to hit 60,000 words very soon. That means the first draft is 2/3rds written! And also? This past weekend I spent in Myrtle Beach SC "researching." It's a rough job, but someone's gotta do it. I hope to write more about my time later this week.

My One Word... AFFIRM. Two writers have been AFFIRMing some things in my own interior faith monologues through their brave and powerful words. Sometimes they are words that make me shift uncomfortably, and glance around to see if anyone else sees what I'm seeing. But this is good. I'm learning to be ok with reading things that feel unsafe, to push against the safe boundaries I've always tended to want to live within. I've been energized by the realness of their writing-- and challenged in my own writing, too, which is always a good thing. Check out Micha Boyett and Addie Zierman if this sounds good to you, too.

Listening To... beach music-- the Catalinas, the Tams, Smokey Robinson, the Drifters, the Showmen, Chairmen of the Board, etc. It's spring break around here this week and I can't think of a better soundtrack for it.

Sharing Stories... Addie Zierman's story of being raised in an evangelical church and questioning more and more about some of the practices we take for granted has been one of those "yes!" reading experiences. It is a book that demands a journal be close by for recording quotes and responses and delving deeper before I forget.

I'm also reading some thrillers for fun. They are consistently my go-to reads. I've got two going right now.

Randomness... This? Is just not fair. And I just love how much Alexa looks like Billy. When I was in high school I missed the concert where Christie and Alexa toured with him. Still regretting that all these years later.




In The Kitchen... A meatball casserole that features parker house rolls and pasta sauce and meatballs, of course. It kinda sounds like an Italian version of a bread pudding or one of those overnight French toast casseroles, just savory instead of sweet. Will share it here if it turns out decent. If I never mention it again, assume it was a complete fail and bread pudding should always be sweet.

Plans... Nothing. No teaching, no lunch packing, no schedules, no homework. A week off to enjoy... just the break we need. Bring. It. On.

Loveliness... Last week I was running and I looked up to see... green. The leaves are back on the trees, an occasion I try to always notice and be thankful for. After spindly brown bare branches all winter, the burst of green is just so hopeful and... lovely.

Photo of the week:

Easter table: simple, colorful, seasonal. We will gather there, all 8 of us, soon. This is increasingly a feat as they all head in different directions and follow different schedules. My younger ones were marveling over the fact that soon they will have siblings who are 22, 20 and 18. This seems darn nigh impossible and yet... it is. I've become one of those older mothers who marvel at how the time passes.