Dancing Thru Her Daddy's World

Pictures from fall Boston Trip

2008-11-09T21:32:00.008-05:00

I know that not many of you all read this blog. I barely read it myself. But for my friend Sandy, who never comments anymore, and for anyone else who might care, I do put pics up here once in awhile of trips we've taken. For some reason, the fall leaves and sights captured my interest this trip so I'll share a few of them with you.

This is a gate outside of Harvard Square. I took the picture with my color subtraction on, so that only red shows up. While we were in Harvard we ate at a cool Tapas restaurant. Tapas is short for a restaurant that doesn't give you much food on any one plate, but they charge you a lot because the plate is cute. Here is that restaurant.

This picture below is taken right outside the Charles Hotel, where David and I spent our honeymoon night. We walked through the lobby to see what memories it brought back. None. Didn't remember a bit of it. But this walkway is pretty!

These are buoys that were lined up outside a shop in Rockport. Very colorful. I like this pic.

This one is just classic New England.

So that's it for now...I'm tired and I still have to pack up for our trip home to Sunny South Florida. Believe it or not, everyone...we have no more tickets for upcoming trips and really no more travel plans! I am not naive enough to think that we will stay put for long, but it's nice dreaming. Sooner or later, though, we get restless. Atlanta will surely come next. And business does call. And a tropical island would be nice. Hey, Whaples, weren't we supposed to be doing a cruise?????

Nashville, Tennessee and the Saunders road trip

2008-11-02T01:05:00.003-04:00

This is my Nashville girl! She fell in love with Belmont University, Nashville, Franklin...everything.

Here we are in Franklin, Tennessee. Note the rockstar clothes on David...Jillian was busy shopping for David at "The Buckle".

The Gibson guitar factory was a favorite stop in Nashville!

Sweet to a Mom's eyes...

2008-09-03T22:11:00.003-04:00

I found this written on my facebook wall, and realized again why we love this girl! And what the true value of a college education is...

Just a few shots from Santa Barbara

2008-08-26T15:20:00.004-04:00

This girl believes she belongs in California! She is breathing her "natural" air, and loving it.
Grant was married at the Firestone Vineyards outside, under a tree. I will upload more pics later. It was stunning.

View from my balcony in Santa Barbara. I loved it. Talk about a creativity booster!!!

This is a picture of my cousin Brian, his mom Shirley, my mom (her sister), and me outside our hotel.

Yes, I am back. I'm sorry. I've been hanging out in the Coffee Shop and neglecting to dance. But here are a few pictures from our family trip to Santa Barbara for my nephew Grant's wedding. Enjoy!

Ragamuffintop - home again

2008-07-19T17:04:00.002-04:00

Back home after our latest trip, it's been good having a little more control over my circumstances! How did I do this week? Let's see...no exercise except jet-skiing. Ate ok. Clothes are fitting fine at this size, but it's time to make progress toward the next. I have one month until a family wedding...move your butt, Ragamuffintop!

Let's try that a different way!

2008-07-16T15:58:00.002-04:00

Wordle Art Makes Me Happy!

2008-07-16T15:56:00.002-04:00

I did this for my other blog, Coffee Shop Journal. It's at Wordle...so much fun!

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Ragamuffintop - idk what week

2008-07-12T19:38:00.004-04:00

So Carlos is pretty well convinced we've all fallen off the wagon on the Ragamuffintop challenge, and he might be right. I know that I've been horrible about exercising, but by the same token I've been really good about not letting my diet go to the dogs. I've been away from home for a week, and only home for a few days before that. But even traveling I've been eating reasonably. Now doggone it...it's time for the exercise thing. SO this week I have a new goal: I'm going to get out there and walk while I'm up in the north in relatively cool weather. Someone out there hold me accountable! And don't let me get away with saying that being a spotter on the boat counts as exercise!

Boston

2008-07-10T23:45:00.004-04:00

Staying cool in the summer

2008-07-09T19:58:00.004-04:00

Photos taken from Viva Terra catalog email

I know this is an ad for a catalog I get, Viva Terra, but I found their newsletter really interesting in this VERY HOT summer! Sometimes we get so sophisticated we forget our grandparents sometimes knew how to live life. Go check this out.

Cool Off This Summer

The first vacation pictures!

2008-07-09T13:46:00.004-04:00

This is a picture of the five of us downtown Boston a few days ago. We went to the New England Aquarium, as you can tell from the next picture!

I'm sorry I haven't gotten more vacation pictures up here yet. We've been having great times on the lake tubing and -- hurray! -- jetskiing. The upload time here is excruciating, though. We're headed back to Boston tonight and I will try to round up the camera cards!

Don't you love summer? I feel like this is the first real vacation we've had up here in years.

Woman trapped in clothing. Dies in dressing room.

2008-07-03T00:10:00.002-04:00

I was at the mall today trying on dresses for my nephew Grant's wedding. I have this question: how come clothes go ON so easily, but are impossible to get off? Especially silky kinds of dresses and tops with side zippers. At one point today I was struggling to get out of a tricky top and wondering how long it would take David to drive to the mall and extricate me. I am not exaggerating here, and if I could show you a picture I would. I had to literally calm my claustrophobia, uncross the arms over my head, and slither the top an inch at a time. By the time I was done I was ready for a nap.

2008-06-29T10:46:00.003-04:00

OK, all my internet friends, I can't resist passing on this "health tip" from a publication I subscribe to!

HEALTH TIP: Ice Cream As A Fertility Booster?...

1 in 8 couples has trouble conceiving. But, the fix could be
just the thing that summertime is all about... Ice Cream!

The good folks at Harvard University have found that along
with the usual suspects of increasing fruit and veggie intake,
limiting red meats, adding healthy fats by way of nuts and fish,
and other assorted healthful advice, full fat dairy products
may also boost fertility.

The thing here is that it must be full fat dairy, not low fat
or skim. Evidently, "skinny" dairy products lack the hormones
which hitch a ride on fat molecules - the ones that may aid in
ovulation.

While more research needs to be done, this finding looks
promising. So go ahead and indulge yourself.

--HCP Health Tips

Happy Anniversary to us!

2008-06-28T17:29:00.002-04:00

Today is our 22nd anniversary!

Ragamuffintop - week 4

2008-06-28T17:20:00.003-04:00

Sorry there was no post for the Ragamuffintop Challenge last week: it all got lost in the shuffle of my niece Joy's wedding! So here we are back again. It was a good week...back on track with my eating and stayed active. Better yet, I didn't totally fall off the bandwagon on our last trip north. Progress is the pair of jeans I'm wearing. Oh...don't worry, there's a smaller pair still waiting for next week!

For those of you, like me, who are interested in such things, this picture was taken with my Macbook Air and Photo Booth. I'm sitting in my living room. Happy Saturday everyone!

