KNOCKING

What is that noise?  It stopped.  No, there it is again.  What in the world could it be?

And then I see it —- a bird.

That crazy bird would not stop.  It would walk back and forth.  It would look in the window.  It would peck at the window.  It would fly up. 

I walked to the window and it would fly away.  Then it came back and didn’t care if I was there or not.  I pulled the blind down and thought that would work.  Nope.  Started flying into a higher window.

It was getting very annoying.  It was making marks on the window.  It did this for hours.  Plus I had a sinus headache!  GO AWAY BIRD!

The bird was landing on the roof area over the fireplace.  I put aluminum foil over that area. 

It might look strange, but the bird must be afraid of the aluminum foil.  It is gone.  It is quiet now.

——————————

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”               Revelation 3:20

When it was finally quiet, I wondered if that is how we treat Jesus when he knocks at the door of our home, our church ….  our soul?  What do we do to chase Him away?

Do we keep the door closed hoping He will get tired and go away?  Do we draw the blinds so we cannot see Him?  Do we tell Him, by our actions and beliefs, that we do not want Him in our church?  Do we put down a “go away” mat?

How do we act when Jesus is knocking at the door to our home, our church … our soul?

BUBBLES

I love to blow bubbles.  They float higher and higher.  The colors swirl.  They pop.  You can even blow bubbles in the winter.  They start freezing, turn white, and shatter.  Oh yes, I love to blow bubbles.

There must be a couple gallons of bubble stuff in the garage and I always have a bubble wand handy to give away.  Kids love bubbles! I guess this means I am still a kid.

Through the years, bubbles have been my “go to” to settle the kids down and to help release my stress level.  Bill used to say if he came home and saw me sitting on the steps blowing bubbles, he knew to go around the block again.  He knew my day had not gone as expected.

I have a bubble theory and used it often when our kids were having a bad day.  You know those times — they cannot settle down.  They will not listen.  They want to calm down but have themselves locked into a mood.  And I would start blowing bubbles.  They would watch and then, without realizing it, they would start chasing the bubbles.

When I volunteered with CASA, family visits could be extremely stressful.  The parents were trying to establish a better relationship with their child/children.  The children never knew what to do or say.  And all the time the visit supervisor is taking notes and the CASA lady is observing.  Yes, family visits can be extremely stressful and can quickly fall apart.  I always had bubbles.

MY BUBBLE THEORY — This is my theory.  There have been no research studies.  No university has published my work.  This theory has evolved from personal experience, but it works.

Think about it.  You have had a really bad day.  Your mind is exhausted and your body wants to shout ENOUGH.  Grab the bubble stuff.  Take wand in hand.  Take a deep breath.  Blow.  And, slowly, as you take the next deep breath and the next deep breath, your body starts to relax.  (Those deep breaths begin the process.) Inhale.  Exhale.  Inhale.  Exhale.  Now, you might be thinking, “I don’t need bubbles for this.”  Yes, you do!

The breathing slows your body down but the bubbles are the key.  They float away.  They distract you.  They seem to carry your worries, anger, and frustration higher and higher.  And the children? No kid can resist bubbles.  They forget why they were angry.  Sisters and brothers chase bubbles instead of fighting.  Soon, they are breathing deep — inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale — as they blow bubbles and watch them float away.

Will bubbles make your problems go away? No.  Bubbles will slow you down and help you focus.  I have seen bubbles pull a child out of a meltdown.  I have seen a family blow bubbles and, slowly - one deep breath after another - find common ground.

I have sat on the back step blowing bubbles.  Inhale.  Exhale.  Inhale.  Exhale.  Watching each bubble float away, until I could put the lid back on the bubbles, stand up, and thank God for the invention of bubble stuff.

You need to buy some bubbles, because I am sure everyone will want to test my theory and there will be a shortage.  Store shelves will be empty.  Husbands will be giving bubbles to their wives for Mother’s Day and wives will be putting bubbles on the list for Father’s Day.  Parents will be giving their children bubbles and children will make sure their parents have an unending supply.  Teachers will have bubbles in their classroom. 

