The Saturday Six

 

One.

I particularly loved this post because it is real life. A workout space in an unfinished basement. I'm sharing it because I feel like it's important to remember that our houses don't have to have a web-worthy, polished workout space. We can still be active at home, even if it's a rough space with aging equipment. (Our current apartment doesn't even have a dedicated workout space. We just pull out all the equipment and plant the computer on the breakfast bar to work out.) What matters is actually moving around, not the space in which you move! 

Two.

I want to take this road trip. Not right now, of course, because I'm sure none of these things are open to the kind of capacity that would make the time and expense worth it. But I still want to take this trip. 

Three.

You may know that one of my favorite pastimes is looking at houses for sale. Of course I can't afford any of them, and we don't need a summer home, but I still like to look! I have my eye on the most adorable studio with exposed brick walls, and this week I happened upon this home tour of a similar apartment. I think it is just cute as a button. Ryan and I say, the more we travel and stay in small Airbnbs, that we think we could very much enjoy a life lived in a small house like this! How about you? Could you live in a studio?

Four.

I think Ryan and I have landed on grilling steaks and having dessert fondue for Valentine's Day. We've heard that a lot of restaurants up this way are already booked to capacity for Valentine's Day...because of limited capacity. We're not really big into fighting for reservations, and who knows what the weather might be like that day. February in Indiana is always a gamble. Now that we are even farther north, we really don't know what to expect. So a celebration in our cozy little apartment sounds like the win to us. All that to say...this may be the unhealthiest recipe I've ever seen but WOW it looks good. 

Five.

First book of 2021 completed! When we hired on here, Rob gave us a lengthy list of books he wanted us to read as part of our training. During the first six months, we were so busy with actual in-person trainings and getting our bearings that we only made it through one book - and it was so short, it almost qualified as a booklet. So I was determined to power through one full-sized book for work in January, and we did! 

You may be wondering why I'm bringing up a work book on the Saturday Six, but I have to tell you that I think this is a fabulous read for anyone, regardless of who you are or what you do in life. It's not a new book, so some of you may have already read it and know what I mean. It was published back in 2007, but the content is so very relevant. 

The book is called Castaway Kid and is written by R.B. Mitchell. (His first name is Rob, but cover credits say R.B.) This book is a memoir about the author's life growing up in the system and how he chose to overcome the challenges of his childhood and live a new script with his life. Rob has the uncanny ability to remember details quite fully, so the book is packed with very vivid scenes - even from the early years of his life. That gives the book almost a fiction feel in the way it reads, but it is very, very true. 

Rob was born in the 1950s, lived in the Midwest, and by the time he was three, his father had attempted suicide. Though he lived through the attempt, he was forever brain damaged and spent the rest of his years in a facility. Rob's mother abandoned him at a children's home when he was three, and he grew up wondering what he had done wrong to be left in this home - and why no one would choose to take him in to be part of their family forever. 

The home he lived in was an orphanage, and though the United States no longer operates with that type of system, the feelings and emotions he recalls experiencing seem to match what children and young adults of today's version of the system also experience. He writes openly of his hurt, disappointment, and even rage as he faced loss after loss, abandonment, rejection, and bullying. 

It was so helpful for us, in the work we do, to be able to see how specific experiences led to certain emotions, which were often projected onto others in his life. His caseworkers, houseparents, and counselors were often the targets of his emotional outbursts, though their actions weren't the cause for them. He recalled their consistent efforts to help him work through his struggles and their belief that he could live a new story. 

My favorite thing about reading Rob's story was seeing how he chose to rise above the circumstances of his childhood. He was determined to be financially responsible, pursue education, and have a family of his own that was healthy and thriving. He didn't want to be a statistic. He wanted more. This gives us great hope that the same drive could be true for our tenants and those in their lives!

If you are like us and wish you better understood those who live in or came from a life in the system, this book is an incredibly helpful tool. I love learning from living literature, and this is just that. I'm grateful Rob felt called of God to share his story and was obedient to that call.

Six.

I have a few more challenges for you this week in my list of purposeful January ideas! This week's list starts with Monday, January 18th!

Monday, January 18: Research a new hobby you might want to pursue. I think I mentioned to you a while back that I considered learning to crochet, but ultimately I decided this isn't the right time. Still, it's fun to look at patterns and things I might want to try if I ever do learn! Have anything that interests you? What if you looked into it a little more? It's not making a full commitment, but it might help you know whether or not you want to try!

Tuesday, January 19: Make a fun popcorn recipe today. My friend Abagail LOVES popcorn, and she also loves finding fun recipes of things to add to popcorn. (She doesn't just stop at caramel corn.) I've loved sampling some of her creations and they opened my eyes to how many popcorn concoction options there are! Give one a try today! Savory or sweet...it's your choice!

Wednesday, January 20: Plan an overnight/weekend trip to take in the next 2-3 months. I love starting to plan a trip the minute I get home from the last one. I think just knowing something is out there brings so much hope. I'm missing traveling at will right now (limitations from days off AND from the pandemic) as I'm sure many of you are, too. Doesn't hurt to dream up a trip, does it?

Thursday, January 21: Take a virtual tour of a winter tourist spot: If you can't go anywhere right now for real, how about taking a virtual trip? Whether it's a place you've always wanted to see or a place you're trying to decide if you really want to go (when you can), see if you can find a tour online! Whether a webcam or an official video tour, many places offer something along these lines - especially right now. 

Friday, January 22: Start a wish list for gifts to give and receive this year: I can't tell you how many times I've had a great idea for a gift to give someone, failed to write it down, and then could not think of it later. Likewise, I've had great ideas for myself, and then when someone asked what I wanted for my birthday or Christmas, I totally blanked. Start a list of both kinds of gifts, and when the time comes, you'll be ready!

Saturday, January 23: Celebrate National Pie Day! Ryan and I have celebrated this one a number of ways over the years. We've gone to restaurants for pie and coffee, and we've purchased pies to bake at home. (If I had any pie baking talent, I'd just bake one.) I highly recommend recognizing this holiday! 

Sunday, January 24: Reach out to someone you haven't talked to in a long while. I jumped ahead on this one and did it last week! God put one of my friends on my mind and I reached out with an email to see how she was doing. She ended up sending me a Marco Polo message, and it was SO GOOD to see her face and hear her voice again! We exchanged conversations, and it was a boost to my week! I hadn't talked to her out loud in probably over a year, and I loved reconnecting.