sharing thoughts, dreams, realities
pausing together to enjoy the stillness of the night
and to create a ‘still’ moment in our full week
birthday celebrations for a 20-year old
flower deliveries, cards, gifts, visits & phone calls
all of us around the table enjoying the requested birthday dinner :: fajitas!
creating!
enjoying the wide-eyed wonder of a little one {Isaiah at 3 weeks}
participating in Multitude Mondays over at A Holy Experience
I am in a major ‘getting ready for the fall’ and organization mode around here! My husband often comments that I’m usually organizing something in our home. Ha. Ha. And I usually don’t laugh with him. But seeing that May and June were spent vacationing for a week, camping for a weekend, attending a high school reunion out of state, and welcoming a new little one….well, by last week I felt completely out of sorts. All I’ve basically done so far this summer is pack and unpack as we traveled around.
We start school in two weeks, our daughter and grandson just moved in {bringing us to a total of 8 people}, there are three children’s birthdays to celebrate in the next 6 weeks, and the fall is our busiest time of year. I desperately needed a plan! And so I made a h-u-g-e list, a long list {I do love a good list!} that is being carried around the house, to stores and outside as to-do tasks are accomplished and crossed off. Much progress is being made…yes.
Right now there is fullness, but a good kind! I leave you with a few photos from our days ::
:: making sweet treats
:: catching the sunlight
:: watching the miracles play
Yesterday I couldn’t decide which fruit dessert to indulge in :: blueberry crisp or strawberry shortcake?
Decisions, decisions! So I made them both. But only the blueberry was eaten since our sweet tooth was satisfied after that; we’ll have the other tonight. Summer fruit is in plenty around here and we’re putting away and eating as much as possible.
Hope you’re enjoying a bit of summer goodness too?
And may your weekend be full of grace….enjoy!
I think I’ve found it.
My grandma name :: one that fits me and one that my children’s offspring will hopefully enjoy calling me.
But before that grand announcement {no pun intended!}, I have to tell you that I’ve completely obsessed about this. Even in the middle of tossing emotions, as the thought of becoming ‘grandmother’ to some little person hit me, I would starting thinking of a name. What are they all going to call me?
I thought of just allowing little Isaiah to name me and set the tone for future grandchildren :: but then my husband went ahead and chose his own name.
Papa.
Great. Now I felt the need to choose one too! So I obsessed a bit more…{by this I mean that Google became a near & dear friend for several days; alright, that is a slight exaggeration}
Then one morning out of the blue, a name popped into my head. Nia. Nia (pronounced nee-ah).
Ooooh, I liked it. Short, cute, sweet and yet I can imagine it growing with me. I wrote it out, whispered it often and matched it up with grandpa’s choice. Papa and Nia. Nia and Papa. Yep, this was a keeper.
True to my personality, knowing it was a choice for a girl’s name (though I’ve never met anyone with the name), I looked it up to be sure it didn’t have an odd meaning. And that discovery sealed the deal ~
Origin and Meaning of the Name Nia :: radiance, brightness; also from a Swahili word meaning purpose.
Yes.
Oh, I seriously hope Isaiah likes it too.
In the middle of everything {I’ll just let that word cover all from minor to major stuff}, I try to always be aware of the everyday, the common things to be grateful for. Instead of listing out my own gifts today, I encourage the community of readers here to consider starting their own gratitude list. Maybe you’ll blog it. Or just a notebook that is written in as time allows. Maybe you’ll just make a list for today. Whatever the avenue, pause and look for the gifts around you. Why? I offer a short list~
Gratitude rejects negativity. It will literally push away the small talk of complaining! This is not a practice of denying the realities we face, but rather allowing gratefulness to also fall from our lips.
Gratitude focuses on God’s goodness, not the lack of it. Whining and grumbling foster an attitude of telling God what He has not done, but gratitude has the opposite effect.
Gratitude reduces stress. Simply Google that phrase and find a wealth of information on the topic. Not only in Christian circles, but health magazines, workplace websites, etc. Give yourself a break and express gratefulness today!
And remember always that gratitude is a choice; it will not just happen, we must make it happen and be intentional in the pursuit.
So, as we enter a weekend full of what ever life holds for you :: can we pause a moment and write out a few thanksgivings? Be blessed friends…
{this space is mostly a record of joy, the beauty around me and the life I’m privileged to have. today I post a mixture :: a bit of reflection on news that has pierced our hearts, wounded our spirits and brought a ray of joy as well. I believe it’s only right to be true and honest, even in blog world; especially in blog world. it’s the story of a dance…and with my daughter’s permission, I record a little of the journey here…}
She’s a wisp of a girl still, this graduate of mine.
