its days like these

Ben and I went with my grandma shopping this morning. It was a beautiful day. The sun was bright between the passing billows of clouds, and the temperature was unseasonably comfortable. As I helped my grandma in and out of the car, it struck me how different these days are than days past. I remember when she used to drive me to the malls and we would go shopping for hours. She would patiently wait for me to pick out whatever I wanted (I was and am still annoyingly indecisive). Today we couldn't walk that far because it hurts her too much. Getting in and out of the car isn't what it used to be. Its uncomfortably strange to experience the contrast of earlier days to now. Makes you think. We had great fun.

After our short trip to the mall we went back to my grandparents' home where my grandpa was merrily waiting and excitedly wobbled over to us for hugs and to wrap Ben up in his arms and play with him. I have the sweetest picture on my cell phone (I don't know how to get it off the phone onto here) of my grandpa reading to Ben who was relaxed as can be sitting on great-grandpa's lap. I knew my grandpa loved it. He ate it up.

Ben and I stuck around for lunch with them and then back home for nap (for Ben and mom). As I was going home I thought of how incredibly thankful I am for days like these where I get to hang with my 80+ something grandparents and my son, let them dote on their great grandson, let him adore them, and I drink in how sweet this time is. I truly cherish this in my heart. Its been a really good day.

checking in

Just wanted to drop in and say hello. We are doing well, I am happy to say. We've had a lot going on and if you read my previous post, you know that is a VERY good thing for me. We had graduation parties, getting together with friends, going to local farms, birthday parties, baby showers, baseball games, Dave Matthews concert (it was wonderful - we are just getting over the depression that its over for us until next year), yard work, parks, etc. etc. I've especially loved anything we've done around the city or outdoors. That is what makes me feel alive and it is also what Ben loves to do - so that makes it easy. Yep, we are very well over here - and I hope you are well over there.

pondering

“Seek happiness and you will never find it. Seek righteousness and you will find you are happy.” - Martin Lloyd-Jones

the blues

There is something I fine utterly strange about myself. It actually sorta drives me a little nuts and doesn't make a lot of sense. So here it is; I find myself having more blah days in the summer than any other time of the year. I don’t fully understand this. I’ve never really been a person prone to blah-ness, but I’ve found it happening the past couple of years – but really only during the summer. When I was working full time, I never experienced the blahs, but since being a stay-at-home mom, I have. But really only during the summer. Strange, right? So I’ve spent time thinking about this, trying to understand. I have a few ideas. For one, things come to a screeching halt in the summer. I’m not someone who likes to halt. I like a lot going on. I thrive when I have a full plate. I don’t have a full plate in the summer. Everything that usually keeps me busy in the regular school year (yes, I still live by semesters) is done for three or so months. Staying busy helps keep me organized and orderly. When I don’t have much going on I find myself wasting more time doing nothing. This past week was one of those weeks. With Monday looming, I fear next week might be more of the same.

Here is some more weirdness - when my husband gets home from work, all is right with the world again and the blah isn't there. Weekends are also typically really wonderful. Not everyday is blah, it just gets blah if I have nothing going on for several days in a row. I find this all very strange. Don't most people like downtime and freedom to do whatever they want with all their time? And having that option in the summer? I guess I need balance - some work, some play, some schedule, some freedom. I'm concluding that too much of any one thing isn't good... even if that one thing is a good thing.

disclaimer

I don’t mean to come across as one who over spiritualizes everything. However, as Kenny and I study theology and push toward vocational ministry that beckons us from the future with an ever nearer voice, God, and the things He is doing in our lives and in His creation are things that we think about. A LOT. I would even venture to say perhaps that it might be more than the average person. But given the specific call on our little family’s life, should anyone really be surprised? When I write in this blog about things that happen in our lives, or when I write about things I’m thinking about, I’ve realized there always seems to be an undertone or even overtone of spirituality. Instead of apologizing for it, I realized I need to embrace it because that’s who we are… that’s who I am. I am the kind of person who likes to dream about why things are the way they are. Why I’ve met the people I’ve met. Why I’ve had relationships that I’ve had. Why things happen the way they do. I know all have their purposes, and all, in one way or another, shape and mold me now as they always have. I want to look at the pieces of the puzzle and try to fit it together. I like to ponder what the grander scheme of God is that I can’t see from my perched position in the universe. What is He doing? Why does He allow certain things? I enjoy allowing my mind to wander and dream through possibilities and ponder connectivity. I really do approach much of life in this fashion. I didn’t realize this so much before I started a blog, but I more easily see that much of what I write reflects what I think about which is God, His creation, me and my family, and the implications of believing what I do and how it impacts the world for better or for worse.

I just needed to get that off my chest so that if you have any inclination to read this blog, you know exactly what your getting yourself into with continued posts. Ahhh. Okay. Carry on now. Thank you. Buh bye.

for your listening pleasure

If you are looking for some new music for the summer, these two soundtracks are amazing. Take a listen and thumb through their songs. Each page has only a small sampling of the CD's - my favorite in this sample of Once is When Your Mind's Made Up and my favorite out of these choices from Into the Wild is Hard Sun. Kenny and I have really enjoyed listening to them. Our enjoyment of these CD's in no way overshadows our excitement for the upcoming Dave Matthews concert. We haven't seen them since '06, which is extremely odd since we've been to every concert in our city (and a few others) since we've been married. The countdown is on!


I am trying not to think about it too much because when I do, I get so excited, I can hardly stand it! If you have been to a DMB concert, you know exactly what I'm talking about - they are one of the greatest live bands ever. Definitely the best I've ever seen.

christian cheese

These guys are hysterical. They call themselves, "God's Pottery." I first saw them this past week on Last Comic Standing where their whole act totally makes fun of powderpuff Christianity. And from my observations, the powderpuffy gunk is annoyingly extant today.

The act is really funny and I thought, sadly, this is probably what so much of the world thinks of us (Christians). Quack-bags full of fluff - and really, who could blame them for what they too often see of Christians?

But seriously, I've thought about what it is about Christians that can be so incredibly annoying to the watching world. I think one huge thing is Christians tend to answer people and their problems, as well as the world's by saying and thinking things like, "Just pray more." "Read the Bible more." "Give it to God." "If there is something wrong, you must not be really giving it to God or not praying enough, or hanging out with Christians enough." bla bla bla bla bla bla...

This isn't helpful at all. It doesn't even deal with any foundational truth. I'll write more on that later. But for now, I'm going to sit back and laugh. Laugh hard. There is a lot of comedy to be had in the truth.