INSTRUCTIONS: Open the bottle.  Take out the wand.  Inhale.  Exhale and blow bubbles.  Look up.  Repeat.

Oh, did I tell you that while you are blowing bubbles is a great time to have a talk with God?

 

 

LOOK AROUND

“So, Mary, you liked the sound of the waves when it was really foggy?”

Did I ever.  It was way cool! 

“I am glad it gave you pleasure.  While you were gone, what did you smell?”

Smell?  Well ….. Hamburgers on the grill.  Oh, and the bread the Monk’s baked.  It had been cold and the flowers were not out yet.  Now that you asked, I don’t remember many smells.

“What about taste?”

The key lime pie!  It was more like a cheesecake and melted in my mouth.

“What did you touch?”

The cold water in the pool.  Some sunshine to warm the water would have been appreciated.  Getting in that pool was a real test of determination.  Once in, it did feel exhilarating.  Some people stuck their toes in and quickly pulled them out.  Of course, kids jumped right in. 

“What did you see?”

Wow.  Not that could be a long list.  Where do I start?  The sunrise and sunset blessed each day – except when there was all that fog.  The waves.  The children playing.  Watching people.  The alligators.  But, we could also see sorrow.  Hurricane Sally left people with damaged homes and those blue tarps meant there was much to be done.  Many businesses and churches were still closed.  Seeing sorrow is hard.

I have a feeling there is more, to our conversation, than having me look back at our adventure.

“Of course.  I want you to do me a favor.”

I would like to say, “Wow, God wants me to do him a favor.”  What I am thinking is, “Oh no.  Here it comes.”

“Do not fear.  I love telling people that:  Do not fear!  I want you to tell my people to look around.”

---------------------------------

God has surrounded us with amazing wonders and we do not notice them.  They blend in with our life.  Our routine.  Our normal stuff.

AMAZING WONDERS SURROUND YOU

You do not have to drive miles and cross the state line to be amazed.  You can find God’s wonders in your day-to-day life.

Where are you right now?  Close your eyes and listen.  What do you hear?  Birds?  The sound of cars?  The freezer?  The voice of a loved one or friend?  Maybe you hear the sound of weeping or the sound of a hospital.  Take a minute – listen – what do you hear?

Step outside or, if that is not an option, sit down and look around.  What do you see?  Trees?  Grass?  Flowers?  The color of the walls?  Books?  Slowly look, not a quick glance.  What do you see? 

Stay put!  What do you smell?  This is the hardest one.  Soooo, use your imagination.  How does it smell when dinner is cooking?  What does a baby smell like?  How does it smell during and after a storm?  What does a barnyard smell like?  What do you smell?

The next is taste.  What do certain things taste like.  A perfectly cooked steak.  Chocolate.  Coffee.  Pancakes.  Liver and onions.  Your favorite food.  A kiss.  What taste do you like?

And finally touch.  Walk around and touch a few things.  How do things in your normal, everyday life feel?  The feel of taping on a keyboard.  Clothes coming out of the drier.  A flower.  Touching the hand of a loved one.  A hug.  Holding a real book.  Washing your hair.  What can you touch?

---------------------------------

God has surrounded you with amazing wonders.  He has placed them right in the middle of your routine, normal, day-to-day life.  They blend in but you can notice them. 

Listen, look, smell, taste, and touch.  You   notice and you will realize you are surrounded by amazing wonders.

 

 

PACKING AWAITS

I am writing this on Sunday, March 28, 2021. It is 7:30, in the morning, and I am sitting on a balcony, drinking coffee, and looking out at the Gulf of Mexico. I will make this cup of coffee last as long as I can. When it is gone, I have to start .... packing.

Emotions are funny things. Packing to come to Alabama was fun. We were going on a new adventure — two months in a condo. Two months... we had never been gone two months and we had never rented a condo. How would it feel to be gone that long? Will hubby survive? He is doing this for me and it is way out of his comfort zone. But, now, he is ready to pack. He is ready to go home.

