My cute boy...

Today, I'll just let my cute boy do the talking!

Happy Tuesday.

For-ev-er

I can see Squints from The Sandlot mouthing the word in slow motion, his bottom lip folding under the pressure of his teeth: "For-ev-er." Yes, it's been forever. And in that forever space, so much has happened. Here's the quick-and-dirty list:

1. Kelby and I found out we were pregnant. Woohoo!
2. The next day, I found out that I got into Vermont College of Fine Arts to study Writing for Children and Young Adults - my dream come true!
3. I finished the year and quit my teaching job in order to focus on graduate school and the baby.
4. I completed my first semester at VCFA with the rough draft of a picture book, a short story, and half of a novel.
5. I had my beautiful boy on December 1st, 2011. He was born on his great-grandpa Jesse's birthday and named after him.

This really has been a whirlwind year of blessings. The Lord really poured out his blessing and made his scripture come alive for me: "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not calamity, plans to give you a future and a hope'" (Jeremiah 29:11).

As I was reading another blog this morning, I came upon an amazing and simple idea for keeping up on this blog. In yesterday's post, Ashley Ann of Under the Sycamore mentioned that she has "started a little project of taking one picture a day on her phone." For this perpetually-forgetting-the-camera-and-missing-such-sweet-moments-girl, that sounded just simple enough. After all, I'm never that far from my phone. I decided that I'm going to copy-cat this year, and try to make that project my own. A picture a day (or more, depending on my mood.)

Now don't get your hopes up, you five followers who may have already abandoned me during my extremely long hiatus. I am not going to post every day. That just doesn't seem doable. I will, however, try to post my daily photos at least once a week with an update. Hopefully, hopefully...

Here are three photos from today. Enjoy!

Grace

I'm amazed how quick I am to judge. How quick I am to find fault. And, yet, in one conversation, just a few breaths, the Lord reveals to me my lack of grace for others.

The God of all grace, who gives a multitude of good and wonderful gifts to His children - to us, to me - can forgive and forgive and forgive. He blesses continually, never ceasing, without fail. Doesn't he say that those who've been forgiven much, love much? Isn't that grace, too? I, who have been given abundant grace, shouldn't I be giving grace abundantly? YES.

Here I stand, reminded by my Loving Father who I am meant to be - one who gives grace with abandon. And I am thankful. Thankful that He reminds. Thankful that He gives second chances (and third and fourth and fifth chances...) Thankful that He is the ultimate Grace-Giver for all the times I fall short and always. Thankful for the gift of moments, gentle nudges, and new days.


#94-102 of One Thousand Gifts...

ten beautifully extra minutes to sip, savor, and read

full conversation - the opening of a soul, a heart when ears are ready

dinner - the preparation of it

wet cloth over messy countertop - clean

soft background music of water in dishwasher

tired feet and toes (meaning I walked today)

the heart of the Body shared in stories

quiet eight o'clock hour in front of the fire

hard lovely reminders about my lack of grace and chances to start anew

Fragile

Life seems to me right now fragile. Not in an "I'm scared it's going to break" kind of way. But a fleeting, precious kind of way.

I don't want to lose out on it - any of it. Every part of my being hums with anticipation. This is it. Can you feel it - the gentle vibrations? Can you hear it - the tinkling of chimes all around? There is purpose here.

I can feel my arms open wide, spread out like wings for flight. And I'm twirling. Twirling in the hope of what my Creator has purposed and prepared. Twirling in the light of His promises. Twirling in the moment that stills and captures my heart. The briefest flash. Love.

Still. Take a moment. Breath. Rest. Glory.

Winter Snow

It snowed the other day - thick snowflakes falling silently and faithfully. It happened after Christmas, but it was still breathtaking.

That really has nothing to do with this, except in name. This song, by Audrey Assad, is possibly the most beautiful and heart-wrenching song I have ever heard. Our God is one who is quiet. He is steady and faithful. He is soft, gentle. He does not push us or drag us along; rather, He calls us to Him with a love so tender, so true. When I hear this song, I can only stand in awe of my God.

Listen - I know you'll love it.

"I imagine that's how we'll get to heaven," she said.

"We'll be played there on a song, and we'll arrive twirling."

I went, tonight, to Grace Notes at my church. It's a "musical interlude" held each month with a local musician. Without a doubt, it was the most calming, beautiful time I've spent just "being" in so long. As the notes seeped into my bones and filled up my soul, the tension eased ever so slowly off of me, and I could breathe again.



I think God must glory in music. The way my soul dances and sways and twirls to the sound assures me that He is there. In the movie The Holiday, the character Miles says to his love interest, "Iris, if you were a melody...I used only the good notes." I wonder if our souls are a melody to God? I wonder if He used only the good notes to form us, and along the way we hit some wrong notes, we create some discordant sounds, but because He made us, because He saved us, because we are holy, precious, and loved, we are still a beautiful melody to Him?



I believe there is truth in the music. I believe that twirling and dancing is the way to live fully abandoned to Him. I believe that our souls, open and attentive to His spirit, are a melody played just for Him.

Summer updates...

I know, I know, I haven't been very good about keeping up with this little blog and its five followers through the summer months. However, I don't feel so terribly bad since I know all five followers, and they generally know what I've been up to. But if you are one of the visitors, here's a summer update for you.

I spent quite a lot of time with my brother and sister-in-law (much more a sister than an in-law) at the local farmer's market.





They grew a tremendous garden this summer (I didn't help much with that) and sold their produce on Saturday mornings (I did help with that.)







My family...my WHOLE family (mom, dad, brothers, sisters, girlfriends, cousins, aunts, uncles, you name it) also visited Michigan in July. It was beautiful.



Just look at the coast off of Makinac Island - I want to live there!



I also got to see my first fireflies - amazing. But even better to watch my two younger cousins entranced, tushes in the air.



More to come on my garden and fun summer things as we move deeper into fall. AHHHH.