A few pics from Jordan and Israel

2008-06-23T12:05:00.003-04:00

Kylie is home from her trip to Jordan and Israel! She went with Student Leadership University, an organization she has traveled with every summer. Oh, you should see the hundreds of photos she took. But for just a sampling of her trip:
Kylie is on the left in this photo. The girls are covered in black to go into a Muslim mosque in Jordan.

I can honestly say that this is a picture I never thought I would see: Kylie on a camel. That's her friend Katie behind her. I love saying "Kylie 'n Katie on a camel." Small things entertain me.

This is Jay Strack baptizing Kylie in the Jordan River. I am amazed at how murky it is...you can't even see their legs! No wonder that general Naman from the Old Testament story didn't want to dip into the Jordan river 6 times! I didn't realize that it was a test of faith in more than one way!
That's our girl! I'm so proud of her and all the work she has put into the various levels of Student Leadership University. Now it's time to prepare for Toccoa Falls!

Kylie is home from Jordan and Israel!

2008-06-23T00:37:00.002-04:00

So much to write, so many photos to upload, and yet it is too late now. Come back tomorrow! We had a great family weekend with Joy Mathisen's wedding (lovely) and Kylie's return tonight from her Student Leadership University trip to Jordan and Israel. I'll have pictures of both tomorrow, I hope!

New Hampshire Photos

2008-06-16T16:15:00.006-04:00

Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going too fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.
Eddie Cantor
US comedian & singer (1892 - 1964)
We are back in Lexington getting ready to go into some business meetings tomorrow. We had a nice couple of days getting the lake house up and running for the summer and hoping for sunny and peaceful days there in the future.

On a personal note, if the Lord brings us to mind in the next few days, please pray for us. Family businesses are never easy. David has the patience of a saint, but even he is being tried by fire these days.

The coolest $100 bill ever

2008-06-15T10:56:00.002-04:00

Go check out this collaborative art project called Ten Thousand Cents. Ten thousand individuals digitally drew a small section of a $100 bill. These were then combined into the print of the bill that you see below. Their site is really fun to play with...you can click on any section and see how it was drawn.

Ragamuffintop Challenge - Week 2

2008-06-14T18:19:00.003-04:00

I can't believe what a terrible picture that is, or that I haven't posted since last week! I am in New Hampshire right now with David, Jillian and a friend named Holly. I just found some great pictures that I want to share later, but my computer is dying so off to this post as soon as possible! So here is my post for the Ragamuffintop Challenge!

Here is what I accomplished this week

I went back to the gym and I exercised twice (one shy of my goal for the first week)

I stayed strictly on our new eating plan, and managed not to cheat at all!

I call that a successful first week. I was also able to wear a new pair of pants that where too tight before our Oregon trip.

Goals for this week:

More exercise - including several nice walks around the island here in NH or into town when we get back to Lexington.
Same eating plan
New clothes fitting when I get home to Florida!

So...most boring posts ever, but indulge me a little. The realization I would have to post this kept me honest all week!

Fat Ragamuffintop Week 1

2008-06-07T16:25:00.003-04:00

Yes, that's us: one Ragamuffin Top (me) and one pretty decently in shape and definitely cute husband. And we are home from vacation, and ready to take the Ragamuffintop Challenge.

So here is my measurable, concrete goal: two dress sizes. One dress size by August 24 (my nephew's wedding.

Progress this week: I bought a book called the 3-hour-diet (about as long as I can stay on one!) and began using the meal plans. For me, any plan is better than what I do on my own. This one features three meals of 400 calories each, three snacks of 100 calories each, and one 50 calorie snack they try to call dessert. The meal plans are very flexible, interchangeable, and can work with many of the frozen entree's for those days. You know those days.

I went back to the gym. Yes, I did. Finally. Today we just walked on the treadmill, but I'm hoping to get back into some strength training this week as well as 3 days of cardio at least.

That's my plan, and I feel rather exposed posting it, but I think that is the idea!

Portland Wrap-up

2008-06-07T14:12:00.011-04:00

The trip to Oregon is a great memory now. We had an amazing time connecting with family and watching Brooks and Amy tie the knot! I thought I'd throw up a few more pictures of our trip for you.

Jillian and Brittne at the wedding. The bridesmaid dresses were beautiful!

This is Brittney's boyfriend Ian. He is 6'6"!!!

These handsome guys are Jeff Hughes, Coutney's boyfriend, Grant Johnson, my nephew who is getting married to Ahnika in Santa Barbara this summer (!), and Collin Vataha, my niece Heather's husband.

All the girls on the Johnson side of the family ended up choosing navy blue dresses for the wedding...without ever talking about it! This is Jillian, Courtney, Heather and Kylie.

David and me at the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding, in downtown Portland.

Debby and Clint the morning before the wedding. They headed off to an Alaskan cruise the next day!

All the kids at California Pizza Kitchen, except Colby who was out of the frame. And this is my cousin Brian and his wife Trudi.

I'm sure I'll have more later, but for now I'm off to the gym! But that's another post....

We Made it to Oregon!

2008-05-29T21:04:00.005-04:00

The trip has started off with a bang! We've celebrated Brian's 49th birthday, spent the day with Colby and Britney, welcomed all the east coast family and held the rehearsal dinner. I'm a little afraid that we are acclimating to west coast time, which will hurt when we get home. But other than that, we're doing great!

Our Dogs Are Smarter Than We Are!

2008-05-27T15:28:00.003-04:00

This is a guest post written by my friend Robin, with whom I happen to agree! The cutie above is my dog, Toby. Unconditional love on a leash.

Okay I am off to bed and am assuming you are just getting your night started - so maybe you'll be just signing on to blog world...
my dog just came up to the desk and looked at me - as soon as he did
I knew he had to go out - and I thought why is it that dogs - who can't speak -are sometimes easier to understand than people who can?
Thought for the night.. I just had to share with the only other person
I know who communicates so well with her dog. :)
Happy writing friend...Robin

I am Proud of My Girl!

2008-05-25T01:25:00.003-04:00

Today was Kylie's graduation from highschool. After 11 years of homeschooling, she wasn't the only one rejoicing! I'm proud of her; I'm proud of us. I can't wait to see where this eagle is going to fly.

FPEA Homeschool Convention

2008-05-22T23:18:00.006-04:00

Yes, the weekend has arrived. We are at the Florida Parent Educators Association Homeschool Convention once again. This is probably the seventh year in a row we have spent our Memorial Day Weekend here browsing through curriculum and books. Those of you who know me, know that I spend more time browsing the latter than the former!

But this year is different -- oh yes, it is! Kylie Jeanne Saunders is going to put on her cap and gown later this weekend and walk slowly to Pomp and Circumstance. I wish I could walk the aisle with her, because we are all graduating this weekend. I hope not to cry.

Kylie and Lauren Parker were mugging for the camera tonight at Hunter Parker's birthday party. These two have been buddies for 15 years now. Lauren will walk that long aisle with Kylie on Saturday, before heading off to Gordon College for her wilderness training.