Me? Not so much. Yes, I miss our home, our family and friends, and our church, but I will miss waking up each morning and hearing the waves. I will miss sitting on the balcony watching the sky and water change, as the sun says good morning. Sometimes I sat there in a very heavy sweatshirt because even Alabama can be cold, but it sure beat the 8 below zero back home. I will miss opening the door, in the middle of the night, and being amazed at how the waves sound when the fog moved in. I will miss hearing the roar of helicopters and the Blue Angels as they fly over. (I still want to ride in a black hawk.). I will miss new friends we have made.

I was finger talking (aka texting) with a friend and told him: Never fear.. I can put stuff back in boxes and suitcases. Yes, I can come back to reality, but I sure have enjoyed the change. I think that is what I miss in retirement: Change. Something new. We have moved often (compared to some) and each move was a change and challenge. I have enjoyed the change from routine and the challenge of doing something new.

I am sure you are tired of reading my morning thoughts, so I will wrap this up. Not exactly sure how. There is no big message. There are no big words of wisdom. Or maybe, just maybe ...

There is nothing wrong with routine. There is nothing wrong with being comfortable in life. There is nothing wrong with knowing what tomorrow will bring. Or maybe, just maybe ...

By being open to a new adventure, by getting out of a set routine, and by being willing to unlock the door to your comfort zone, you might —

• See lightening over the water and hear the waves during a storm
• See the stars as you swim in a pool at night
• Watch an alligator laying in the sun
• Have strangers become friends
• See how others live and work
• Read without feeling like you should be doing something
• Be amazed as an osprey flies by with its dinner
• Wonder how the water can change color

Packing awaits. Today everything we do not need for the drive home will be packed and put back into the car. The condo will become impersonal and tomorrow we will head home. But I head home a different person, with a new perspective.

And when, we arrive home and I close my eyes ... as I go to sleep in my own bed, I will hear the waves and be blessed with the memories of this adventure.

 EASTER MEMORIES

A new Easter dress — how wonderful to put on that new dress and feel special.  It would become the “Sunday” dress.  Back then we had play clothes (they could get dirty), school clothes (changed into play clothes as soon as we got home), and church clothes (barely plural, usually two outfits that were reserved for church).

Easter Candy — there were no big baskets of candy.  We put a napkin in the bottom of a pie pan and each of us put our pan in a secret place.  We knew the bunny would find it.  Sure enough!!  One chocolate bunny (but not always) and jelly beans.  When I became a mother, my kids never knew there were black jelly beans.  I love black licorice..  To save any confusion as to what pan had the most red jelly beans, I would sort their candy into piles — green, green — red, red — yellow, yellow — white, white — and the black ones into my stack.  I do think they had baskets a couple of years, but the pie pan worked for me so it worked for them.  Besides, baskets cost more than the candy.

Easter Cantata — Christmas and Easter meant the choirs kicked it up more than one notch.  You will find this hard to believe, but I was in the youth choir.  If you have ever sat next to me in church you will know, without a doubt, that the youth choir HAD to allow all youth the opportunity to take music in hand and sing. I always wondered if they changed that rule after the experience of me being in the choir.  The cantata was full of wonder, as it went from the shout of “Give Us Barabbas” to the dark sound of the Cross to the triumphant “He Is Risen.”  The Easter Cantata transformed the voices of our church choir into the sweet sound of angels.  And, of course, the Cantata was over in plenty of time to get everyone home to check on the ham roasting in the oven.  

Easter memories ... but, what I remember most about Easter, has been passed down from the memories of others and now rests in my soul.

I KNOW JESUS IS THE CHRIST CHILD, THE SON OF GOD.

• ““But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.””     Matthew‬ ‭16:15-16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I KNOW JESUS WAS ABSOLUTELY AWARE OF WHAT HE WAS TO DO WHILE ON EARTH AND HE TOLD HIS FATHER, “NOT MY WILL, BUT YOURS BE DONE.”