Tender and tough has been the journey between us :: the closeness we share is evident through memories past and present. And memories still to be made in the future. She’s a good girl, she is. And oh, how I love her.
Because of her, I’ve grown and matured. Children have this effect I believe :: exposing the vanity that can often envelope our hearts as parents. This Mama was a very young mother full of expectation, determination and…pride. I often observe other mothers now and chuckle softly to myself, knowing that one day they too will wake up to the fact that maybe, just maybe…they are not the best mother in the world. God usually doesn’t allow pride to have much room; He knows it’s a trap.
So my girl and I grew together as the family grew as well. The road we’ve traveled has encountered its mountains and valleys, but we all set our sights high. The fabric of our family, pieced together by His grace, has been strong. And as we approached the end of a chapter to exchange high school years for young adult ones…that strength was tested. And often the material frayed or was torn in places. Yet, grace always mended the wrongs and patched up offenses. And the journey continued…
It’s a delicate dance, motherhood.
Often you topple between the partners of both grief and joy, sashaying across the floor with celebration the day they’re born or come into your life, say their first word, enter school years and take the first calculated risk that works out right. The world is right-side up, laughter bubbles and all is well…joy!
And then there are days of painful tears~theirs and yours as you each face disappointments and the reality that this life on earth…well, it’s just not going to be perfect, or even beautiful always. That’s for another time and another place. When the ever gentle hand of the bearer of tears will wipe them away from our faces for the last time. Oh, hallelujah. Until then, motherhood sometimes dances with sadness :: heart heavy and steps awkward, an unwelcome union.
I’ve waltzed with both partners through the nearly 20 years of mothering; and the last several months found me stumbling between the two as my husband and I learned that our unwed teenage daughter was expecting, due 11 months after the last grace gift entered the family. Our world came to a screeching halt.
At first, there were no words, none whatsoever. There was nothing really but the auto-pilot nature that I’ve been given to just keep swimming, even if it’s upstream. She needed us. We are committed to her. And that was that.
But not really. And there began a dance so wild, but not free. So tender, but so broken. And so desperately in need. I argued with my Savior, tossing my grief and even anger His way. I ‘gave up’ on certain days and wanted to quit…quit what? Well, anything really. Just to feel in control of something. I did not despair of life, but I did despair. For a time, there was little consolation of spirit.
Then the dance grew more still as the days passed. No longer the frantic movements of a wounded spirit, whirling across the floor with sorrow as a primary partner. With that same determination of a young mother’s heart, I chose an additional companion. Not in denial or some fake-Christianity tactic, but a true bona fide choice to take it one step at a time. With Him. For really, what other option would lead me to freedom?
When I could not see how to move forward, He answered. He spoke words that have sustained me and kept my feet from falling. He showed me how to continue in light of all of our ministry and family responsibilities. He would not let me quit.
And as the news has gone public, He is here. Not being one to become consumed by other’s opinions or thoughts on my personal matters, I find this the easier portion of the journey though the loss of privacy is unsettling. I had to find my footing with my Jesus first and foremost. Oh, careless words find their way in and wound…I am human. And the silence of friends messes with my mind :: for the life of me, I cannot understand why Christians (Christians!) stay quiet when they can offer an encouraging word—what are we so afraid of?
But all this aside for now...there’s a new grace gift coming! And my heart has always and will always believe and proclaim that all children are a gift straight from the throne of heaven. That’s how the Creator set it up. What a super brilliant idea. So we’ve prepared our hearts and minds around this reality.
I’m not afraid to admit that every so often I still weave a path between grief and joy; swaying softly among the two.
There’s no embarrassment in saying that :: it’s a dance after all….
{prayers for our family are appreciated ~ that we would fear God & honor His ways, that the darkest days are behind us and that we would all walk as children of the light. thank you.}
Often when sibling mayhem of the grandest sort breaks out around here…
I am reminded of times when there is tenderness between the relationships of brothers and sisters in our home. Days where everyone seems to get along without reminders from Mom; laughter, play, and peace.
And the four in our home think of and pray often for the one who is not :: an older sister far away from their daily lives, but not from their hearts. The sweet little prayers that are said, the emails sent, the phone conversations :: oh, they melt me on the inside! Truly a gift, it is.
