worthy pursuit

When my girls narrate their lives to me, sometimes I say, "That would make a worthy blog post."

Mercy gave me the same prompt about this little story. . .

The day following Ivan's birth, Rachel and I met Jen, a lactation consultant at the hospital-she dropped by to visit with Rachel about all things postpartum.

Our conversation  moved to spiritual things, "I've been watching. . .I could tell that you love Jesus." she said.

 Jen shared how she's been studying the Bible, "You know, God's Word changes you. . .I don't know why I'm emotional, you're the one who just had a baby!" 

I know, it's true-God's Word changes you. . .and God is so good to remind me, time after time, in the most obscure places (like hospital rooms), through acquaintances and new friends. . .He knows me--that I need the reminder.

Ahh, Lord, give me a greater passion for your Word. . .

The Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two edged sword. . .able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Heb 4:12)

accomplished. . .

So, I'm terrible at keeping suprises-I'm amazed that my family trusted me with this one. . .
But this time I kept my mouth shut and it was very very hard.
Abigail and little Florence came from New York last week to suprise Mercy at her graduation.
I kept the secret for almost 2 months; really, I'm proud of myself . . .

And it was worth it, to see Mercy's face and watch the hugging.

good visit

 Dre came for a visit last week-I cooked and she washed up every dish; Brett made fresh pasta, Rachel rested. . .

 Dre and I explored Main Street - a used book store and good coffee; we browsed a consignment shop and she bought great boots, red leather, texas style. "People in Ohio don't wear boots," she said.  (if I wore texas boots, I would have bought this pair for sure. . .)

And of course we cuddled Ivan.

In the evenings over coffee and chocolate, we talked Big Topics-like church, work, relationships,discipline, forgiveness, Jesus is enough, life purpose. . .

"How do you get motivated?" she asked.

"You get out of bed in the morning." answered Brett.

(hmm, that's good, I thought)

And after Ivan's late night feeding, Dre and I balanced perfectly on the blow up mattress in the living room. We talked small topics too, and I'm sure I fell asleep mid sentence.

 Showing love can mean driving extra miles to visit a friend. . .

incomplete sentences

My friend Courtney is a mother of five. . . the other day she wrote, "I wanted to email you all week but there's never enough time or quiet to think in complete sentences!"
Her comment reminded me of those days in my own life, Ahhh, for the chance to sustain a thought.
I remember my electric typewriter positioned on the table in our loft bedroom in a Mexican village-(curious how that house had electricity but no running water).
I loved that typewriter-the little machine sat holding my words and thoughts until I could return to add a word, to create a complete a sentence. . . 
Then one day I started to type words but the keys were dead, stuck.
So, I carried my little machine to a repair shop in the big city and upon examination the repair man commented, "Ma'am, I have never seen a typewriter keyboard so caked with dust, so very dirty!"
I wanted to tell him, "But I bathe my children ."
Then my husband reminded me how the dust filtered through the clay roof tiles -and into my typewriter.
"Cover your typewriter when it's not in use," said the repair man.
Cover my typewriter? but you don't understand. . .I'm completing my sentences, word by word.