En Pointe

"Okay, sorry about that.  What were you saying?"

"You know...never mind.  I know you're busy.  I can talk to you later."

"Hey, it's not a problem.  I got him a snack and I've locked myself in the bathroom.  What's up?"

"I was, uh, just calling to see how your day was going."

"Liar.  It's the middle of the day and that means you had to sneak out to make this call and you wouldn't do that just to say 'hi'.  Now out with it.  Before the little rugrat finds me."

"It's just that...I hate my job."

"Mm-hmm..."

"I am feeling more and more desperate for a change.  I've exhausted every opportunity for advancement here and I feel like God wants me to move on, but...It's like I'm in the midst of some dance and I don't know the steps.  A crazy combination of the limbo and the fox-trot."

"I'm sorry.  This is such a rotten situation."

"I spend all day wondering -- Do I quit?  Do I go back to school?  Do I stick it out?  My head is spinning."

"Hmmm...Do you remember that class we took with Madame Croix?"

"The dance class?  Uhm, yeah.  Isn't that where you tore your ACL?"

"Yes, but I also met Tom in that class, so it's had its redeeming qualities.  Anyway, I remember her going on and on about how ballet dancers, when they are pirouetting, have a focal point so they don't lose balance."

"Didn't she call it spotting?"

"Right.  Perhaps you need to do some spotting.  Get your focus back on Jesus and let Him work out all this dizzying future stuff.  Maybe write down Hebrews 12:2 and stick it somewhere you can see it often.  Uh-oh.  He found me."

"Tommy?"

"Yep.  And he really enjoyed his graham cracker.  Ugh."

"Thanks for hearing me out.  I'll let you go.  Call me later?"

"Thursday night.  Same time?"

"Yep.  Love you."

"Love you back.  Come here, little boy."

image courtesy of dalbera
(via Flickr Creative Commons)

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Linking up with Trifecta: 33-333 words inspired by the single word exhaust (to consider or discuss (a subject) thoroughly or completely or to try out the whole number of <exhausted all the possibilities>.)

Linking up with Write at the Merge this week - inspired by the picture above.

Snapshots of a Wedding, part 2

Another memorable aspect of the wedding weekend was the diversity of people involved in the celebration, all with ties to the happy couple.  We joked throughout the weekend about the intimacy of having dinner with 40 of your closest friends and family!

The melting pot of friends and family was an astonishing mix ...

guests from back east and guests from the northwest,

guests living in town and guests flying across the Atlantic,

friends with Boston accents and friends speaking only Spanish,

close-knit childhood friends and friends not seen since childhood, and

old family friends and new-found friends.

With this hodge-podge of friends and families comes a treasure trove of stories to tell.   And backstories to share.  And explanations to those stories.  And footnotes to their anecdotes.  And laughter.  Lots of laughter.

It was marvel the way that, in spite of the age differences, the differing family histories, the extent of familiarity among guests and even language barriers, that stories could be told, appreciated and enjoyed by everyone present.

And we made even more stories this weekend.  Stories that will be told, appreciated and enjoyed again and again.  That is the beautiful way that God weaves families and friends together so that when we return back east or to the northwest or across the Atlantic or just back across the state, we're still knit together.

Snapshots of the Heart ~ Heart for Missions

We have family and friends across the globe who humbly carry the title of missionary.

We have missionaries from our church who share the Gospel in a variety of languages.

We have friends in dark places who rejoice in how God's light is shining brightly.

We have six people around our kitchen table who happily reflect Jesus to those they meet.

Planted here to bloom for Him.

"Lord, please help my children to develop 

a desire to see your glory declared 

among the nations, your marvelous 

deeds among all peoples."  

Psalm 96:3

Come back on Monday for the wrap up of this series: 

Snapshots of the Heart.  

Have a great weekend!

A Holly Jolly Christmas

This is one of those songs that will get stuck in your head ... just fair warning.  I have been humming bits and pieces of it all week.  And when it gets morphed with "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" you can get something really interesting!

So ... just to make it fair that you have it in running around in your head, too, here it is:



Lyrics | Burl Ives - A Holly Jolly Christmas lyrics

I'm not too sure about those graphics, but I decided to choose the authentic Burl Ives version over Alan Jackson twanging through "holly, jolly".  You're welcome. :)

As I sat with this particular song in front of me, I was initially stumped as to how this familiar, and a tad bit redundant, ditty could point us back to the manger.  As far as I could guess, there was no holly or jollity at the birth of Jesus.  Instead there was a lot of straw and mud.  This event was also lacking many guests to celebrate.  Instead there was an abundance of animals snuffing and grunting and lowing.

