I Always Have More

1. It's a new year and a snow day (haven't you already seen my snow pictures on Facebook this morning? I mean, seriously, you're not on FB? Even my grandmother is on FB. And the rumor is that Marshall's grandmother will soon be on FB. Everybody's doing it!) and I rushed around all over town yesterday making a zillion stops so that we could just sit at home today, play in the snow, and rest.

Just so I can brag, in three hours I went to the Hazardous Materials drop off center in Mansfield, the dry cleaner's, Shop Rite, the library (drive-thru drop off), the post office, Wegman's, Burger King (drive-thru) and CVS (drive-thru). Then I came home and practically collapsed but ate my Whopper anyway. I'd earned it.

You're asking yourself why 2 different grocery store stops the day before a snow storm. One, because I'm crazy, and two, because Shop Rite has peanut butter but not Vanilla milk and Wegman's is the reverse. Someday, there will be one store that carries all I need, but in the meantime, I shop at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Aldi, Shop Rite, Target, Wegman's, and Costco. And that's just for groceries.

One of my friends shared this video yesterday that perfectly sums up the general South Jersey mood before a snow storm. It's hilarious. And for the record, I was at Shop Rite yesterday morning at 10:30, and the bread shelves were empty. Not that I needed any; I buy my bread at Costco.

2. If you were in my Renaissance Lit class in college (I don't think any of my readers were, but I digress) you would have spent hours in analysis over A Hymn to God the Father by John Donne (published 1633). Some days I do really miss Professor Blumberg. Or, if you took Survey I (that means you, Kimberlee and Aaron; oh, wait, Dawn, too)!), you would have spent 5 minutes reading this:

A Hymn to God the Father

BY JOHN DONNE

Wilt thou forgive that sin where I begun,

         Which was my sin, though it were done before?

Wilt thou forgive that sin, through which I run,

         And do run still, though still I do deplore?

                When thou hast done, thou hast not done,

                        For I have more.

Wilt thou forgive that sin which I have won

         Others to sin, and made my sin their door?

Wilt thou forgive that sin which I did shun

         A year or two, but wallow'd in, a score?

                When thou hast done, thou hast not done,

                        For I have more.

I have a sin of fear, that when I have spun

         My last thread, I shall perish on the shore;

But swear by thyself, that at my death thy Son

         Shall shine as he shines now, and heretofore;

                And, having done that, thou hast done;

                        I fear no more.

It came to mind today because of the title of my post, I Always Have More, so much so that I had to retrieve my Norton Anthology of English Literature, Sixth Edition, Volume 1, (it's on page 1121 if you want to look it up) off of the bookshelf and flip through the Table of Contents until I remembered John Donne was the poet I was thinking of and then flip through all of his pages, looking in the margins for my notes, so I could find the actual poem I only vaguely remembered. Never let it be said my college education was wasted.

But the point I'm trying to make is that "I Always Have More" is my continual answer to Alex whenever he sees me pour out for him the last grape juice in a bottle or take out the last cheese stick in the drawer or the last tortilla chip in the bag. His anxiety blooms when we don't have his foods at the ready, so I always try to have reserves. So my answer to him, over and over, is "Yes, honey, I have more."

But then, just now, rereading this poem I haven't read in at least a dozen years, I remember the abundance of God's grace, for He always has more.

3. I was feeling so calm and on top of things last night that Marshall and I sat down to watch a little television and I, miracle of miracles, got my cross stitch out to work on it for the first time since (flips through blog posts) August 2nd. Here's a new picture, although I had to frog several times last night in that bottom right section, which makes it 4 times for that particular corner. Hopefully, it's the last time.

If you can't remember, the finished project looks like this:

4. If somehow you missed our Christmas letter post last week, here's that helpful link again. And if you're really bored and missed all the previous letters, you can change the number in the address and read all the previous letters, back to 2001. But remember, no letter last year, so don't try 2012.

5. If the world reemerges from the snow tomorrow and our babysitter can get to us, Marshall and I are going out to see The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. I just re-watched the first film, the extended edition this time, which I like mostly for Andy Serkis. I have a feeling my favorite part of the new movie will be the conversation between Bilbo and Smaug.

6. I am annoyed to realize Thor has stopped playing in the theatres near me. Stupid nasty cold ate my whole month of November.

7. Sometime last month, the author Julia Quinn posted this list on her Facebook page of the best romances published in 2013. I have been happily making my way through it and reading some excellent books, which you may have seen if you follow me on Goodreads. Of course, at the same time, I've introduced my husband (who listens to audio books on his way to and from work) to the Dire Earth Cycle by Jason M. Hough. I made it through the first book but then needed a break after I started the second. I also want to read Ancillary Justice by Anne Leckie. I read a lot of book reviews; find a lot of good books that way.

And here's Jen! I want to read her book, too, but it's not out until April.