This past Christmas break was the first one where I felt like all of the “unbundling” of the last few years of work and church could finally be felt.  There was a lightness to things for me, an appropriate size to life.  So one of my goals going into January was to see what things cluttered up the open spaces as things started back up.

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These past two weeks have felt like a month.  Strange to think that last Monday was a professional development day that brought with it multiple levels of conversation.  Then classes started and then Spirit Week (has) happened.  “The days,” Calvin said, “are just packed.”  Which is why a impending three-day weekend is such a welcome thing.

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It’s been something of an odd week for me.  Each afternoon I’ve made my way downtown to set up at Starbucks with a caramel macchiato and the hope of “sitting” with things: reflecting, writing, catching up on some reading.  It comes with an end today, but it has been nice.  I’ve benefited a little more intentional with Varden’s Healing Wounds, which has been good for me.  I’ve also tried to check back in with a couple of eateries downtown that I haven’t frequented in a while.

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While nothing like the weather that’s about to hit the mainland, we are about to take a slight dip in temperatures ourselves here.  I know it sounds funny, but waking up to the chill of the 60s is such a great thing.  And my weather app says that should happen every morning for the next week or so.  I have to confess, it’s makes getting to the gym just a bit more difficult.  But not impossible.

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This week Disney’s Star Wars: Skeleton Crew came to an end.  It was a great series, one that worked on multiple levels for me.  Word is that it’s also the least-watched Star Wars live-action series on Disney+, which is unfortunate.  It has a greatness of its own.  It also came to a satisfying conclusion, which is nice.  Revisiting the characters from At Attin would be great, but it’s not necessary.  It did open up the Star Wars story nicely, and all without bringing in any big names or characters.

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I’ve been trying to put together a couple of playlists, one for the morning and one for the afternoon/evening.  While putting things together, I can across this song from Indelible Grace.  I like it quite a bit.

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I am hopeful for the weekend.  I’ve got some work to do, which is fine.  It will help me work through the rest of the week (with is good since Monday holidays aren’t the best).  I hope to experience some of that “lightness” that came with Christmas break.  It’s possible, I think, and I’m hopeful for it.