Of course there was joy at Jesus' birth, but I don't envision any "cup o' cheer" being passed around.  In reality, the birth of God's Son went widely unnoticed.  A group of shepherds and a choir of angels about rounded out the party.

Then there's the line about mistletoe ... "Somebody waits for you, kiss her once for me."  That I think, is a bit creepy.  I believe I'd have to tell Burl to get his own girl.

So ... how can we see this song in a fresh way?  What is our manger-scene snapshot of this old favorite?

I think it's found in the line, "Say hello to friends you know and everyone you meet."  The core sense of those ten words is a friendly spirit.  A gift of friendship ... even to those people we encounter for a brief moment.

That would be the lady who checks you out at the grocery story, the guy behind the counter at the gas station, the lady who checks your in your books at the library, and the guy waiting in line with you at Starbucks.  That would also include the college student clearing your table at Carino's and the old fellow ringing the Salvation Army bell outside of Target.

So often this season gets full and we get busy.  The stress rolls in and suddenly Christmas cheer goes out the window.  Instead of a smile and a little grace when the bagger squishes our loaf of bread, we grumble and mumble and sigh.  When we have to wait our turn to check out, we groan and moan and point out that the lady ahead of us has exceeded the "15 Items or Less" limit.

I think this little line hidden between the Holly's and Jolly's can remind us to simply be nice. A few generous smiles and pleasant "Hello's" can go a long way toward spreading some Christmas cheer.   And that friendly greeting is a beautiful way to send along the true meaning of Christmas, too.

So I guess Burl Ives did have a little nugget of truth to share with us after all!  With this song running on repeat in your head, you'll be sharing the joy of Christmas with everyone you come in contact with ... from now until spring!

Who Will Fill Your Spot?

We have wonderful neighbors.  Scratch that.  We have a wonderful cul-de-sac.  When we prayed for God to give us a wonderful neighborhood to be a part of ... He went above and beyond our wildest imagination!  You might think that I'm spoofing you, so here are some examples of the Greenbriar Experience:

Traditional Halloween Party:  Daddies take the kids around the neighborhood while Mommies get the crock pots ready for our pot-luck soup dinner. (Translation:  we sit around and talk and drink wine and nosh.)

Summer Movie Nights:  BBQ pot-luck followed by family-friendly movies projected up on one neighbor's garage door.  Complete with lawn-chairs, popcorn and great company.

Christmas Brunch:  A smorgasbord of homemade dishes, good company and the kids playing happily.

Tamalera:  Getting together to make dozens of tamale (with Grandma and her authentic family recipe) and then joining together for dinner to sample our delicious little bundles.  And don't forget the Mexican hot chocolate!  Muy bueno.

New Year's Eve Shindig:  Ringing in the New Year with friends, scrumptious hors d'oeuvres and lots of music.


Birthday Parties:  Celebrating our kids with our friends and their kids ... it doesn't get much better than that.


Back-to-School Ice Cream Socials:  Kicking off the school year with a "bring your own toppings" ice cream party.  Sugar them up really good before sending them off to bed for their first school night of the year!


What do all these wonderful family experiences have in common?  Daniel and Edie ... and Ashleigh, too.  The crazy Texans who joined our cul-de-sac a few years ago and became part of the family.  Amazingly enough, most of the events above can be traced back to this wonderful couple.  They have repeatedly opened their homes up to us all ... and fed us well.  But they don't stop there.


They also have loved on our kids like they are their very own.  Many a date for Brett and I has been made possible because of their love and generosity ... and always with the encouragement to "not hurry back ... enjoy!"  They are actually enthusiastically awaiting the kids when we drop them off ... walking alllll the way across the driveway.  They have the evening planned: dinner, movie, crafts and bed-time.  And when we do return from some much needed "just the two of us" time, they are smiling and asking when we plan to need them again!  And just so you  know that I'm not pulling your leg ... here is what was waiting for us when we came back from our most recent date:

Who does this with kids they are babysitting?!?  I don't even do this with them ... and they are my kids! :)


So, yes indeed, we have the most wonderful neighbors.  There is just one problem.


They are moving.  (breathe deeply ... no sniffling ... keep it together ...)