• “Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.””       Mark‬ ‭14:23-25‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• ““Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.”     Luke‬ ‭22:42-44‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I KNOW HOW TO FIND GOD AND I KNOW MY ROOM IS READY.

• “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”     John‬ ‭14:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• ““Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.””     John‬ ‭14:1-4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I KNOW MY CHIRST DID NOT STAY IN THE GRAVE!  I KNOW MY CHRIST GAVE US ALL A JOB!  I KNOW MY CHRIST IS IN HEAVEN!

• “In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ””  Luke‬ ‭24:5-7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• “Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.””   Matthew‬ ‭28:18-20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• “When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.”   Luke‬ ‭24:50-51‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Easter memories ... but, what I remember most about Easter, has been passed down from the memories of others and now rests in my soul.

MAY YOUR EASTER BE BLESSED AND MAY YOU ALWAYS HAVE THE LOVE OF CHRIST IN YOUR SOUL AND IN YOUR LIFE.

 THE COMING STORM

We had a new adventure during February and March!  We left home and stayed in Orange Beach, Alabama.  I was thrilled about this and Bill went along.  Bless his heart.

I have been to beaches before and we have been to Orange Beach before.  What I have never experienced is a storm on a beach.  Thankfully, not a bad storm like a tornado or a hurricane, but a pretty big thunderstorm.

You need to know that I love to watch it storm.  As a kid, I would sit in the corner of the porch and watch the rain and lightening.  I loved the sound of thunder.  I still love to watch it storm.  I will sit in front of a window and watch the trees dance and the sky turn black.  But a storm by the water’s edge is different.

We had a very small storm when we first got here.  Last night was that storm on steroids.  At one in the morning, YES MORNING, I stood with the balcony door open and listened.  The thunder sounded like it would start way out and then grow louder as it came closer to shore.  No.. it was coming from the west.  No.. the east.  It was like having surround-sound.  The thunder was rumbling in circles.  I know.  Sounds strange, but I don’t know how else to describe it.  The lightening would look like someone was shining a flashlight through the clouds and then a bolt would streak from nowhere.  It is amazing how dark it is when looking out over the water.  Did I tell you how much I love to watch it storm?

When I spoke with a new friend, she said she had gotten up, dressed, and put shoes on just in case.

Sadly, while I was enjoying the spectacular show, towns were being devastated and lives turned upside down by tornadoes. A storm can have such beauty in one spot and such destruction in another.

—————————-

It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining.  And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.     Luke 23:44-45

What would it have been like to be there?  The sky turning dark in the middle of the day.  The temperature would have dropped.  The fear would have been strong enough to smell.  The cross.  The hill.  The soldiers.  The believers.  The mother.  

What do I see?  I see beauty.

Did you do a double take?  Did you re-read what I wrote?  Beauty was a surprise to me too.  I have never thought of this as a beautiful sight.  How can there be beauty in Jesus hanging on a cross?  Bleeding!  In pain!  When I look at the Cross, I feel such shame, but I also see my hope.  My redemption.  I see great love.

And that is the most beautiful sight of all.  The beauty is the love of Christ which turns the dark sky to a light so bright we will always be able to find our way to Him.  Find our way to the Cross.

 ADOPTED

Every so often, I am at a loss as to what to write.  Writing a blog is at the back of my mind on Monday, starts moving forward on Tuesday, and by Wednesday I start getting a bit nervous.  The blog needs to be ready by Friday morning and NOTHING.  Absolutely, nothing.  I no longer have days to write a blog.  I only have hours.  Thursday morning and still nothing.  And then....

And then I pick up a book by Jeanette Winterson:  Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal?  One thing I am rarely called is normal so the title intrigued me.  The story is written by a woman who had a terrible childhood.  She was adopted into a very unstable house.  I have only read the beginning but there are a few sentences that made me think about how it feels to being adopted.

“Adopted children are self-invented because we have to be; there is an absence, a void, a question mark at the very beginning of our lives.  A crucial part of our story is gone.”

“Where you are born — what you are born into, the place, the history of the place, how that history mates with your own — stamps who you are, whatever the pundits of globalization have to say.”