This is our living room for the weekend. We have a sweet suite for all the comings and goings.

Tomorrow I will head down to the convention center to browse the resource hall. I may check into one or two of the lectures...or not! And I WILL check into the spa at some point. Stay tuned for gripping updates!

Two people who amaze me

2008-05-20T00:40:00.002-04:00

I'd like you to meet Ruth and Marshall Saunders, David's parents. God has blessed me with the best in-laws I could ever have asked for. These two amazing people have always supported everything I do. They love me unconditionally. They drive to see us without complaining, they pray for us constantly, and make me smile.

Not only are they amazing people, but they rock my world because of this: THEY JUST SWITCHED TO MAC! Amazing enough that they are using computers like old hands, but now they've switched platforms and converted to Mac. They like to video chat, they are learning how to make cool faces with photo booth...very cool. Grammy and Papa even have their own facebooks. How many of you can say that about your parents?

Thanks, Grammy and Papa. We love you!

What you do when you miss your friends in Georgia

2008-05-13T15:35:00.002-04:00

On the way down to Boca last night (to buy David's mom and dad a new Mac computer!) we were missing all our friends who hang out in Georgia. Since Georgia is synonymous with Waffle House, we detoured off I-95 at Boynton Beach Boulevard and found the Waffle House.

The waiter thought we were kind of weird, taking pictures with the iPhone of things like menus and coffee cups. Cool graphic on the coffee cup, though! Our waiter was tattooed up and down both arms and, as we found out later, on his legs. We had a great discussion with him about the metaphors behind all his tattoos. This guy put a lot of thought into the statements he wanted to make with his body. I enjoyed the conversation...not headed out to get any tattoos, but intrigued at peaking into the thought process behind the choices.

It's Prom Night!!!!

2008-05-10T17:16:00.004-04:00

For once there just are no words. But I can see all of Kylie at the same time, somehow. The little princess twirling and the young lady dancing off to her first prom.

Fun new App I found

2008-05-09T00:31:00.001-04:00

I found this slideshow program on the net today and gave it a try. What do you think?

Just for SANDY

2008-05-06T22:08:00.004-04:00

This is Jillian's room...a work in progress this week! The comforter came from Anthropologie today and she hasn't seen it yet. I think the color is more true in the top picture. She'd die to see her room torn apart like that!

Maybe the Mall

2008-05-06T17:13:00.006-04:00

Have you ever thought about how inspiring a mall is? I wandered through the Gardens Mall with my camera today, trying to see things with a visual eye rather than my analytical side. My mind was thinking about how we go to malls trying to reinvent ourselves. Mini Mall Makeovers. There is endless hope in each new store, each display. Around the corner just might be the "thing" that changes our life!

But I got tired of my mind, so I took out my camera and took pictures of colors. Enjoy!

All the windows are sporting Mother's Day displays, which means lots of pretty florals and nice colors. I loved those Coach purses lined up. One of each?
First glance: "Ooh...Tiffany sunglasses. Cool!"
Second glance: "$650??????? And how quickly would I lose them?"

And finally there is this picture from Anthropologie. It's not a great picture, but it ended my camera crusade when I was (im)politely informed that Anthro does not allow photographs. I'm surprised she didn't make me delete it!

John Maxwell Conference in West Palm Beach

2008-05-02T23:20:00.003-04:00

I blogged about the conference over at Coffee Shop Journal, but this blog actually handles pictures so much better that I wanted to post them here, too. John Maxwell did a great job speaking today. It felt like a summation of his life's work in many ways. Did you know that he has had 4 books sell over 1,000,000 copies each? Amazing. His latest book, Leadership Gold, sold over 200,000 copies in 4 weeks, a new record even for him.

Spring in NYC

2008-04-30T19:37:00.003-04:00

I'm offering this to you all for no other reason than the fact that I liked it! When we were in NYC this month the cherry blossoms were just barely starting, and I wondered what they would look like by now. When I ran across this link today it was irresistable. Enjoy!

Oh Boy!

2008-04-28T23:58:00.004-04:00

Prom night is coming, the dress is bought, the princess is twirling while she looks for her dancing shoes. Graduation follows quickly on the heels of prom, and the summer will fly by. Oh boy.

Sunday Hospitality

2008-04-27T14:57:00.004-04:00

(My apologies: I have no idea why everything is underlined today!)

I've been reading a book called "Static" by Ron Martoia. I loved this quote and thought I would share it with you. By the way, for those of you who care about such things, I did NOT bake that yummy looking bread. I saw it in NYC and couldn't resist. And the tables and chairs are at City Place, in front of Sloan's Ice Cream.

"Another thing I learned is that great food and a great setting create space for love and life to flow. This is one respect in which other cultures around the world are very different from ours. Meals in Italy, France, Hungary, and Nepal and other parts of Asia are seen more as events, focal gathering spots to connect, debrief, and experience life together. I want to suggest that in some ways this is part of God's original intention for the Garden -- the full flow of love, sharing, food, drink, and conviviality that come in that setting."

Sick Day

2008-04-23T00:32:00.003-04:00

I spent most of this day asleep or wishing I was asleep. I feel like I have mono. So imagine my delight when Kylie and Jillian announced they were doing a sleepover tonight. Fear crept into my soul as I imagined them attempting that! Don't worry...we put it off for another night.

So the picture up above is the pitcher of homemade limeade I made for dinner on Sunday night. Doesn't it look good? Does that count as something creative this week? Hope so! I'd have put a pic of my poundcake up there, too, but it didn't last long enough.

Palm Beach Gardens Tourist Attraction

2008-04-22T03:18:00.003-04:00

What is there to say about such a cultural icon as this? Now doesn't it make you want to start singing the Oscar Meyer Wiener song? I know that when I saw it in the parking lot of the Palm Beach Gardens Mall, I just HAD to stop and take a picture. And lucky you...I'm sharing it! I was laughing, because another guy pulled over to take a picture too. I think there is a deeply buried child in all of us that just wants the world to be simple again: a place where the Oscar Meyer Wiener symbolizes a fresh wave of excitement rolling over the town. Too bad it was really just a stop in a parking lot of the mall.

One More video of the fire

2008-04-15T13:16:00.002-04:00

This is the best footage of the fire: David took it.

Click Here to see the Fire

Picture of Fire in Square Lake

2008-04-15T03:02:00.002-04:00

Fire in Square Lake

2008-04-15T02:47:00.006-04:00

This is the house next door to my mom's house. At about 12:45 we began to hear sounds like fireworks. We looked out the back door (having just finished Greg Reade's statistics mid-term with him) and saw flame rising well above the Free's house. That was the direction of Mom's house, so we went running. David and Bill managed to get Mom out of her house ("My hair!") before the power went off. We all spent the next hour watching her neighbor's house literally burn to the ground. The embers were flying, the firetrucks arrived in force (7 of them, plus numerous police cars we didn't count) and the neighbors all crawled out to see what was happening. The man in this house heard the fireworks sound and found the fire. He grabbed his cell phone and his computer and ran. Now that's all he owns.

