A few minutes past Day 1 of 2015

Dear BEAUTIFUL World!

Here I am, in a room I have spent quite a lot of time puttering around. I keep sorting and resorting. I keep putting stuff in a pile to donate and realizing that I can get rid of a lot more. It's amazing, being a missionary, and continually being stuck with the thought that I have too. much. stuff.

It's also strange to accompany "real adults" on tasks such as buying appliances. I've been on the road since I was a teenager. I am still shocked that microwaves and vaccum cleaners can cost over 600 dollars.

The scenery doesn't change while on vacation. The old do-nothing, be-nothing mindset hasn't gotten me too bad, but it does sneak in. Hand stitching has really been wonderful. This thing that I never thought I would be capable of doing has opened a whole world of creativity inside of me. I wish I could have raised more money for the Butte Rescue Mission by doing it, but oh well. It has kept my hands busy and has made me feel like I can make something again.

When you depend on your brain and need challenges, (and who doesn't?) Too many days without a challenge can physically drain you. I think we need to be more creative in coming up with challenges instead of excuses. We have recently got a great game called Dominion. We've been teaching it to my aunt, and she has been such a trooper in allowing herself to learn, to be challenged, and to welcome the ideas and strategy's to grow her. I love that attitude.I love that willingness to learn. It's the most important aspect of life we can have.

If you're done learning, you are done living. If you don't want to feel dumb for not knowing something, you are letting your capacity to learn die, and you are only going to get more dumb.

Thank you Lord for challenges that humble and expand us. I sure have experianced that over the past 9 and a half years of being in Covenant Players. And I hate to think of who I'd be without those years.

Be blessed in the growth that this new year will bring!