Waiting

I'm not a huge "quote" person, but there are a few that I find meaningful. One of those is John Lennon's "Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans." I've always tried to keep this in mind, as it is very easy for me to plan for the future at the expense of really living in the moment. It helps keep me grounded.

That's been on my mind a bit lately, because I feel like I'm in a bit of a couple week "holding pattern" before all the excitement for the year happens. Here are a few things I'm excited about:
-March 20: First day of spring. Take that winter!
-March 20: March Madness begins;
-March 28 & 29: teaching the Good Sense seminar at church;
-March 31: Cubs opening day (Go Cubs Go!);
-April 5-11: Grandma Dayton in town to watch Sophie so Nancy can write (and we get to go on a date or 2)
-April 12: Grove's wedding;
-April 18 &19: I'm taking a motorcycle riding class (seriously);
-April 26 & 27: Disc golf tournament with my brother Mike and his friends Nick & Eric.
-May 3: Going to the Kentucky Derby for the third time (and coming out ahead, I hope);
-May 16-18: Weekend trip to the Tussey's lakehouse;
-June 3: My third anniversary of turning 29;
-June 12-15: Sophie's first trip to Wrigley Field and Kelsey's graduation party;
-June 28-July 1: Our first family vacation with just the 3 of us and our 8th Anniversary;
-July 2-6: Camp with Daytons;
-July 8: Nancy officially gets old.

Meanwhile, I have loads of work to do. Sophie has words to learn. Nancy has a book to write and coffee to drink. I have to cut down the stupid maiden grass. Oh, how I hate cutting down the maiden grass. It's my nemesis.

You'll notice that Easter and the end of lent did NOT make the list. This is not because I'm not excited about it. I'm planning a crazy cookie/chocolate/pizza/pop orgy that will be the stuff legends are made of. Still, throughout lent I have been re-studying the spiritual disciplines with my friend Dan. This has been equal measures challenging, enjoyable, frustrating and rewarding. Most of all, it has reawakened a spiritual awareness in me, one that hadn't exactly fallen away, but was in need of refreshing. I think that at the end of the day, that is what lent is all about. The cookies or other trivial sacrifices we make are essentially meaningless, but when they are accompanied by real spiritual change, they take on a profound significance. So, am I excited for Easter and excited for the end of lent? Yes! But I'm more excited to keep learning and growing now and hope that growth stays doesn't get swept away with the Dr. Pepper.