Top Ten Moments in NYC

2008-04-14T02:12:00.003-04:00

Walking into the first Starbucks with JR Kerr and David to get my first espresso of the trip.
Top of the Empire State building taking useless pictures that sure were fun to take. Could have done without the security lines, though.
Sitting at the long table at Nikko's after walking through Central Park with David and Jay watching the gang from Buddy's church (Grace Fellowship) and the gang from Todd's church (Christ Fellowship) get to know each other.
Lunch in the basement of Macy's with the same gang.
The free books in the SWAG bag from Q!!!!
SOHO: three good espresso bars (! no wonder it's a top moment!), designer boutiques, an amazing Apple store that was offering an iMovie tutorial in its cool theater, not needing the $220 denim shorts I found in a boutique.
Sitting on the rooftop terrace of our hotel with Todd and David after the Fray pondering what the lasting takeaways of Q would be while we watched the Empire State Building.
Making Spring ride the subway.
Riding the wooden escalator at Macy's. It was so...authentic.
Returning to the upper West side for dinner at Bodrum, an amazing Mediterranean restaurant David and I found through research.

I am Home

2008-04-13T04:03:00.002-04:00

Plane was an hour delayed, then we were #30 for take off. (No kidding). When we got to #3 for take off, a man in the front of the plane was taken violently ill and we had to return to the terminal. We finally took off after having sat on the plane for three hours already (not including the original delay). Three hour flight and we arrived home at 12:30 to... an empty house. At 2:00 the girls came home and Jillian began to get ready for bed.

It is 4:05, and I am home.

Q day 2: fun and friends!

2008-04-11T00:52:00.003-04:00

This is what Gotham Hall looks like with all the Q dudes on break! It's very funny, actually. Most of them are making phone calls or having very in-depth conversations. The lady at Starbucks today wanted to know what in the world was going on down there. When I explained the concept, she got it. She thought it was a great idea!

You just gotta love these water bottles. I know....crazy pic, but honestly: art deco water bottles.

This is one of the pictures that the visual "scribe" did of a session this morning. It's just so cool looking. All these posters are now hung along the walls of Gotham Hall.

This was lunch in the downstairs restaurant of...you guessed it...Macy's. Buddy, Gabe, Trey, Spring, David and Todd. We were also joined by a miscellaneous woman from World Vision named Shelley. Thank you for joining us, Shelley!

You can read all about it at coffee shop, but I had to post a few pics before going to bed. It's 1 AM and I really need to NOT keep my normal hours!

More on Macy's

2008-04-09T23:23:00.004-04:00

I know this is a weird picture, but this is the escalator at Macy's. It is wooden! It feels like church pews made into an escalator. It's also kind of freaky to step on...there's an optical illusion effect. We went to Ben and Jerry's on the fourth floor during one of our breaks.

During lunch Todd, David and I took off to an Irish Pub somewhere in the fashion district. We weren't sure we could find food, but we knew we could put new buttons on my coat or buy some sweet trims! Project Runway fans rejoice. During lunch we had the computers out and were looking at the Christ Fellowship website. I got a blog in on Coffee Shop Journal, too.

Spring Hoffman managed to get to Q by 11 or so; not bad considering she had to get up at 5! We were hunting for caffeine to charge us, and a phone charger to charge her battery.

Day One at Q came to a close when we went to Little Italy to meet Greg Reade and his parents for dessert. Long but good day!

Q day

2008-04-09T16:14:00.004-04:00

This is the building we are meeting in...GOTHAM HALL. Does it get any better than that? Yes, it does. Gotham Hall is just down Broadway from the flagship Macy's. Do you know they have 7 restaurants inside including Starbucks? I am so energized by being here in this city, learning about new ways God wants me to work in the world, hanging with so many of my best friends in the world. If you know me, you know the mood that I am in: I just want to jump out of my skin with the sensations of it all. And in addition to that I'm learning new ways to change my world all the time!

Comment, people: I wanna know if you are listening!

Landed in New York City

2008-04-08T23:03:00.005-04:00

What a great day we had! David and I had a smooth flight, love our hotel, and had a yummy dinner at Carmine's with great friends. We poked our heads into the Times Square Church, shopped at Macy's for black T-shirts for David for tomorrow, wandered Herald Square and climbed the Empire State Building. Not bad for our first few hours in town! I can't wait for the conference tomorrow, but I've already felt refreshed.

I'm going to the Q conference!

2008-04-08T01:30:00.003-04:00

I took this picture earlier this week to remind myself why I love South Florida. It's so blue and green!

I am headed to New York City tomorrow to attend the Q conference sponsored by the fermiproject. I will be blogging about the conference on Coffee Shop Journal, so check in for updates. And I think I will attempt to upload some fun NYC pics here, so check back here, too. Honestly...pictures are so much easier to upload in Blogspot than on Wordpress. Hmmm.

Not Your Average Joe's

2008-04-08T01:21:00.003-04:00

In a collection of my favorite places, this restaurant would sure rank high on my list! It is called Not Your Average Joe's, and it lives up to its name. This restaurant is a small, local-owned chain in the Lexington, MA area. The first thing I fell in love with in this restaurant is its use of color. Every color is clear, intentional. The mirrors are positioned perfectly to make you feel like you have a view of "living artwork" in the room. I love this effect, even though (to be honest) I sometimes get motion sickness from staring into the mirrors. Walking into Joe's you just feel hip and cool. Sometimes I don't feel worthy. By the way, the food at Not Your Average Joe's is amazing. Every dish has a twist, like the caribbean buffalo chicken tenders with pineapple-mango salsa.

So what good does reading about my favorite restaurant do you? Not much unless you happen to be traveling to the Boston area. But I just wanted to put up a picture of a place that makes me feel happy. Something about the way the colors and design work with the food, the smells, the ambiance. I like the thoughts I think when I am in this room. Do you all have any places like that?

What Do You Smell Like???

2008-04-04T00:10:00.002-04:00

This is part two of the post that began when the guy smoking cigarettes came to our front door and smelled everything up. Nasty smells surround that guy and he doesn't even know it!

Well today I had a rough "re-entry" to our normal life, if there is such a thing. Wednesday nights are always tough around here anyway, and last night was no exception. Which made this morning a difficult day to start, and it got worse from there! There is a point to this, I promise. I'm not just rambling to get you all feeling sorry for me!

By the time dinner rolled around, Mama had HAD IT. And you all know what happens when Mama has Had Enough. So David, being the peacemaker that he is, took me out for a bite to eat leaving the dueling divas here at home. I had a nice dinner, but honestly my mood did not improve like it should have. Until...