“When I was born I became the visible corner of a folded map.  The map has more than one route.  More than one destination.  The map that is the unfolding self is not exactly leading anywhere.  The arrow that says YOU ARE HERE is your first coordinate.  There is a lot that you can’t change when you are a kid.  But you can pack for the journey.”

————————-

We have an adopted granddaughter and she was in my heart the minute I laid eyes on her.  She is MY GRANDDAUGHTER!  I consider her a gift, but I also know she has had questions about her birth family.  There is a gap in her life, even though she came into our family from the hospital.  There are many questions for the adoptive parents also.  They have no family history which will help them understand this new daughter.  Will she be even tempered or smart or healthy.  They cannot look at grandparents or themselves to see a resemblance or a family characteristic that has carried through the generations. A crucial part of the story is gone.

I am adopted.  I have been adopted into the Family of God!

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are!  1 John 3:1

The big difference, I know my past.  It is not a mystery.  The amazing part is that God knows my past and still welcomed me into his family.  

I would like to rewrite one of the author’s paragraphs.

When I was born, I became the visible corner of a folded map.  The arrow said, “MARY, YOU ARE HERE.”  I discovered there are many routes and many destinations.  As a kid, I could not change the path my parents placed me on.  I then followed the path I placed myself on and have walked that path with Bill beside me.  The most important path is the one that led me to being adopted.  All the things I had packed for my journey of life were quickly left at the foot of the cross.  At my adoption, I began a new journey.  I still have many paths and destinations to pick from, but now I know my adoption means there is no longer a crucial part of my story missing.

 PREJUDGE

Prejudge:  to judge before hearing or before full and sufficient examination.

The other day I heard a speaker say, “You are not to judge, but do you prejudge?”

That is a powerful question.  I am sure most of us would answer, “Of course I do not prejudge.  I want all the facts.”  How would this answer line up with your life?

Let’s start with the news.  Do you read only the headline?  If so, you are prejudging the article.  The headline is sensational to grab your attention.  The article is usually very different and should contain the facts.  Do you prejudge the news or find the facts?

Next is food.  Are you willing to try something new?  If not, why?  How do you know you will not like a certain spice?  Or macaroni and cheese made with something other that the box mix?  Do you prejudge food and miss out on a new taste sensation?

Finally, the biggie === PEOPLE!  Do you prejudge people?  And everyone answered, “Of course I do not prejudge people.”  We like to think we do not, but fess up.  We prejudge everyone we meet.  We look at their eyes, their smile, their hands, their tattoos, their hair, and their body piercings.  We look at their clothes and prejudge the person if the clothes are not to our liking or if their jeans are pulled below their underwear.  We prejudge people by their mode of transportation or the house they live in or if they are homeless. We prejudge people depending on where they go to church or if they do not go to church.  We prejudge people by the way they vote and, sadly, by the color of their skin.

———————

If you are feeling guilty, you need to realize Jesus prejudged people.

Jesus prejudged the Samaritan woman.  She was prejudged worthy of eternal life.  Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”     John‬ ‭4:13-14‬

Jesus prejudged Bartimaeus.  He was prejudged worthy of seeing.  “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.”  ‭‭Mark‬ ‭10:51-52‬ 

Jesus prejudged the crippled lady.  She was prejudged worthy of standing tall.  “When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.”  Luke‬ ‭13:12-13‬ ‭

Jesus has prejudged each of us.  We are prejudged worthy to be loved by the Father.  “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John‬ ‭3:1‬ 

Sooooo... if someone asks if you prejudge people, you can say, “Yes I do.  I prejudge them worthy of the love of the Father.  And I will treat them that way...worthy!”

 WAITING

Waiting!  I hate to wait.  Waiting on someone to answer a business phone is a boring process.  The music!  Listening to their sales pitch!  Waiting!

Waiting at the doctor’s office, at a traffic light, or a page to load.  Wait.  Wait.  Wait.  Such a waste of time.  Waiting ...

“Hey Mary.”

Yes.  Oh my.  What have I done now?

