I’m sitting here this afternoon wondering what to do. It’s not that there isn’t anything to do. There are about ten things I could be doing and I don’t feel like doing any of them. And I feel like doing all of them.
Anyone else ever feel that way?
Finally told myself one of my life mantras: Do the next thing (which is loosely translated: get up and do anything other than sitting here thinking about what to do first). So I got up and put things away, started some laundry, and cleaned up a mess that Caroline made while I was trying to do the other things. And got a Pepsi so I will have some energy to do the next next thing.
Now I’m back at my desk and need to choose something to do. So I’m writing here because it is something.
Have you priced rental cars lately? Yeesh. We have to rent a car for a few days this weekend/early next week because our car needs servicing and they need it for a couple of days to do it all. It’s crazy what you have to pay just to rent a car. It’s a whole lot cheaper than having a second car payment or even paying insurance on a second car, but still. Yuck. Feels like $200 completely wasted.
Found out that the strawberry farm where we get our strawberries plowed under all their Early Glow strawberry plants after last year. I am in mourning. On a brighter note I found a place that sells Early Glow strawberry plants and ships them all over the US. So all we have to do is find a house that actually has sunshine and we can grow our own. We priced having our neighbor’s trees cut back and it was $600 to have them thinned. You can imagine how long thinning would last. They wouldn’t cut them back for fear of the tree’s health. (What about my health?) I can’t imagine we could grow enough of anything in our backyard to make back $600 right away so we put in hostas instead. Only problem is you can’t eat hostas. Oh well.
Well, I think I’ve sufficiently passed enough time that I’m ready to go on to the next thing. Anyone else have anything inconsequential to share?
That is exactly how I feel today. Naptime comes, and I have a ton of things I could be doing… and I don’t want to do any of them. I want to rest. I’m tired. Entropy is exhausting. Sometimes I wish we didn’t own a home because there is always something we could be doing or fixing or freshening or whatever…. a nice rented townhouse sounds great right now….
Ellen – Lately I have been waxing eloquent on the upsides of renting a condo. I hear you loud and clear.
Cheryl – Yes, Elisabeth Elliot was a big blessing to me when I was single (Passion and Purity). Thank you for sharing the poem.
Jenny – We had square foot gardens that we tried for a couple of years. Everything starts out great in the spring and then as soon as the trees leaf out – everything slows to a complete crawl. We finally just gave up. It’s very frustrating. But that’s life.
Sallie,
Are you familiar with Elisabeth Elliot’s books and writings? She is the one who introduced me to the “Do The Next Thing” philosophy. She said her mother taught her this poem. I understand she is now suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease, but I, for one, am so thankful that her books and the inspiration they provide remain. She quotes the poem in one of her books…here it is:
A poem quoted by Elisabeth Elliot
Do The Next Thing
“At an old English parsonage down by the sea,
there came in the twilight a message to me.
Its quaint Saxon legend deeply engraven
that, as it seems to me, teaching from heaven.
And all through the hours the quiet words ring,
like a low inspiration, ‘Do the next thing.’
Many a questioning, many a fear,
many a doubt hath its quieting here.
Moment by moment, let down from heaven,
time, opportunity, guidance are given.
Fear not tomorrow, child of the King,
trust that with Jesus, do the next thing.
Do it immediately, do it with prayer,
do it reliantly, casting all care.
Do it with reverence, tracing His hand,
who placed it before thee with earnest command.
Stayed on omnipotence, safe ‘neath His wing,
leave all resultings, do the next thing.
Looking to Jesus, ever serener,
working or suffering be thy demeanor,
in His dear presence, the rest of His calm,
the light of His countenance, be thy psalm.
Do the next thing.”
Have you considered growing lettuces, beets, or spinach? They don’t require as much sun and are very easy to maintain.
Sallie,
I recently saw some strawberry patio plants that hang upside down! It’s like the Topsy Turvy Tomato plant idea that has the soil at the top and the plants hangs out of the bottom. That way it can be hung from a hook on the front porch, or somewhere high up where there might be more sun. Here is a link from Amazon for you:
Is there a chance this could work where you are?