We were standing in line at Moe's to buy some rice and beans for Jillian. Just standing there behind two girls out for a quick dinner. They were not beautiful. They were not special. They were not dressed up for an amazing night out; in fact they were quite casual. One girl had a tattoo that said Princess (which I kind of think is funny.) The other looked like she had worked as a receptionist all day and was glad to get to some real food. They were just standing there. But I caught a whiff of princess-tattoo girl's perfume. I don't know what it was. But suddenly, everything was right again. In that slightest of smells I was reminded of sweet summer nights when it is worth putting a dab of perfume on. I was reminded of being happy, of the lightheartedness of standing in line at Moe's. I was reminded that life is good. All from just the littlest sniff of an unknown perfume.

I love a world where God makes smells that transport us to another place in a heartbeat. And once more, back to my metaphor of being a fragrant offering to God in all we do, I wonder what we smell like.

New Artwork for Creative Every Week

2008-04-01T13:28:00.003-04:00

This is a painting I did of a sunflower. It sits in my Lexington condo waiting for me to find it a home. Funny thing is, I like the digital version of itself better than I do the real thing. I just took a picture of it on my camera using the digital macro setting, then cropped it the way I liked. I also took a version of it where the color was all removed except the golden color. I think it is kind of interesting, too.

Snow in New Hampshire

2008-03-30T23:29:00.002-04:00

Can you see out this window? David and I are in New Hampshire and the back deck is loaded with snow!!! And here I thought it was spring.

Blogging on the Road

2008-03-29T12:50:00.004-04:00

David and I are getting the hang of keeping our technology running while we are on the road. Sitting in the Atlanta airport this morning I updated this blog and uploaded all my pictures. So cool!

College Road Trip

2008-03-29T12:40:00.004-04:00

It is inconceivable to her right now that just a heart beat ago, I was walking a college campus with my own mother and father.

I am so proud of Kylie and the work she put into getting herself into college. Not only that, but she seems to have chosen which college she would like to attend: Toccoa Falls College in north Georgia. I love having her so close to our friends and family!

I know this is one of those milestone events.

Living Simply

2008-03-25T22:55:00.002-04:00

Here's an unusual source of advice for me: I found this great post entitled How to live like a Zen Monk. Now to be honest with you, I haven't got a clue what Zen even is. Monk sounds vaguely appropriate, but a Zen one? Nonetheless, when looked at through the lens of my life, the advice in the body of this post is really timely. Click through if you dare!

How to Live like a Zen Monk

Creative Once a Week

2008-03-25T17:45:00.003-04:00

I love to scribble what I see, and one of my goals for this blog is to provide a fun spot to chronicle our best creative efforts! What you are looking at above is a snippet from my journal, back in October. I was on a trip to Atlanta watching a movie and drawing in my friends' Buddy and Jody's home. I know the artwork is kinda dorky, but it was a chance to be creative. So how about you all? Does anyone want to post a picture of how they were creative this week? Add a link to your photo, blog, or website in the comments and let's see what comes up!

This Guy Came to my Door Today

2008-03-25T01:33:00.004-04:00

This guy came to my door today. Well, not this guy EXACTLY, but the cigarette smoke was the same. Yuck! Does he know that his smell goes before him? I don't feel like writing this up again, but you can read about it here on my other blog, Coffee Shop Journal.

True Worship

2008-03-24T01:37:00.002-04:00

I found this story on Heather Whittaker's blog, as well as her husband Carlos' blog. What a great way to end my Easter day. Please take the time to click through not only to Heather's blog, but Carlos'. They each have a different perspective.

Heather

Carlos

Why I am Dancing Thru My Daddy's World

2008-03-24T00:34:00.003-04:00

I realized that I never explained the title of this blog, Dancing Thru Her Daddy's World. At this point there are still very few readers, so I guess it doesn't matter. But for the record...

Several years ago my father died from kidney cancer after a very short illness (six weeks). Dad was the emotional and physical center of our family, and when he left us we began to wobble around. When your center is suddenly moved, everything falls apart for awhile. Until the day when you notice that maybe life is worth living after all. God sneaks in while you are not watching and reminds you that He made this world, and it is good.

I was on a plane trip to Boston last year when I noticed that it was an exceptionally clear day, and the view from 30,000 feet was stunning. I could see coastline very clearly (Chesapeake Bay area, I think). The sun was shining down and it was one of those moments when God clearly parts the veil for a moment and I realized again that life is good. So I started talking to God. I told Him that without my dad as a fixed reference point, I didn't feel like I had a place in this world. I was missing my anchor. And without my dad, I wasn't sure who I was anymore. Without my dad, the weight of the world sat heavily on my shoulders, and I didn't feel free to dance or be happy, or smile or relax. I know those are silly thoughts from a 44 year old woman, but that's what I told God that day.

From that plane at 30,000 feet God gently reminded me that He is my father, that my identity is in him, and that the whole world is his home. He prompted me to look at the country flying by below. As I did, I imagined all the little cafes by the ocean where happy people and sad people were eating their dinners in the late afternoon. I thought about coffee shops where people were reading their books and clicking away on their computers. I could imagine all those places to dance through the world. And God reminded me that they all belong to him, and I am his daughter. I am free to dance through the world perfectly at home with the place He has shown me. I am allowed to give Him the responsibility. He delights in smiles, and he wants me to be happy. I am allowed to relax, and so I can dance.

The metaphor of dancing through my daddy's world (yeah - it's a metaphor. I am a lousy dancer) helps me to realize that I am not in control and I was never meant to be. I'm free to become the most I can be with the talents I have. I don't need to worry about the ones I don't have. How amazing is that?

Happy Easter!

2008-03-23T03:03:00.005-04:00

I tried to take a picture of "a" Peep tonight. My dad loved Peeps, so every Easter Kylie and I make sure we buy a pack in his honor. Apparently she likes to blow them up in the microwave, and I like to look at them sitting in a row. So I tried to take a picture of a single chick, figuring I would post it here. Know what I discovered? One Peep is...underwhelming. It's poor little wing is all open to the marshmallow, and it's shape is squished and wimpy. Here's the lesson: Peeps are better in a bunch.

Creativity Killers

2008-03-20T03:02:00.004-04:00

That's right...it's one of THOSE nights. I had plans to be in bed by now, happily watching my favorite tv game show, "What's My Line?" But no...tonight was one of those ferocious battles. And so as I sat here ready to write or work on some of my projects I realize that the battle has drained my creativity. I've noticed, lately, that there are a lot of Creativity Killers in my house. These are just a few of them to think about.

Too much stuff in the way.
Laundry and other little tasks. "I'll just get this done then..."
Sweet hubby who likes to remind me of to-do items. In all fairness, I do the same thing to him.
Everyone else's creativity: intimidating and messy.
SLEEP...or the lack of it.

It's no good complaining without thinking of some fixes for the problem, so next time I guess I'll commit to offering up my creativity boosters. If I can wake up.

Extreme Makeover Home Edition Gets it Right!

