Special God Moments

In spite of all the stress and strain of ministry, motherhood, family, approaching holy season, world politics, economical 'cliffs' and other 21st century perils... I must say that I have been blessed my amazing moments of love, hope and joy.  Just wanted to share my fav God-moments from Thanksgiving to today.

• Thanksgiving celebration with my husband's family exceeded my hopes and expectations because was filled with precious memories and wonderful moments with family.  And the photos from the day do great justice of the warmth and love of our afternoon together!  yay!
• little notes and gifts have appeared on my office desk or in my home mail box from folks who love  me and wanted to offer their loving support and kindness.  You know, it is a joy to be kind to others... but what a gift when that kindness boomerangs back to you!  Wow, that is cool.
• enjoying a wonderful Christmas lunch with our church staff on Wednesday this week.. and catching up on non-ministry stuff, but each other's lives was a gift!
• meeting the new UM church start pastor along with my colleagues on Tuesday and hearing the excitement and passion for the un-churched did my heart and my ministry a world of good!
• listening to a good friend report that everything we asked for in prayer about her husband's surgery has come to fruition and how blessed they feel.
• snuggling with my girl in the morning darkness and listening to her share her wonder and fantasies about what Santa might bring!  
• enjoying a nice glass of wine with my husband (without kid, dog, school work, or housework) and planning our next date night adventure
• phone call from my mother in law today who said, "I got the pictures from Thanksgiving.  Wow- they are wonderful.  (then she cried) and you know the one with you and me... well, looking at your face I realized how much you love me.  Michelle, thank you for loving me."

See, no matter what else is going wrong in the world.. how stressed I am about my father;s care at the rehab facility or what outcome will happen, or if our church budget will end the year in the black, or if Duke basketball will continue it's winning streak or if broken marriages in our congregation will be healed or if the stock market will plunder or if whatever...  God is still moving among us.. bring life, hope, joy and peace!  

And isn't that what Advent celebrates?!: the coming of God INTO this broken, messed up world in which we live.  

Something New

After a look in the mirror this morning, I noticed something different about myself.  And no, it does not involve wrinkles or laugh lines or hair color.

The something new I carry with me is almost invisible yet, is noticeable too.  During a laugh this morning with my office mates, I inquired if they saw something different about me today.  After a good look up and down my frame and a sheepish concern to not mention the ten pounds I have re-gained since my mini-marathon training finished... they were left puzzled.

Yet, the change is there.  Now I bear the role of a care giver for an aging, disabled parent.  I can see the change if no one else does.  And I am trying to sort out how I want to be in this role while at the same time not desiring this role at all.

"It's weird", has been my comment to friends.  And I have not yet gotten much further than that.

But, I am assuming that like you do not become a capable spouse or loving parent in a day... this too is a role a person 'grows' into.  I do not have to figure everything on the first day of this 'job', but perhaps I can try different things and discover how it is that God calls me to fulfill this new role and responsibility.

Already mistakes have been made by me. And there will be more.

Which is why I am ever more grateful that God's mercy and grace go before me... in all things including care-giving.

Thanksgiving- A Month Long

I am ever so grateful that the calendar and the church year rotate in such a way that Advent is consumed within the month of December.  It leaves all of November to embrace harvest and thanksgiving!

And I need a month, at least, to meditate on my gratitude.  Here is a start at how I begin the month with gratefulness of heart, soul, and mind.  I am grateful for...

• the mind and heart which I was given.
• to share life's joys and sorrows with my best friend Eric, Diana and our God-Three-in-One!
• live in a nation that has weird and uncomfortable/challenging elections and then the next day go about our business of living together.
• for the power of prayer
• for All Saints Day and the reminder of our loved ones who have finished their course in faith and now rest from their labor.
• for leftover Halloween candy
• for my dog who sleeps at my feet
• for hot tea in the morning
• a working dishwasher
• that as messy as my life is... it could be much, much worse.

