Another Morning, Another Day

This morning I finished chapter 13 of Anchored in Love; John Carter Cash wrote:

"Mom gave all she had to her family in spirit, soul, and body. Sometimes, when the night is dark and I question my path, I think of the simple wisdoms she gave me, and suddenly the way seems straighter and the morning seems closer:

God has a plan for you.
This too shall pass.
Press on."

I could use a good dose of simple wisdom, so I gulped it down. June Carter Cash's simple wisdoms are very similar to adages spoken by my own family for which I'm grateful. I also understood the sentiment of wishing the morning would hurry up and appear. There are aspects of night I do love - candlelight, evening tea, living room conversation with Johnny (books, music, theology, nonsense, how much we wish Rescue Me was on every single night), and sleep especially when it is sweet.

However, when I open my eyes to a day's beginning, before I even think of swallowing pills, I roll over to peek at our tall bathroom window currently veiled by a thin (partially-faded) Indian tapestry. We plan to replace it with bamboo blinds, but for now the fabric offers the kindest light every morning, during the day, and at dusk. When I see that soft, first light, excitement stirs - what does this day hold? If a worry tries to elbow in, I try to nudge back with dismissal.

Johnny just sprinted off to record songs at a friend's house, but before he left, the morning = satisfaction.

Organic grape tomatoes paired with scrambled eggs, spinach, and raw macadamia nuts. Some of you might feel sympathy when I describe a yeast-free diet, but honestly, I've had an epiphany. God created food I must currently eat with natural sweetness, I swear. I'm continually surprised that natural peanut butter, red bell peppers, raw cashews, and tomatoes taste like candy:



Plus, in the Hotze Optimal Eating Program cookbook, I discovered recipes for Poppy Seed French Dressing, Spinach Pesto, Fiesta Frittata, Gumbo, Spinach Artichoke Dip, Shrimp-Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes, Greek Shish Kebab, Stuffed Eggplant, and Shrimp Curry. I need to get on it!

Two photographs were required to reveal my expansive tea collection. Java Maté is always my first choice for a morning when it's in stock:





Johnny ran out of his standard morning caffeine - Diet Coke with Lime - so he made a cappuccino instead:



The following picture is very deceiving. Milo spins around like a whirling dervish each morning. He's so excited we're awake that he can hardly help himself. Yet Johnny captured Milo in a serene moment, shadowed by bright morning light, amongst kitchen counter clutter:



Now it is time for more reading:







Then eat lunch, clean the dishes (again), pack up my Mom's pink flamingo lights to mail, write Denise in Rwanda (our Compassion child), make brownies, do laundry, dust, and God knows what else. Our nighttime plans are cedar plank salmon on the grill and renting movies. I really want to see The Lives of Others.

Have a good weekend, y'all!