Reflections on summer

Summer 2006 has been wonderful. I 'm pretty sure that I have never had a summer where I could just be. There were busy days of course, but mostly summer went by and I caught up on scrapbooking, painting (on canvas), reading a few books, doing many crafty type things and I began to illustrate a book (which is still in progress); things that I may not always have time for in the future. Eric and I also took several trips that were memory makers. This has been possibly one of the best summers ever, childhood summers included...

One of the things I have learned about myself this summer is that I am not very self-motivated to get things done. The list above seems pretty good, but as I reflect on it honestly there was much more that I could have done. I started a free (non credit) on-line Old Testament lecture series and it has taken me the entire summer to get two thirds of the way done, no joke. I started a second painting and then got distracted by the offer to illustrate (it looked like fun). There are other unfinished things too...A few sewing projects (boring), cards to make and send ( I "need" more supplies), and friends to be in touch with (can't think why I didn't do this...).

Eric is not like this. If he writes it on a to-do-list for himself, he is disciplined enough to get it done. He enjoys crossing it off his list, which to someone who does not bother with lists seems silly; why write it down if you're just going to cross it off? But I learned that if I make myself accountable by writing the day's or week's to-do-list in a place where we can see it, then not only do I know what I have to get done for the day but so does Eric. This helps me as I learn how to help him.

So here I am after the first week of autumn jotting down everything for next week on a dry erase board in the kitchen in an attempt to become more motivated and disciplined. If only that were the solution to my being a sluggard! Although the goal of Proverbs 31 is still unattainable, I and many other wives, hope never to give up trying.

And Summer 2006 was still GREAT!