Ahem.
Welcome to the end of Spring Break.
Basically, we have spent all the money and had all the fun and done all the projects ever possible in one week.
We started the week with my first trip to a hair salon of any type in almost three years. That took three hours because I go to cosmetology schools where the stylists are students and still learning. I like to go since it’s cheaper and, well, I feel like I’m assisting in the learning process. You’re welcome, Students.
After hair, I drove to the outlet malls to buy a new pair of running shoes. My last pair had approximately 350-400 miles on them but my knee was starting to hurt. Thus new shoes. And they’re turquoise. As all good and perfect things should be.
When I got back in my car, after walking through the pouring rain, the 15-year-old car refused to start.
And that rolls us into Sunday when we had to have the car towed to the house so my husband (who is a genius) could fix it. Which he did. Praise the Lord.
Monday was a McDonald’s lunch play date with friends. And don’t even come at me with your super judgy judgment. God is bigger than a couple of Happy Meals. We’re fine.
Tuesday, library and park. Wednesday, one of those huge entertainment places with bowling, video games and hotdogs. Thursday, thrift stores and consignment shops up north. And today, a picnic at the park with friends.
We will wrap up Spring Break with a surprise trip to see Disney on Ice this Sunday after church.
Of course, had we known the car would break down and we’d have to both tow it and fix it, we likely wouldn’t have spent the cash on an ice show. But C’est la vie. It’s only money.
In and around that, I’ve been working my way through some assignments for a writing group I joined. We started with personality testing. I already knew I was an INFJ. Only about 1% of the overall population are that type but all writers are. Well, okay, maybe not all but a lot.
This week, I also discovered I’m a “Questioner.” To which my genius husband replied, Duh.
He’s an “Obliger” and that was a surprise to me. Until I read the description and then I was more, “Oh, for sure.”
We took a spiritual gifts test, too. My gift is “discernment.” Yet another moment when my husband called it. He literally told me my gift before I could tell him the results. (It’s possible I’ve taken the test before and I’ve forgotten.) Regardless, the results were not all that shocking.
Although, I have been processing through how much those two traits go together. I wasn’t much of a questioner as an employee UNLESS I sensed the tasks were basically busy work or would ultimately have no real purpose and THEN, it was hard to get motivated. My “full of crap” meter is pretty sensitive.
As a SAHM, this Questioner thing rears its ugly head when my kids ask for something. My natural, gut reaction is to say NO immediately. Not necessarily because that No makes sense as much as it is because they asked a question AT ALL. I recognized that about myself a few months ago and started working on it then and can happily report, I’m now able to stop and think before STILL saying No. Largely because my kids ask for crazy things, like a new toy every week, in which case, No is the appropriate response to that. But for things like, “Can we paint today?” I should answer Yes more than No.
(Although mess makes my eye twitch so saying Yes to painting means MESS and so I really should be receiving some sort of parenting award for allowing painting to happen AT ALL in my house.)
(Should we discuss my overuse of the “AT ALL” or leave it be?)
But I’ve also been thinking about how my questioning is hindering me in my writing. This writing community I joined is amazing. So. Much. Good. And they aren’t even shy about calling us out and holding our scared little feet to the fire. Lots of writers, myself the President of this society, say, “I just want to write.” But the group leaders counter that with a sweet, “Yeah, that’s a lie.” And it is. Because I want to write but what I really want is for people to read the words and find hope in them.
So.
If I want people to read the words I write, then I might actually have to SHARE those words.
The group talks a great deal about that. About reaching people and getting my words to someone other than my husband and friends. (Although, y’all rock.) (Fist bump)
And so I’ve realized, as the leaders are attempting to help us reach the goal of people actually reading our words, my Questioner personality gets all, “Nah. You are so not the boss of me.”
Which is true.
And not.
Because really, if Jesus intended for me to write in a journal for my entire life and never share what He’s taught me, He sure did mess up on giving me this desire to do exactly the opposite. And since we know He doesn’t make mistakes, well, then, I’m gonna have to hit this Questioner thing squarely in the mouth.
Two personality tests remain. Strengths Finder and Enneagram. I’ve heard of the Enneagram test before. Like on every podcast involving Jamie Golden or Annie F. Downs. Since it was homework for this group, I did bite the bullet and buy the whole book. Should be interesting. I like learning about this kind of stuff. I have done this a whole stinking lot about my daughter. Just trying to figure out how God put her together. But it’s been a while since I attempted any personal reflection on myself.
Thank you, Lord, for the chance to learn more about how You created me. May it be used for Your glory and Your kingdom.
How is God showing you more about yourself these days?
And if you take one of the tests, let me know what you get!