Thursday riffs

As you can tell, this week got off to a crazy start. Sanity has resumed and after 2 days battling some devil stomach bug, I'm feeling noticably like Ally again.

In honor of the days of old, I'm back with some bits of gratitude for small (and large) blessings as of late:

- For all of you that have been tracking it, I'm happy to report that my buddy Julius seems to be doing well in spite of all that he's navigating in Kenya. I've actually heard his voice via phone, and that set my heart at peace. For continued updates, keep checking Soulfari Kenya's blog.

- I'm reclaiming confidence again. Negative thoughts are something we all struggle with, and on Monday night, I found that I hadn't let myself get quiet enough to shut them up. We're working on replacing them (as Sarah calls them, our "inner gremlins") with good thoughts, so repeat after me, "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough..."

- I'm also hoping to spend some good reflection and reverence time now that Lent has begun. In the last 2 years I've found this season to be particularly healing and cathartic, so I'm ready to begin again. As usual, I doubt I'll give anything up, but will be taking something on...though I'm not sure what that'll be yet.

- I re-found Iron & Wine again last night as a little pre-bedtime tuneage. I don't mind if their songs all sound the same...I just could listen to "Naked as we Came" on repeat until forever comes.

That's the newness here kiddos. I feel confident that six weeks into '08, I am now ready for it.