2008-03-17T01:30:00.004-04:00

It is not too often that a random comment on television leaps out of the set and clarifies life as a Christ Follower, but it happened to me tonight. I was watching Extreme Makeover Home Edition as the team redid the Boettcher Family home. (I think I have that spelling right). "Pastor Steve" (Dad) has run a ministry to biker gangs and bikers for many years. His family also turned their garage into a recreation center for the town kids. Many of these kids were featured on the show, discussing the warmth and love and affection they found at the Boettcher home, in addition to home cooked meals and a little guidance. The Boettcher family lived in a 12 X 70 foot trailer, with their 20 year old daughter and special needs grandson, but they ran an amazing ministry from their garage and home. Mrs. Boettcher cooks each Wednesday for 30 - 40 kids in a kitchen no bigger than an RV kitchen. Ty Pennington, in his own way, was amazed at all the Boettchers have done out of this primitive and falling down home. "You've done all this in this home and kitchen?" he asked. Pastor Steve whipped his head around and looked genuinely surprised by the question, as if it had not occurred to him that these conditions were hardly ideal for running a family, let alone a community ministry. "It's the home I have." he stated simply.

With that, he floored me. What an attitude! Of course I ran my ministry out of here, this is the home I have to give. And with this falling down, broken trailer, Pastor Steve and his family turned lives upside down for God. Wow. If we all could approach our possessions and our lives with that same open-handedness, what would we accomplish? Of course...this is what I have.

All of this kind of reminded me of the boy with the fishes and the loaves of bread, feeding thousands with "what I have." Or the widow, who offered to God's prophet, "what I have." Or Abraham, who placed on the altar "what I have."

What do I have?

Extreme Makeover? If people really listen to the story told tonight it could be an Extreme Makeover indeed.

Disney World Rocks!

2008-03-15T00:11:00.005-04:00

This weekend we are hanging out at Disney World for my birthday trip. So here's the question we've all been tossing around... What is it about Disney that causes you to know in your heart of hearts that it is fake? The hotels are themed and beautiful, but you find yourself longing for the originals, not the copies. The streets are amazing, but you wish there were some real traffic on them. By the time you leave Disney flowers no longer seem real and you mistrust your own ears. After all, at Disney Vero they play a constant soundtrack of a roaring ocean even on a calm day. So did that bird really twitter? Or was it a sound track?

David and I were discussing this longing we feel for the authentic when we are surrounded by the beautiful copies. There are so many spiritual analogies, and I will leave it to you to draw most of them, but there were two thoughts that surfaced for us. The first is that we all long for the ideal. Inside of us God has planted eternity. Our hearts are longing for heaven, for the real, for the original and not the copy. Disney awakens that desire in us. Secondly, people are amazingly good at telling the real from the fake. We want authenticity. This, of course, applies to nearly everything. My mind is busy applying it to the types of relationships and communities we develop.

I'm dwelling in the artificial dreaming of the authentic. Let's go create it!

2008-03-12T11:44:00.002-04:00

So this was in NYC during our Christmas trip. Not a great photo, now that I see it, but I wanted the practice of uploading a photo and posting about it! I am excited about NYC, because I am headed there again in April for the Q conference hosted by the fermiproject. It focuses on the intersection of church and culture, a current passion of mine.

What I am Reading Today:

"It's Not about the Coffee" by Howard Behar

Good book about leadership and life lessons learned while he was the president of Starbucks.

Living with Routines Makes Life Simpler

2008-02-11T02:10:00.000-05:00

Or at least, so they say. Jillian and I are establishing some new routines to help us through this time. I am requiring her to be done with her preparations for bed by 1 AM. If she is, then I will stay up with her. If she isn't, then I am supposed to go to bed. So far she has made it on time. I am afraid that I have very little will power. Will I stand up to her when she is late, as she inevitably will be?

In other news (is there any other news?) I am thinking through two large projects. First of all, I am researching a new book. (New...as if there were an old book?) The working title which will not be the final title is "The Re-Imagined Life". I am fascinated with people who either through God's direction or their own desires stop and re-invent themselves. I don't even know if it will be fiction or non-fiction yet, but I am enjoying the research phase. Second, I am actively planning my real blog, which will be at coffee shop journal. I am praying over what direction it should take and learning what I can about making blogs successful. I am fascinated with the depth of the blogging world, and am excited about some of the ideas that I have in my mind. Now to make two large dreams a reality....

Change is coming

2008-02-09T03:09:00.000-05:00

I found a great blog tonight called Writer's Island. It is a site for people who love to write to "congregate." Each week they issue a writing challenge or theme, and this week the theme is "Change." So I am contemplating change tonight. And you know what I discovered?

1. We all believe that change is necessary. Most of the time this applies to our spouse or our kids, though in January we attempt to change ourselves. Every night I sit here and write about how Jillian MUST change. She must go to bed earlier, or stay up on her own fearlessly. She must embrace change. And every night I sit here and think that I, too, must change. I must become more organized; I must help her become what she needs to be; I must reach out more often to my mom, or my kids, or the stranger who isn't really much of a stranger. But each night as we sit here, we don't change. It is still 3:13 as I write this. I am still disorganized and angry, and strangers have not been made into friends.

2. We also realize that change happens all around us in the physical realm. New computers come on the market (yes, I love my macbook air!!!). Buildings are built and friends move. Grocery stores restock their shelves. New jobs are created; new jobs are lost. We even look in the mirror and realize that our bodies have gone on and changed without us. How did we become this?

3. Finally, I guess I am intrigued with the fact that some people do, in fact, make decisions and change. We lose weight (over and over?), we quit smoking, we do any number of things that we purpose in our hearts to do. But through it all there is the core of us that remains unchanged. I think that core is the "eternity" that God sets in our hearts. Something inside me resists the idea that everything must change. I long for the realization that "it is good," and it will be here forever. We all do! We want our childhood blanket to always offer comfort, we want our freshly painted walls to stay bright, and we want most of all to freeze our bodies in whatever state we most fondly imagine. We want eternity.

So there are my current thoughts on change. This week my challenge is to take those thoughts and write my post for Writer's Island. I want to do this. I need to do this, because I keep saying how much I long to write and yet I never do. I want to change.

I lied Tonight

2008-02-08T01:45:00.000-05:00

Last night was SO HORRIBLE with Jillian. She was mad; she screamed; she threatened to move to Georgia and I threatened to let her. She was up until 2:45 and I was up until 3:15, crying, praying and trying to repent for all that I said to her in the heat of the moment.

So tonight we began with a textbook parenting case. "Tonight," I told Jillian, "You will be in bed by 1:00 AM or I am going to go ahead and go to bed. If you are after 1, you can come to my room and kiss me, but I will be in my own room."

Turns out, I lied. At 1:05 she was nearly finished, and I didn't see any reason to upset the apple cart over 5 minutes. Then she needed her back cracked (I'm terrible at that). She needed more water. She need to stretch her back, and her blankets must die (according to her) for all the trouble they cause her in refusing to stay tucked. So here we are now, 1:49 and she is still cheerily calling out goodnight. She's happy as a lark. And each time that lark sings I cringe.

