Mystical Love.
Friday afternoon, with vans filled to bursting with sleeping bags, work gloves, preteen gals, moms, snacks a plenty and one grandpa we hit the road.
It was a four hour trip to our destination, The Hannah House in Athens, Ohio. The Hannah House was our home for 2 nights.
We hung out and talked with people who were under the heavy weight of poverty. Who struggled with addictions. Who were disabled. We shoveled gardens. Built compost bins. Prepared meals. Played bingo. Raked leaves. Gathered limbs. Sorted canned goods.
Of of the volunteers there said something I thought was very insightful.
“Loving God and loving others are somehow mystically intertwined. Where one cannot tell where loving God stops and loving others begins.”
Last weekend we served. We worshiped. We loved.
Reese Joslyn.
My youngest turned three last week.
When I was little I remember how time used to drag by. Each Christmas and birthday took eons to get here. A trip to the Champion Hills Department store was the longest drive when i was young. When my parents gave me an extra 15 minutes of playtime, it felt like freedom.
Now that I am.. ahem… older, time whizzes past. My wedding, then a baby, then another, then another, then another. Christmas, then birthday after birthday. Crawling then walking. Cooing then talking. Diapers then big girl pants. Gray hairs then wrinkles.
Where does the time go? Why does it feel so much faster?
I think Reese has all the answers. At the ripe age of three she contains the wisdom of all the ages:
1. Live right now. Taste. Feel. Breathe. Be. When you are young all that matters is right now. As you age you become acutely aware of time and of it’s passing.
2. Don’t be self concious. Get messy. Get sticky. Get dirty. Be naked. (I am not just talking literally here.) It’s hard to enjoy a 2 pound sucker when you are worried about getting your face sticky. You can always wash it off later.
3. Be grateful. For what you have right now. For what you feel right now. Appreciate it fully. Revel in what you have. Cuz life tastes so much sweeter when you do.
Thank you, Reese Josyln. My enthusiastic cascade of laughter. May you always help me to see things through your eyes. Pure and perfect.
What is Church?
A place to climb the ladder of spirituality?
An exclusive club of do-good-ers?
An gathering place for the elite of God?
A social hub of chatter and gossip?
What is it to you?
What is it to others?
A building where acceptance is elusive.
Where love is conditional.
Where worthiness can’t be earned.
We are the body of Christ.
We are the church.
And on so many levels,
we are failing.
I love.
Chipotle Burrito Bol. Chicken. Black Beans. Fresh Salsa. Cheese. Eaten with nachos, not a fork.
The sound of the girls giggling in bed at night. Even when they should be sleeping.
Cool grass under my bare feet. The kind thats soft, not pokey.
Spring peepers, the chirp of kill deer, and fire flies.
Being so inspired it’s physically hard to contain.
Bonfires. The way they make my hair and clothes smell the day after.
A Stewart’s Orange and Cream Soda.
A puppy’s sweet breath.
When someone else cleans my kitchen.
Baking cookies or decorating cakes.
How my Dad is my biggest fan.
How my God saw fit to bless me so.
Behold!
Here you go folks. My D80.
It’s. Here. In. My. Hands.
Tonight.
I ran outside (in the rain.) To take a pic for you. No touch up. No photoshop. SOOC. (Straight out of camera.)
I am deliriously overwhelmed by the buttony doo daddy-ness of this glorious chunk of plastic and glass.
The manual? HUGE! The number of indicators on the LED screen? Too many to count. This is one serious camera my brothers and sisters, and I am sadly underqualified.
But come’on now people! Look at those raindrops! I was over 5 feet away from that leaf! Hello? Can I get an amen?
This is the day.
(God made today. Let’s Celebrate! Ps. 118:24).
When was the last time you were THIS happy? For no reason.
Nobody gave her money. Or a new toy. She doesn’t have a new boyfriend.
Look at her face. Pure joy!
When I see my children, I am reminded that God wants us to be like little kids.
God, help me to be like a little child.
Virtuous
A virtuous woman. Proverbs 31:10. I have a misty memory of hearing that verse during my wedding ceremony. The Pastor marrying us (who happens to be our Uncle Bill) looked at my groom and said, “The book of Proverbs says that Camellia (that’s my full name) is a virtuous woman, and because she is virtuous means that you’ve found a good thing.”
I nodded my head in agreement. “Yes, Lord. Yes. Help me be virtuous.”
But, I didn’t know what virtuous really was.
What do you picture when you hear the word, Virtuous?
Morality? Chastity? Well, those are both correct definitions.
But what did God mean?
The original greek word used is: Chayil.
Chayil is used 243 times in the Bible.
Only once is it translated as virtuous.
The other 242 times?
Army. One of Valor. Host of Armies. Force. Valiant. Strength. Riches. Wealth. Power. Substance. Might. Strong.
Kind of a different picture, eh?
Virtuous doesn’t seem so Betty Crocker anymore.
When I said at my wedding vows that I wanted to be virtuous, I wasn’t just nodding. I meant it. But since I’ve studied this scripture out and want it even more.
I want to be a force for God. Through my marriage. My children. Using my gifts. My ideas.
Even if it means I might fail. I must do something.
If you are one of the tens of people who read my blog, you’ll know of a secret project I have eluded to.
This secret project is an idea that I’ve had for years. And this year I will see this finally come to reality.
I am starting a publishing company. I will hopefully be releasing the first magazine later this year.
I need help ya’ll. Lots of it. Prayers. Prayers. Tips. Ideas. Seminars. Classes. Prayers. Contacts. Leads. Prayers. Prayers. Chocolate. And more prayers. (Well, and more chocolate.)
I am hoping that maybe I can make it to She Speaks this year. It’s an excellent conference, not too far from here. It’s only in North Carolina. But it might as well be on the moon, as the finances aren’t here right now for it. But they are offering a scholarship, so I am hoping to make it there that way.
Be on the look out as I slowly… with turtle like swiftness start sharing the dream God has placed in me, with you.
(This is soooo scary. Once I hit the post button, this is out there. My secret. My dream. God’s dream. Do I dare hit the post bu…)
An Enthusiastic Cascade of Laughter.
This is my baby. “The grand finale” as I like to call her. She’ll be 2 in March.
It’s odd how much of your personality exists at such a young age.
She is grateful. (She says “Thank You.” even in her sleep. Really, it’s more like, “Chane choo.” But still.)
She loves to be chased. (Don’t all girls? Who knew it started so young?)
She has a great sense of humor.
She’s smart as a whip.
She’s all about her family. She’s a Daddy’s girl for sure. Her sisters are her world. And there’s no one who ranks higher on her list than my Dad. (I told you she was smart.)
And she’s not a bad dancer.
We can’t imagine life without her fancy footwork.
Little Princess Who Leads Her People to Victory.
This is my second youngest. She’s 5. And much like her 7 year old sister, she’s an old soul.
She is always reminding me if I giggle at something that’s not funny, “That’s not funny, Mom. Don’t laugh.”
It’s weird to be corrected by your 5 year old. But I am getting used to it.
She loves to play alone. She thrives alone. She is, in a word: independant.
I think it is safe to say, that I am more high maintenance than her.
She is also severely competitive. She wants to be run faster, run farther and always, always be first.
She’s been known to get angry when someone beats her at Candyland, Tic Tac Toe or Trouble. She also gets mad at the dog when the dog beats her to the house.
She is currently perfecting her chess game.
She is, as her teacher tells me all the time, an excellent student and loves the whole learning process.
Good thing she likes winning: because she’s always a winner to us.