Giving Back

Sharing with your best friend must be one of the sweetest things this side of heaven.  It some ways it doesn't matter what you share... laughter, chocolate, movie, funny story, a sad time, a regret... Joys and sorrows are made all the more wonderful when you are a companion to someone else and experience their companionship in return.

Imagine how filled my heart was in worship this weekend to give a testimony with my best friend about how he grew in giving and then how we are growing together in our giving to God's work in the world!!  Makes me want to brag on my God and my husband too!  Go God!  

Several weeks ago I began a Giving Journal.  Mostly it is filled with answers to some challenging giving questions from a book I am reading.  You'll find stories of givers in my family in there.  Lists of things that I am passionate about.  And some little seeds of ideas or ways in which I feel compelled to share with God's world the blessings that I have received.

It is ironic or God's timing or the work of the Spirit... that my Giving Journal has begun at this same season of my life in which I find myself care giving for multiple parents with ill health or disabled conditions.  Hmm... don't think I have not noticed the irony or coincidence.  Curious.  Very curious, indeed.  

What does it mean?  Not sure.  Will I find out?  Probably.  Right now I am sitting with these two awareness's: 1) that I in a completely new and different care giving role and 2) and I am in the reflection mode of discerning how is it that seek to be a giver.

Now we'll just wait and see what comes next... in my learning and living.

Autumn Beauty

On our anniversaty get-away, the love of my life and I wandered through the winding roads of Brown County State Park in Nashville, Indiana.  Here is a great photo taken from the open sun roof of our car! (while we were driving!  :) )

I must say the gray skies gave a vibrant pop of color to the autumn leaves.  Breath takingly beautiful!

What a delightful surprise this autumn beauty has been given the hot, drought ridden summer we just survived.  I just am in awe that we are one of the few creatures God made that has the eye sight and capacity to enjoy this sort of colorful beauty.  Just another indication to me that some things in this world God has created to bring simple beauty and wonder!

Taking Flight

On Tuesday when the temperature was a wamr, yet brisk 60 degrees.... we released our little friends.  Sad to see them go.  I missed watching their antics.  Did you know that their probiscus is longer than their legs?  Fascinating to watch them drink through their own portable-attached-personal straw!  Wonder if I can get one of those things when I am old and feeble.  Hmm.

One of our little friends, we think it was Sunday, decided not to leave on Tuesday.  We put him back in the habitat and released him on the following afternoon.  Todd #1 and Todd #2 took flight immediately although they looked like Woodstock trying to fly away.  All wobbly and what not.

It was unanimous after our final friend was sent back out into the BIG WIDE WORLD- that we want to do this again!  (but in the spring when it is warmer!)

Butterflies in the 'hood

In the middle of dinner Friday night, somebody got up from the table... wandered over to the butterfly habitat and hollered, "We have one!  It is hatching!"

At that moment, Todd #1 was with us in full wing!  (We named him Todd because it was Todd's birthday too!)  After we came home from our celebratory desert because the first 9 week report card by our daughter was awesome, we discovered that Todd #2 had arrived.  He is a wee bit smaller that #1. 

The following day, Flippy joined us.  She has trouble with her flying.  She lands up-side down in the orange juice and gets stuck with her feet in the air.  We try not to laugh, so we named her Flippy.

This morning while we were at worship and Sunday School two more butterflies busted out of their cocoons.  Smelly (who seems to be most interested in how everything smells) and Sunday (because well she/he was born on a Sunday) are our two newest pets.

Because of wind gusts of 23 mph we have decided to wait another day for the official release of our little friends.  That and the fact that one more cocoon remains.  We are watching closely to see if our sixth friend is alright. 

In the meantime we are on butterfly watch. Observing and enjoying.  Laughing and commenting on these little creatures. 

Mostly, I am thoroughly in awe of how my kid's imagination and wonder at God's world tickles her fancy.  You should hear how she talks to her little friends!  I overheard her "butterfly chatter" yesterday and welled up with emotion at how endearing and sweet she was to her "little guys".  Aw.  Too cute.

Anyone who is lonesome or afraid or wondering if life can begin anew.... needs to order some caterpillars and witness resurrection in person.  It is life changing!