Really...the rest of the day we have a fairly normal, slightly rocky mother and daughter relationship. But as soon as the clock hits 11:00 pm, things go downhill. I wish I could change this pattern, but here we still are. I am trying during these teenage years to pick and choose my battles, to hold my tongue even when I see disaster looming. But oh the hairs on the back of my head stand up each time she thinks of a new question to toss out into the living room. I think, "How old are you? These are childish games, not for you. You are almost 15." Then I begin to worry about her, which of course makes my temper shorter than it was to begin with. And then, well it is a self-defeating and self-destructive cycle after that.

So here I sit...sending words and emotions out into the blogosphere for no apparent reason and no apparent readers. But somehow at the end of this rant, I feel better. Maybe that's the reason.

Well That was Fun

2008-02-07T00:39:00.000-05:00

Shouldn't the benefits of a sabbatical last longer than one day?

Ten (no, six) Reasons We All Need A Sabbatical

2008-02-06T02:20:00.000-05:00

For the past three weeks, roughly, I have experienced complete freedom as an adult. I have been able to go to bed when I have wanted to. I have read books, gone to the gym, shopped and chosen not to shop. In short, I have been free. And it has rejuvenated my soul. All of this has come about, of course, because Jillian was happily and not so happily settled in Georgia with her friends. In the process of this extended trip I feel like I have had what used to be called a Sabbatical. In my mind, a Sabbatical encompasses an extended break from routine with the intent of renewal and refreshing. This is what I have had, and here are my reasons why I think we all need frequent Sabbaticals.

1. God commanded them!

In fact, God had in mind a rest every seven days: a quaint concept that deserves to be revived. Do you think he actually knows better than we do? Hmmm.

2. Physical refreshment

Taking a break from my normal "mom" routine brought a renewed desire to get to the gym, go to sleep, eat better. Somehow I remembered that I am...well...me.

3. Spiritual renewal

Having time to listen to some of my favorite preachers online, read some new authors and just stop in God's presence reaped rewards in my perspective and faith.

4. Intellectual renewal

David and I discovered that we were ambushed with creative thought processes and ideas. We could hardly stop hopping on the internet to research, and you don't want to know how much we spent at bookstores. On long drives to and from Atlanta we tossed around ideas as wide-ranging as new business opportunities, how to deal with Jillian and Kylie, living more simply and locally at home and how we'd like to support our church in the future. Wow.

5. Creativity returns

With the lack of demand on my time and energies my mind also turned to creative pursuits. I did a lot of journaling and sketching. I decided to start photography, and to learn how to photo shop.

6. Returning to our routine a different person

I guess this is the bottom line. I had intended to put down ten reasons to take a Sabbatical, but now that I have thought about it, this is the ultimate word from me tonight. Returning to my routine tonight I realized that I am not the same person I was three weeks ago. I have met new people, thought new thoughts, read new books, had many, many conversations. Jillian is not the same person, either. She is older, wiser, and more ready for change. My horizons expanded this month, and once expanded they refuse to shrink back into shape. I can't wait to see what that means!

So there you have it. My Sabbatical. You know what? I'm thinking of taking every Sunday and pretending that I am free again. I want to build room in my life to hear God's voice, and margin enough that I can do something about it when I hear it. So maybe this blog, started in the middle of the night and focused on nothing in particular, maybe this blog will help me reimagine my life. It is time for a new focus. Wanna join me?

Digital Disaasters

2008-01-13T02:33:00.000-05:00

Tonight the blessings and the curses of the digital age came home to roost: Kylie deleted her entire digital library of photos. These were years of her life, and at least one year of her art. I have to hand it to her...she was devestated but calm. I'd have been throwing the computer. David is now patiently working with a mac recovery program to see if anything remains to be seen. I'll post the results!

Jillian is snoozing in her bed. I am trying to decide if I dare turn off her lights and close up her room. She was packing for Boston when she apparently fell asleep! Now what to do?

Tomorrow we head north once again: cold and snowy. We stop in Atlanta, though, and pick up Mike and Em. Yeah! We'll feel complete again for a little bit. It has been a rough transition this week for Jillian and for us as well, if we are being truthful. Suddenly we have no guarantee of friends who are always happy to see us and go out to play. Oh, don't get me wrong. We have friends. But not any right now who will always be read for any new adventure. We are hoping to be able to meet up in ATL.

As for me...well I've been glad to emerge from my detox fog and resume a little bit of life again. I feel better and lost a little bit of weight, and most importantly I am ready to begin a good eating program that just might work!

Church started its "One Life" campaign. This week Todd Mullins spoke. Next week our teaching pastor John Maxwell, and then our senior pastor Tom Mullins. We're enjoying the series and the call to commitment.

Guitar Hero

2008-01-11T02:27:00.001-05:00

The gang and I spent a delightful night with Greg and Stephen playing Guitar Hero. David and I were discussing Guitar Hero the other night as a metaphor for modern life: we don't want to take the time and energy to actually learn guitar so we can feel the thrill of a completed song, so we make a simplified game about guitar instead and export the experience to everyone. And yet...it is so fun! Somehow Guitar Hero fast forwards you through the difficulties of learning and finding a band, and gives you the experience of actually playing. If I were 20 years younger, I'd suddenly start looking for a band after playing this game! Maybe a band with cuter outfits though!

Today was day six of the detox. Both David and I had a time around lunchtime of feeling achey again and needing to lie down. This surprised us at this late time. By dinner time that feeling was gone. So now I am looking ahead and wondering what eating plan to pursue. I am thinking Perfect Weight America by Jordan Rubin. It seems doable. Now if only I could get to the gym!

Really? Can You Believe It?

2008-01-08T02:59:00.000-05:00

Just look at the time! What is more amazing is that David just stopped laying guitar hero 15 minutes ago. Certifiably nuts...all of us.

By the way, day 3 of detox has resulted in absolutely no headache! This is something for which I am profoundly grateful.

Good night.

Nocturnal Nothings

2008-01-07T01:47:00.000-05:00

It is 1:48 and every member of my household is up and active. What is wrong with this picture? Kylie is watching TV, Jillian is - presumably - getting ready for bed. Spring is working on a post card for the One Life campaign at church, and David was recently helping her. And me? I am hanging with my bloggies, as I put it. I love flopping on this couch and picking up my computer for the time I spend waiting for Jillian. Each night I bring my book dutifully to the couch, but somehow the computer is better company. At certain times of the day it will connect me with my friends, show me the world, or play reruns of the shows that weren't on tv this season. Does it get any better?

Life moves on here, slowly. I see Jillian trying to find a rhythm in this suddenly rhythmless life she has. Tomorrow we start back to schoolwork for all, so that will provide a structure for a week or so. Then off to Boston perhaps? I would be excited about going - I am excited, actually, except that my mom will be so upset that we are leaving once again. Somehow these things are personal to her, and she doesn't like to see us travel. Having so recently returned from Atlanta, a Boston trip will feel frivolous to her.

