A major weekend

Well, I did say blogging would be light last week, didn't I? I spent three days at a program management review in Northern Virginia. This means that most of that time was in a conference room, surrounded by managers (almost all of them men), discussing things like profit & loss statements for organizational groups, and whether to take the strategic or tactical approach to the training budget for design engineers, and managing customer relationships, and utilizing and leveraging and facilitating and all that other manager stuff. :-) Despite all that, it was a productive week, and I didn't get too badly beaten up at my first PMR as a direct participant (rather than as a behind-the-scenes supporter, listening on the phone and quietly sending data to the participants).

Over the weekend, I had a very difficult discussion with my husband, one that has been years coming but that I haven't had the strength and courage to initiate until now. Because he is choosing not to disclose this discussion to his family (or to our children) yet, I will refrain from going into any detail out of respect for him. But I have been profoundly thankful for the recent Friday Five on Rivers in the Desert, because it helped me take a deep look at my sources of inspiration and support, so that I could get them lined up for me for the days and weeks and months to come. Being an introvert, I'm incredibly wealthy with online support, but rather deficient when it comes to local people I can meet face-to-face.

Despite earlier misgivings about it, I went to the Palm Sunday service yesterday, but not at my home parish. Instead, I went to St. Peter's, where I'd gone for Ash Wednesday. It was very good, and I was glad to get my fix of "All Glory, Laud, and Honor" for the year. :-) I badly needed Eucharist, and I felt very much fed. I know we still have Holy Week ahead of us, but I'm ready to say the A-word again and to sing the Gloria again and to celebrate the Resurrection.

So today, I am thankful for supportive and inspiring people. I am thankful for finding the inner strength and courage to help me make a tough decision. I am thankful for the fun people I work with. I am thankful for the church - made up of flawed and broken humans as it is - and for the feast that is there for me whenever I am able to bring myself to the Table. I am thankful for the prayers and love of my friends. I'm thankful for the blooming cherry trees, and for my yard full of bright yellow dandelions, looking like little balls of sunshine. I'm thankful for the birds at my feeder, even this one really odd-looking one - kind of gray-brown, fuzzy, very acrobatic, with little hands, and a bushy tail. :-) I'm thankful for beautiful music and the warm spring sun. I'm always thankful for Diet Dr Pepper. I'm thankful for sleeping with the window open, even when it gets a little chilly, and I'm thankful for thick, warm socks. I'm thankful for being able to go barefoot, and I'm thankful for slipping into a bed newly made with freshly-washed sheets. I'm thankful for grabbing my towel after a hot shower, putting it to my face, and inhaling the fresh scent.

I wish you peace and joy today, and a blessed Holy Week.