Contemplations of a Mommy "Monk"

Sunset on the Fox River - on our way to Chicago This past week has been a whirlwind of emotions, ups and downs, and a crazy busy time of year.  Just a glimpse into the last seven days:  I took my eldest daughter down to Chicago to go back to college for the year.  In a time a social unrest, she's returning to a dorm room only a few miles from the looting and rioting a couple weeks ago.  In addition, due to higher rates of COVID infections in our state, she was required to quarantine for her first 14 days back in Illinois.   The long drive to and from a bustling city provided an opportunity to either build anxiety or lay my worries at His feet.  I can't claim to be perfect in this matter as I really thought I was at peace after walking the streets with Katie on a sunshiny day with city-dwellers out for Sunday runs or coffee but ended up at home after 10 hours on the road pretty tired and grumpy.  And then I sat down with  The Return of the Prodigal Son  by Henri Nouwen.   I'

Lake Superior on a windy day looks as tumultuous as the ocean, the waves crashing against the craggy rocky shoreline.  However, on this day, I climbed the basalt shoreline, jumping across crevices, feeling the breeze through my hair, and hearing the waters crashing upon the same bedrock upon which I stood, and I felt the peace that comes from soaking in God's creation.   As an educator, the summer has long meant time to settle, to rest and recover from the chaotic busyness of life during the school year.  These days, as an administrator, summers are still workdays but usually, the pace slows down enough to appreciate time for refueling and resting.  During a pandemic, however, my whole work-life balance has been upended as working from home has become a reality much of time and the slower pace of summer suddenly becoming a frantic neverending discussion of how to possibly begin school again in the fall with effective safety measures.  The stress and anxiety of decisions on a mac