Work is calling to them to move across the state and try as we might to come up with a way to keep them here, we are having to say goodbye.  Next week.  (keep it together, keep it together, keep it together ...)


While I know that we will see them (they are avid birthday partiers ... so we are almost guaranteed to see them four times a year) ... it won't be the same as having them across the street.  


I'll miss meeting up mid-cul-de-sac for a quick catch up.
I'll miss planning the next get-together.
I'll miss sitting with a plate of munchies and a glass of wine ... laughing about something.
I'll miss having my go-to-babysitters.
I'll miss our friends.


Thanks for loving us ... and letting us love you!
God bless you ... we know He will!


(sniffling ... smiling ... sniffling ...)


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Weekly Writing Prompt #3

BFF or ... IBFF

My sweet Ashley has a BFF named Kylie.  Kylie is a little older that Ashley.  She is a little braver than Ashley.  She is willing to try new things a bit more readily than Ashley.  She inspires Ashley to take on new challenges ... even tough ones.  She gets to do more things than Ashley because she's older.  She is spoken of with great respect and awe in our house.

And, she's 100% imaginary.

(Get it?  Imaginary Best Friend Forever?)

Ashley is our first kiddo to have an imaginary friend and at first I was a little skeptical.  My first several responses to Ashley's comments about Kylie (and all the amazing things she does) was, "Who?  Who are we talking about?"  I was trying to make Kylie fit the identity of one of Ashley's real friends.  It was obvious that the amazing feats of this sweet little buddy couldn't all be that of another preschooler, but I thought maybe Ashley was compiling a number of aspects from several different friends into one identity.  But then I got to know Kylie a little better and made an interesting discovery.  Kylie is everything Ashley isn't.

Kylie used to suck her thumb, but doesn't anymore.  Kylie gets to stay up during nap time and read chapter books instead of having to sleep.  Kylie got to get her ears pierced ... and she didn't even cry.  Kylie plays with Ashley and doesn't boss her around.  Kylie is cool.

I don't claim to know the psychology behind imaginary friendships, but it is obvious to me that this friendship is meeting a need that Ashley has right now.  A need for a confidant.  A need for a buddy.  A need for someone close to her heart.

The same needs her mommy has.  The same needs you have!

God made each of us with a need for relationships.  We are engineered with a desire to connect with other people.  We are created with a longing to be known intimately.  We are wired with a ache to be someone's friend.

I am so grateful for the people God has put in my life to fill that desire, that longing, that ache.  They make my life fuller, richer and more satisfying (hmm ... satisfyinger isn't a word ... but should be!).

I'm sure that this won't come as much of a surprise, but Sara Groves has a wonderful song about just that.  It's entitled, "Every Minute", and talks about those friendships that nurture us, that validate us, that give us security.  You really need to hear her sing it to truly appreciate it, but the lyrics are beautiful all by themselves:


Every Minute

By Sara Groves
I am long on staying I am slow to leave Especially when it comes to you my friend You have taught me slow down And to prop up my feet It's the fine art of being who I am And I can't figure out Why you want me around I'm not the smartest person I have ever met But somehow that doesn't matter No it never really mattered to you at all And at the risk of wearing out my welcome At the risk of self-discovery I'll take every moment And every minute that you'll give me And I can think of time when families all lived together Four generations in one house And the table was full of good food And friends and neighbors That's not how we like it now Cause if you sit at home you're a loser Couldn't you find anything better to do Well no I couldn't think of one thing I would rather waste my time on than sitting here with you And at the risk of wearing out my welcome At the risk of self-discovery I'll take every moment And every minute that you'll give me And I wish all the people I love the most Could gather in one place And know each other and love each other well And I wish we could all go camping And lay beneath the stars And have nothing to do and stories to tell We'd sit around the campfire And we'd make each other laugh remembering when You're the first one I'm inviting Always know that you're my friend And at the risk of wearing out my welcome At the risk of self-discovery I'll take every moment And every minute that you'll give me Every moment and every minute that you'll give me Every moment and every minute that you'll give me Every minute (From Sara Groves' album, "All Right Here")

I love the imagery she creates with her words:

"The fine art of being who I am" ~ who am I truly?  what do you see when I am the real me?
"At the risk of self-discovery" ~ what if I find out more about the real me than I want to?
"At the risk of wearing out my welcome" ~ what if you don't particularly like the real me?
"And I can't figure out why you want me around" ~ do you really like me?  really?  how?  why?
"Know each other and love each other well"  ~ what else could my heart want?

