John 15:12-17: Daily Gospel XXVI

I remember the first time I started feeling a stronger, one-on-one relationship with my dad. My eighth grade year I came down with a very bad case of the eighth grade version of senioritis. I was very much done with the school year and knew I'd be going to a different high school than my friends...I was in a time of a lot of transition. Which, on top of puberty, is always (re: never) fun.

I don't recall now whether I didn't have any homework, or just very little, but many of my evenings were very free. My dad and I began to build a habit of playing double solitaire late into the evening hours. Sometimes we'd talk a lot about what I was experiencing at school. Sometimes there was no talk at all. Sometimes we'd be silly and compare feet sizes. All in all, it was my dad showing me how much he loved me. He was treating me as an "equal" and letting me spend time with him, even past my bedtime. It was him recognizing my time of maturing and needing some support in the process.

This Gospel is among the most loving and tender that I encounter in Scripture. The mixed emotions of joy and sadness of the disciples is palpable. The tender care of Jesus is self-evident. May we love one another with that same care and concern.

Today's post inspired by a meatball sub and cheap merlot. Because it's been a week.

This month may never end...

Out my window: Past my bedtime :-P

Clothing myself in: jeans, aqua top, grey cardigan

Around the apartment: clean from my "oh my goodness, I'm going to be SO stressed soon so I need to get this cleaned before I have no time" moments...

The hubby: and I are car-shopping like a couple of "newbs." There are times where we have stealthily tried to ask each other about the car-buying process because neither of us have done this before* and we don't want to sound dumb to each other, so that's pretty funny.
*I do have to clarify that, because Matt bought my uncle's Impala, but that was straight out cash, and my dad co-signed with me on my Avenger, but really, they have taken care of all the car payments. This is our first time buying from a dealer and financing ourselves.
 
In the kitchen: Nothing superbly exciting...burgers, swiss cheese chicken, parmesan tilapia which I have high hopes for

Crafting: eh, nada...I go in spurts with my coloring book

Learning: The month of April is basically the month-long form of finals week for DREs/youth ministers. All the sacraments and end of PSR and planning for the summer/beginning of the school year and coming up with a budget in one month. It's ok, I don't have a life outside of work anyways, right...?

Reading: Still almost done with The Imitation of Mary, King Arthur is a grown man navigating the world of young adulthood in The Once and Future King, in Jane Eyre she's finding out just how weird Mr. Rochester is.

Watching: The end of Leverage toyed with my emotions. I watched a couple of movies today, nothing spectacular.
  
Bringing me joy: Young Catholics having "Aha!" faith moments...sometimes I build up the courage to actually call friends rather than have a texting or email conversation, and those are awesome

Thinking about: an appointment I have coming up, prayers please!...all my work stuff...

Pictures to share:

Cute, right? I had these at my Junior High Youth Group Easter party :-D