If you give a mouse a cookie...

I read one of my favorite books to a group of kids last week at reading camp.  I absolutely love watching the eyes of little ones light up when they hear a story for the first time.  They usually lean in to get closer to the book to seemingly absorb every detail possible.   Storytime is the main reason I love working in a library. 

I still  believe in the power of storytelling. By that I mean… a real story told by a real human being, not a computer or phone.  It may sound cliché, but books can come to life! 

Last week we journeyed through several genres and made sure we had fun along the way.  “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” by Laura Numeroff was one of our top picks.  One thing leads to another with the mouse in this circular tale.  

The mouse gets a cookie, then he wants milk, then a straw, then a mirror to check for a milk mustache. The story goes on and on until it circles back to him wanting a cookie.  In another version, there is a mouse who wants a muffin.  This leads to apple juice, his Grandmother’s sweater, and so on. I saw several eyes roll at the ridiculousness of the characters not controling their own thinking, desires, and actions.

I laughed with my group last week, but I also wanted to cry!  I realized as I read “If You Give a Pig a Pancake” that I was somewhat like the character in the book.   One thing has led to another, as it typically does in the spring with my family!  My thoughts and actions have been moving quickly…leaving me a bit dizzy from so much going on and finally desperately in need of rest. 

Therefore, I planned a day of NOTHING!  By this I mean an intentional, guilt-free day of rest.

My rest began yesterday morning.  I dropped off my son and work at 7:00 and snuck by the donut store to buy an apple fritter.  A warm apple fritter and a cold glass of milk have always been among my favorite indulgences.  Something about the apple flavor, texture, and the sweetness of it all combined puts a smile on my face and puts me in a carbohydrate coma. 

My plan worked. I rested and slept. I sat in my husband’s chair and sipped my coffee. I relaxed more.  I did absolutely nothing until early afternoon.  Then I was ready to get up, and I l felt so much better.   I was back! 

I looked back over the blur of the past few months.  High school softball lead to high school baseball, which lead to prom, homework, and standardized tests.  More school work led to Project Graduation, which led to numerous end of the year activities and awards ceremonies.  Little league softball and baseball began, the school year ended, and that took us right into the county fair.  We closed out the fair with Father’s Day, and I started reading camp. 

By the time reading camp concluded, I was tired!  I do not regret a single second I spent in bleachers, the car, the library, or at the fairgrounds; however, every season has an end.  My spring is complete. I now am officially in slow, summer mode. 

Mark 6 tells the story of Jesus going, going, and going.  After feeding the five thousand, Jesus told his disciples in verse 31 “Come with me by yourself to a quiet place and get some rest.” 

I believe in living life to the fullest. I also believe in rest!  Join me this week and do both.