Adult vs Family Vacations

My husband and I have spent plenty time bicycling and camping in conditions that would push the limits of most people's comfort and tolerance.

Sometimes it's seemed we've biked and camped more in the dark and on the edge of the seasons than any other time of day or year.

Rain, snow, dark and cold....all familiar conditions for bicycle touring and camping.

It wasn't always fun. But I enjoyed it enough that I was always willing to go again. I think my husband always enjoyed it more than I did.

Without kids I'd still be out there doing all kinds of things that I'm not up for with kids.

We've made some trips with the kids that haven't gone well.
That's my assessment, not necessarily my husbands. He wouldn't deny the adverse conditions we encountered, they just don't bother him as much.

For me it becomes too much work to be worth it.

If its just me I'm taking care of I can manage that and enjoy the accomplishment. But when I have to cope with whatever physical and emotional challenge the adventure has brought our way AND function as a parent in that same challenging context; responding to the physical, emotional and relational dynamics that implies, it pushes it past my limits of desirability. It's no longer a vacation. It's no longer much fun.

Did I mention that we haven't decided what we'll do for vacation this year?

Goals - the short list

Two unrelated people recently suggested I make my goals a shorter more attainable list.

I've been told this many times actually. I never do it.

I can't find enough of my goals that I'm willing to give up. Which of the things on my list don't I really really want to do, or feel I have to do? Not enough to get the list down to an achievable level.

So I continue on in frustration, with my to do list hanging over my head, keeping me feeling too busy, always behind, never satisfied.

But why? If things aren't going to get done anyway, why maintain an unrealistic expectation? Why hold illusions?

I understand a little bit about why I do it. But that's another topic.

Somehow, this time, I'm hoping, maybe I've heard the message a little louder than usual. It's starting to make a little more sense.

Yet as I think about tomorrow, I strongly sense the likelihood of having a longer list than I can achieve...and I'm not sure how to get out of it. I'll try.

What We All Have in Common

What is it about food & meals & sharing food that makes you want to have everyone there when you have a feast and that makes food such an important part of some many things?

Its the one thing we all have in common.

This isn't my own insight. It was a gift from God. It was a gift from the Universe, a gift from and through my friend who was sharing supper with us.

It was something he was in sync enough to say
And I at the moment was in snyc enough to hear
And now I'm starting to understand so much more....
about my own experiences and about social & cultural dynamics and about religious ritual & meaning, and about why an open table is so important.

Wow, what a moment.

The moment didn't call for it, nor is my theology sorted out about it....
but in reflecting on that conversation at supper, it has felt like there's a way in which it would have been appropriate at that time for the bread to have been picked up and offered with the words, "the body of Christ..."

It is a good and joyful thing, always & everywhere to give thanks to God

Dinner Party

What is it about food and sharing it that

makes you want to invite all your friends when you're preparing a feast...
makes it such a big part of religious ritual & symbolism...
makes it a major part of cultural observances and celebrations (what holiday doesn't have food?)

I hosted a dinner party last night. It got me thinking about all this.

I'm tempted to ramble and reflect about all my shared meal stories. But I only have 5 minutes and you have your own stories. Maybe we can talk about them over dinner sometime.

Topics to Expect

I hate to take up time & space w/ this, but it seems I should let you know what to expect.

I anticipate it will be:

• anything that I'm inclined to & brave enough to talk about in this forum.
• varied...If you know me you might be able to guess a lot of the types of topics, but maybe not all of them. If you're not intersted in one, I might be writing about something else another day.

The Idea

A friend recently mentioned the importance of making a verbal point in 30 seconds or less, so as not to loose the attention of your listener.

I want to apply a similar standard to my writing.

My goals are to

• improve my writing
• improve my time management
• increase communication between myself and others
• give myself an expressive outlet without getting sucked into a lengthy endeavor

The plan (at this point) is that I will give myself a strict 5 min to write,
then save the writing as a draft.
On the next occasion, I'll give myself a strict 5 min to edit/finish,
then post. What you see is what you get.
I hope to post frequently, several times a week.

I will be able to meet some of my goals on my own.
But it will be a lot more fun & a lot more effective if people join me.

Comments on my writing and comments on my content are both welcome.
You're also welcome to join the project, in any number of ways...
Make a 5 min. response. ..
Or adopt the idea and write your own topic using this format...
Or make whatever proposal you come up with.

This is a personal project...but I'd much prefer it be a communal one.

Post time....!