In the meantime, this is the end of day two in our detox diet. David and I started yesterday. Was it only yesterday? Impossible. My head aches, my body aches. How is this possible just by altering the foods I eat? Wow! My book says that tomorrow I should feel better. I am standing on the promise.

So that is about it. We are moping around the house nursing heartache and headache.

Good night!

Sleepwalking and Daydreaming

2008-01-04T03:56:00.000-05:00

Well here we are again! It is nearly 4 AM and Jillian is just now settling down to sleep after a long 9 hour drive from Atlanta. For the first night in two weeks Jillian must sleep by herself, and she is not happy about it. Neither am I. While she was away she was...well...normal. She slept roughly the same hours as the other kids; she kissed me good-night and trotted off to bed; she lived her life. Tonight, at home, all that progress is a daydream and I am still sleepwalking around my pre-dawn house. I need wisdom and clarity on this issue, because I know that our home can not function like this for too long. Some structure and order needs to be super-imposed on the OCD.

The trip to Atlanta was so wonderful. We were full of trepidation: 14 people sharing a home, some of whom we had never met before. But once more God surprised us with joy. We learned to enjoy the creative chaos of the moment. And (haha) we learned a whole lot of guitar riffs playing guitar hero until the early morning hours. Slow Ride....Take it Easy.... Who would have thought that would be the soundtrack of our vacation?

Highlights: World of Coke, 12Stone Church and its newest pastor, Grace Fellowship church and her amazing Pastor, Discovery Mills, The Great Debaters, more friends than I knew what to do with, and most of all...going to bed on time!

New York City Awaits!

2007-12-27T00:54:00.000-05:00

We are off for David's long-awaited birthday trip to NYC. Our bags are (mostly) packed, our house is quiet, Jillian is on her way to Georgia and Kylie is curled up watching a movie. Life seems good right now. I think "All is Calm, All is Bright" applies to the days after Christmas!

Speaking of Christmas, we had a wonderful one. God had a sweet surprise lined up for me. Remember in my last post, when I said that I was sad because there would be no surprises from my Daddy? Well I was wrong. My mother chose to pass on a beautiful gold and diamond cross that my Daddy had given her. So there was jewelry under my tree from my father. Isn't that just like God to surprise us with a heart's desire? I got other beautiful jewelry this Christmas, too, but this piece spoke to a spot deep inside me that needed to remember I was the apple of someone's eye. Thank you, Mom, for knowing the right time to pass that treasure on to me.

Quiet Christmas Moments

2007-12-25T02:46:00.000-05:00

Have you ever noticed that each Christmas takes on a life of its own? Each year we start out with the best of intentions. THIS year we will wrap the banister with perfect lights. This year we will fill the house with the smell of molasses cookies, or turkey, or ham. This year we will slow down and enjoy the sounds of the season. Some years do indeed live up to their magical promises. Other years surprise us with new thoughts, smells, and sounds. Christmas memories we never expected.

Three years ago our Christmas was unexpectedly filled with the sounds and smells of Dad's hospital room as he fought his last battle with Kidney Cancer. It was not a Christmas I would have chosen for myself, but surely Daddy's last Christmas with me is precious beyond compare. I can still see the string of holiday lights hanging in our hotel window and taste the room service chicken fingers and chocolate fudge sundaes. I remember the strange disappointment I had at realizing there would be no "surprise" jewelry gifts from Dad that year, and the surge of pleasure at seeing his familiar writing on the money envelopes hanging off the tree...an old tradition. It was a bone-crunching, hard Christmas. I wouldn't want to repeat it and I wouldn't want to trade it.

This Christmas, too, is surprising me. We have another family of four living and celebrating with us before they move to Georgia. We love this family, and I am so grateful to have them here. But eight people living in this house is maxing us out! I've given up on having a perfect house, or even enough clean towels around. But the reward is having time together: unhurried time to share things we'd forgotten to talk about before. This isn't our normal Christmas, but I have a feeling that in a few years I'll realize that I wouldn't trade it for anything, either.

I don't want to hurry this day. So my prayer for me and for you tonight is that we find ourselves fully experiencing whatever Christmas we find ourselves in this year. Slow down and welcome the changes. Surprise yourself.

Christmas countdown begins

2007-12-22T02:40:00.000-05:00

So if this is a record of my nights by the glow of the computer screen, I'm afraid tonight is not going to be typical. Our home is crammed full of visiting friends. Is there anything better than time with friends? These, unfortunately, are moving to Georgia the day after Christmas, and our life will become a little less full when they do. On the other hand, we're following them to Georgia in just a few days, so who knows?

We went to see the new National Treasure movie tonight. I was surprised that I enjoyed it nearly as much as the original! Great writing...good wit. It's not often that I feel like I got my money's worth. I love thinking about the what ifs of history. What if it really happened like that?

So that's about it. It's 3 AM, I have nothing to say, and Jillian STILL isn't ready for bed. It ended up being 5 AM yesterday, so maybe tonight will be better. OCD is a frustrating disease. Sometimes it appears so normal: like Jillian surely COULD go to bed on her own if she just wanted to. And at other times I realize how deeply her fears run, how insecure she really is. Just a few minutes ago, kissing her goodnight, she accidently bumped me in the nose. Not an issue (though it hurt...it really did!). She has apologized not less than 10 times for that bump. A few minutes ago she even wandered back out here to the living room to make sure I forgive her. That, my friends, is OCD at work.

Well, good night from my magical nocturnal wonderland. Rest easy, friends!

3:13 and all is well

2007-12-21T03:13:00.000-05:00

So this is how I enter the blogosphere... with a whimper in the middle of the night. Somehow that seems right, because the middle of the night has become my defining moment.

I have always been a night owl, but previously my nocturnal habits had been my own choice. Now, I have a child who suffers from insomnia and OCD... a lethal combination. Her anxiety causes her to long for human companionship while she struggles with sleep. And while I don't feel human, quite, I am some form of companionship. So here I sit, night after night.

I am hoping through this blog to explore some of the creative thoughts and projects that waltz through my mind at this hour. I sit here and day dream (night dream?) and think and pray. And when I do there is no one to share my thoughts with. So now I will share them here.

Today I have been reading "Kabul Beauty School" by Deborah Rodriguez. I always wondered what drives certain people to accomplish extraordinary deeds. Deborah (Miss Debbie in the book) was an ordinary woman with her share of bad luck and tough choices. Through disaster training this hairdresser ended up in Kabul, Afghanistan and discovered the need for beauty services in that town devastated by the Taliban's rule. The book is inspiring. This woman had no amazingly special skills. Although a woman of faith, she was not a lifetime missionary and showed no desire to convert the Afghani women. She didn't have access to movers and shakers, but worked her magic on the people already around her. In other words, she was a lot like you and me. But she changed her world. I am inspired to reevaluate how I can change my world.