Too Many Free Days

My life is mostly free days. Seriously, sometime I really think I need a life.  Everyone has this image of me as very busy.  I’m not.  I spend a lot of time baking in order to fill up my time.  To me there is nothing better than a loaf of fresh bread rising or the beauty of a homemade Lemon Meringue Pie.  I’ll probably make both in the coming week. 

I prefer to be busy.  I’d prefer to have the chaos of my previous life.  I loved the energy of getting up in the morning and going to a job that had much purpose, meaning, and challenge.  It seems so odd that when our small house was full of children I would get them off to school and then off to my job.  After work there was always church, a committee meeting, a game, a project, or something.  I remember one time coming home rather tired from work, setting my bag by the door, and my granddaughter who was about two at the time running up to me and saying “Nana, you go cook.”

Suppertime often meant cooking for 10, or 12, or even 15 or 17 people.  My “rule” was, if you were at my house at suppertime you were welcome to eat.  We had kids “live” with us for extended periods.  Our house was like the old woman who lived in the shoe.

Now it’s me, my husband, and Pebbles our dog.  Pebbles greets me looking for treats rather than hungry children.  I fix oatmeal for my husband and supper at night but it’s hard to fix food for two.

I have the question of what to do with a free day every day.  I often fail miserably in my choices.  I have studying to do, but I put it off for another day.  I could be praying.  I could be taking long walks somewhere.  I could be volunteering.  I could be doing so many things.

I’m on a quest during this new year to find places of service.  Certainly, there is someone out there whose life I can touch.  My goal for the New Year is to find that place(s).  My goal is to be so busy that I need a “free day.”