Another beautiful example of Sara's profound poetry that sings what is in my heart!  It makes me tear up just about every time I hear it because it brings to mind the people in my life with whom I want to "prop up my feet" and "take every minute" they'll give me.  I'm certain you have people that come to your mind, too.  And isn't it wonderful to know that we have that same effect on someone else?!?

Such an extraordinary snapshot of friendship.  A confidant.  A buddy.  Someone close to your heart.

Without really talking about it, Brett and I have both naturally accepted Kylie into our realm of family friendships.  When Ashley mentions something Kylie did today ("Kylie got new fish today ... just like Aaron.") we nod, comment and ask questions ... just as if she were a real person.

I guess, because to Ashley, she is.  IBFF :)

Am I a MOOK?!

Today was the first MOPS meeting of the year.  And as you know ... I love firsts!

I love seeing the moms I haven't seen all summer, hearing about vacations, meeting new babies, encouraging the round mommies who are progressing through their pregnancies and also landing back in that comfortable place where I am known and recognized as a fellow "mom-in-the-trenches".  The only problem this time was that today I had the sinking feeling that I am turning into one of those "veteran moms".  It's true that I have two little preschoolers and I can relate to the mom next me about diaper rash and teething ... but I also have an 8 year old boy who just drafted his first Fantasy Football team.  It's true that I remember very vividly those middle-of-the-night feedings and the hassles of pumping ... but I also have a 6 year old girl who asked me this morning for a little lip-gloss and body mist.  Apparently I have entered that interesting place of being a MOPS mom (Mother of Preschoolers), but also a MOOK mom (Mother of Older Kids).  It's not really an uncomfortable place because I still really enjoyed my morning.  But it does raise the question in my head and heart about my reasons for attending MOPS.

I guess I could answer this question a couple of different ways.  I could say that there is good food served at MOPS and so I'd be crazy to give that up!  I could say that this group is no longer relevant for me and look to get involved elsewhere.  I could keep having babies so that I'll always relate ... no wait ... that's actually NOT an option! :)  Or, I could decide that MOPS isn't actually about me and that I have this amazing opportunity to go not with a need to be met, but instead with a desire to meet someone else's need.

When I first started coming to MOPS I was needy.  With a capital "N".  We had just moved across the state.  Aaron was 9 months old.  We lived on a desolate street way out in Palisade.  You get the picture.  There was an actual desperation in my attending MOPS.  In fact, I vividly remember having plans to attend one morning and ending up in a snow storm on I-70 headed west.  Even though the church was only 8 miles away, it was impossible for me to get there and I remember coming home and just crying and crying and crying.  The next meeting wasn't for 2 whole weeks ... what was I going to do for 2 weeks?!?  It was a very lonely and difficult time in my life as a new mom.

Eventually I got into a rhythm of getting to MOPS more regularly and I could see my attitude change.  At these meetings I met other moms who could say, "Oh yeah ... my kid does that, too." or "Sorry you were up all night ... you should have called me because I was, too!"  All of a sudden I was normal, my kid was normal, my life was normal.  Whew!  I had found a safe place to share worries and fears and also successes and celebrations.  I had found a place to hear helpful tips and discovered that I had something to offer, too.  I also made some wonderful friendships that are still an encouragement today.  That is why I have chosen to serve in a number to positions at our MOPS group ... to help other moms to find that safe and encouraging place, too.

So ... what does all this mean for me in this coming year of MOPS.  For one thing, I could still use a dose of encouragement on a regular basis and I'm still learning one day at a time how to be the best mom I can be.  But, knowing that I have a few years under my belt, and that I'm still navigating the challenging years of preschoolers, I think that I can be ...


wait for it ...


a friend.

That's really it.  No one at MOPS needs me to tell them how to raise their kids.  No one needs any unasked for advice.  Certainly no one needs to hear that what they are doing is different than how I do it ... and by implication, wrong.  My plan is to come faithfully to this meeting place of moms and connect.  I want to be a sounding board.  I want to be an encouragement.  I want to be a friend.

I want to leave you with a little video by Sara Groves ... once again she has sung the words of my heart, especially regarding this topic of friendship.  Enjoy~



Sara Groves - Twice As Good from Sara Groves Music on Vimeo.


So ... how will you grow in friendships this year?  And who is someone you know, maybe just their name, who could use someone to help make life "half as bad and twice as good"?