Things I’ve Learned

I have written a lot of posts lately.

Lots.

Of course, you wouldn’t know it, because none of them have made it out of my head and onto the computer. I tend to write them in my head late at night when I’m supposed to be falling asleep.

I don’t know about you but I’m incredibly witty and insightful at 1am.

Of course, most normal people like to sleep at night. Me: I lay down and my brain turns on. Maybe it’s because it’s quiet and I can compose things in peace. Whichever the cause, I’ve been doing a lot of imaginary blog writing at the end of busy full days.

And life has been full of busy full days. I’ve been learning things. Changing. Growing. Embracing.  Letting go.

—–> I think about plenty of life lessons and lightbulb moments to write about, if I could grab a few minutes.

(As I’m writing,  it’s 1:30 a.m. and I’m on my phone. Handy, that little Worspress app. Pandora in the background, my husband snoring softly, me wide awake and writing.) 

Over the past month, I have learned, or been reminded of, a lot of things.

In the past month I have learned that good habits ignored lead to bad habits multiplied. . . And that it takes exponentially more work to undo that than it does to get there.

I have learned that growing older is sneaky. One never really FEELS the growing. A moment here, a moment there…one catches a glimpse of the older self in the mirror but walks away and it’s lost. And all at once it comes rushing back in the least expected thing– “oh my word am I so much older already?? I don’t FEEL old…”

I have also learned that teenage daughters require equal parts patience, firmness, tenderness, responsibility, grace, boundaries and love. I have also learned that raising an almost young lady is equal parts wonderful, difficult, frustrating and a blessing. We must alter our perspective of raising “those darn teenagers”‘and see it for what a big responsibility and wonderful opportunity that it is. It’s not about me.. It’s about HER.

I have learned (am reminded) that God will call us to things we never expected, when we least expect them. He has reminded me that He works in mysterious and unexpected ways.

I have learned that I am very hard on myself. I am probably harder on myself than anyone else is, even if I don’t show it. Truth is, extroverts may not like to dwell in introspection. . . But that doesn’t mean we don’t do it. Probably, we took a look and didn’t like what we saw and hopped right back out again. Dwelling on my faults and shortcomings never seems very pleasant, and I see many, and so I’d rather not. The other wonderful truth, though, is that Jesus brings grace and mercy and God is always working on me.

I have learned much. And it’s just a little bit really.

I don’t know what you do in the middle of the night when you’re supposed to be sleeping. You probably don’t write down things God has been showing you. But if you do, what have you learned lately?

Public Domain Image: Magical Moon by Helen Barth Villareal