My day of unemployment

I have been a distracted reader this past year. I did manage to finish reading "Walden or Life in the Woods" by Thoreau last fall but I am not sure I have completed a single book since before Christmas.  Although I have started a few.  So before I start any more these are the ones I am going to focus on.  I am half way through Professional Blogging for Dummies.  I have decided to just finish it.  I was trying to absorb every word so I wouldn't have to go back but since I own it why not start with the overview and then return as I work.  "Selling 101" by Zig Ziglar is the sort of quick read I should be able to finish in one sitting.  I just need to give myself permission to sit and read it.  I am going through "Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl" by Lisa TerKeust with a friend.  So far I am loving it.  I had heard great things about "Captivating" by John and Stasi Eldredge and found myself getting sucked into it while hanging out in our church library a few weeks ago.  Now I need to just finish that too.  I haven't actually started "Getting Started with WordPress" or "Mom, Inc" but am looking forward to taking the same approach with them as Professional Blogging.  Start with an overview and return for the meat.  Of course the Bible, never done reading that.  Overview and meat, I can never get enough.

The  big thing is to give myself permission to sit down and read them.  I need to see reading these books, not just the business ones but all of them, as part of my job.  I can't have success without education and learning.  I need to learn to put this whole work/home/business thing together and looking forward to reading about the experiences of those who have gone before me.

I always love book recommendations.  I have a few ideas for my next group of books but feel free to leave a comment with your favorite book as well.  

I spent most of my day preparing my office for my future work from home base.  It really needed help.  I had recently moved from the small desk to the larger one.  Jake had been using the larger one but had abandoned it in the past year or so and I finally decided it was time to move.  And I moved Isabelle's crafts out of her room with the idea of putting her in my old desk and life is busy and you would be amazed how quickly a fairly tidy and organized office can turn into these before pictures which I walked into this morning.

I have made HUGE strides in purging, cleaning and organizing this room but I want to work on it a little more this weekend before revealing the after.

I would have had more time to work on the room today but had to make a slight detour as John accidentally sprayed himself in the eye with carburetor cleaner.  Day one of our new insurance I am at an eye clinic on the phone with our insurance agent trying to get any information I can to pass on to the clinic as our new insurance cards haven't even arrive yet!  Luckily John didn't do any permanent damage and after an evening of constant eye drops should be fine in the morning.  It already is looking normal again.

This morning as I stood feeling a little overwhelmed by my office space and unsure how to begin I realized I needed to back out of the room and go sit with God and pray.  It always helps me focus my time and direct my steps.  As we sat waiting in the little room for the doctor to look at John's eye I found myself thinking and then saying, "I don't know why but I just know this is what God had planned for our day."  I knew this because I gave my day to Him in the morning and He has never failed me.  I still don't know why and I could give you a list of reasons why it was not a good thing but, I feel at peace.

I have to admit that in the back of my mind I was worried that I might feel lost once I came back home to work but today I found myself feeling more myself than I have in months.  There are lots of transitions still to come in the next few weeks and months and I may still yet find myself wishing for the simple consistency of my old job but for today I am excited to begin rediscovering myself, my family and the life I love.

John is heading out to go buy ice cream and make malts.  A perfect way to end a day of unemployment.  I think I will grab a book and curl up while I wait for him.