Getting Unstuck in my walk with Christ - Day 23

Cleaning has gone pretty well, I feel like I'm really getting
there :-)

1. Unread classics - I knew I could probably find these free on Amazon for Kindle, and I did!  I managed to clear up space for the remaining random books.  6 more book >> donate

2. Recycling - I took out 3 bags of newspapers, 3 bags of office paper, 1 bag of plastic, and 2 bags of aluminum...phew!

3. Laundry - Put up a ton of clothes...LBS rearing its nasty head...

4. Underclothing drawer - I have been wanting to get to this for a long time!
     a. All full-legged hose >> donate
     b. 2 redundantly colored undershirts >> donate
     c. All opaque trouser socks >> donate
     d. I found 2 gorgeous undershirts that I had completely forgotten
         about :-D
     e. 2 pairs of old glasses >> memory box (they're quite unique ;-)
     f. 1 pair of non-prescription sunglasses >> donate
          (I also found a prescription pair that aren't too far off -
          yayness!)
     g. Repair Button Box::
          -Those without store names >> loose in box
          -Those with store names >> combined into just a couple little
            labeled bags
          -Cloth buttons and thread >> kept in bags
          -Buttons of long-gone clothes >> craft button box
          -Picture hanging accessories (don't ask) >> toolbox
     h. I also found my vintage cat-eye glasses!!! >> finally on display

     i.  Smell-less sachet >> garbage
     j.  It looks SOO much better, but now I have a ton of footless
         tights (very my style) to wash...meh

5. Another folder FULL of scientific articles - I'm at a loss to understand this...lol.  Hopefully my computer's hard drive doesn't overload on pdfs...

6.  I'm keeping up with the dishes...minus pots and pans.  I've noticed that a lot of people just put their pots and pans in the dishwasher - does anyone know if this is actually okay to do??

7.  And lastly, the bookshelves are really shaping up :-)

Spiritual thoughts >>
     Chapter 11 of Unstuck is simply fabulous so far!  It discusses the wonder and awe that we should feel when thinking on God.  I really needed to be reminded of this simple truth.

     The authors so eloquently write, "In [Matthew 6:9-13/The Lord's Prayer] (and in other [passages]), Jesus begins with the perspective of childlike wonder [Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be Your Name] because of how much we need it while navigating through this difficult and complicated life.  Wonder leads us to trust in something bigger than ourselves; it brings about healthy awe and inspires an appropriate gratefulness; it's a path to worship, the way to approach our heavenly Father."  [emphasis mine]

     They then go on to point out, "Our sense of wonder about God as He's found throughout the Bible doesn't last forever on its own energy.  The wonder of discovering His story and its pervasive interconnection with our own can be awe-inspiring during those first years as a believer.  As times marches on, as we read and reread, our ability to take in all the magnificence can seem lost and irreversible."  [emphasis mine]

     I have unfortunately found myself as of late with the inability to see the magnificence and splendor of God.  I still run to Him to guide me through my day and to give me the strength and courage to live like Him and be true to myself, yet I can't help but feel that something is missing.

     Sarah Markley, in her post on (in)courage entitled "The Small Things That Keep You Close," does a splendid job of describing exactly what I need right now.
     My favorite passage from this post is::
"With a journal in one hand and the Bible in the other, we would spend 30 minutes or longer alone in the near woods asking God to speak to us through nature.  We watched pine trees sway and ants build homes and wondered what truth of God could be learned from such things."
     This is exactly the way that I best experience God, and I just haven't given myself much of an opportunity lately to do so.  I guess that's what happens when you live in a condo on the 3rd floor and don't have a backyard to sit in or nearby woods to walk to.  At Sewanee, I was constantly surrounded by nature.  A 13,000 acre forest lay within arms reach and my "being in nature" never just consisted of sitting on a balcony all day.  It'll take a little extra effort on my part due to my current living situation to get back into nature, but the result will totally be worth it, and I know that the awe and wonder of God will fill me with renewed joy.

State-of-mind pic of the day.

Ngorongoro Crater, TZE [taken by me]