“Do I hear you complaining about waiting?”

Sorta.  I was on hold and the music sucked... oops.  The music was not my favorite genre.

“Do you ever make me wait?”

Me?  Make God wait?  I think that would be like a law, ordinance, or commandment.  I can hear you saying, “Thou shalt not keep God waiting.”

“You do have the best imagination.  Gabriel will chuckle when I tell him your comment.”

Do I make you wait?  Name one time ... better make that three times.

“Did you pray yesterday?”

Of course!  I got really busy...  maybe not.  Knew you would have one to zing at me.

“I waited all day.  You had much on your heart.  I wanted to help you.”

But .

“But what?  I have two more.”

But you have all the time in the world.  You’re just sitting around, so what if I .

“Mary, do you really want to finish that statement?  All I do is sit around?’

Maybe this would be a good time for me to wait instead of speaking.

“The key word is wait.  Humans seem to think waiting is a waste of time.  Waiting is a gift.”

A GIFT?  Do you have any idea how long 20 minutes or an hour or a day or a week is when you are sitting in a hospital waiting room?  Waiting — a gift?  Waiting can be pure hell! Especially when ..

“My child, I am in every waiting room.  In every operating room.  I did not say waiting was easy.  I said it is a gift.

Waiting allows you to pray and prepare.  Waiting allows you to make wise decisions.  Waiting allows you to realize I am there.”

I never thought about it that way.  There are times I should have waited before making a decision.  I am sorry I made you wait yesterday.  May I pray now?

“Of course.  I have all the time in the world.  I’m just sitting around.”

You are not going to forget I said that are you?

“Nope.  Just sitting here.  Nothing to do.  

Except listen to what is on your heart.”

—————————————-

So often we complain about waiting, but waiting really is a gift.

Waiting gives us time to pray and to prepare.

Waiting gives us time to slow down, think, and make wise decisions.

Waiting gives us time to realize we are not alone.

 COFFEE

I do believe one of the best things God placed in my life is coffee!  I tell people that I will know I have died and gone to heaven when I hear, “Good morning Mary.  Here is your coffee.” ..... and I do not have to make a mad dash to the bathroom.

Coffee is my morning jumper cable.  There are morning people and there are night people.  I am an in-between people.  I do not hop out of bed before daylight ready to face the day.  I do not stay up till 2 or 3 AM on purpose.  But, I am, for sure, a hand-me-a-cup-of-coffee person.  Prior to coffee, my eyes open half way.  My ears are allergic to sound.  My mouth ... my mouth, a shock to many people, cannot make conversation.  My brain is in place waiting for me to hit the start button..aka coffee.

One sip and — just like that — there is life on the planet. 

I know people who are animated the minute their eyes open.  I know people who can function at 5:30 AM.   I know people who can get up and do their Bible reading.  How?  That, I do not know. 

Anyway, writing this made we think about other things God placed in my life.  Not the big things — mountains, the ocean, a rose — but the surprises that came with the big things.

I carried a child, in my womb, and thought that was a wonder, a miracle.  I felt joy and I felt humble and blessed.  A baby.  A gift.  Changing diapers and trying to rest.  And then the surprise.  That baby touched my cheek.  How could a touch ... there are no words.

As you all know, I love to travel.  I consider traveling a very big thing.  Yes, we take interstates, buy my real joy comes on back roads.  On streets through small towns.  I do not take our travels lightly.  They have been a blessing and have allowed us to see such wonders.  But there they sat.  In a small town, on a front step.  A daddy and daughter waiting on the school bus.  You could tell she was headed to school.  The backpack was there, full of books and lessons and the opportunity of learning.  The surprise was the absolute attention the father was giving his daughter.  There was no phone in his hand.  There was no looking around or checking his watch.  She had his undivided attention.  The love he was giving her ... there are no words.

Travel is a big thing, but when you combine travel with loved ones, it becomes a really, really big thing. Travel has included time spent on mother/daughter trips and mother/son cruises.  And trips to Florida with our daughter’s family.  I love that they take grandma along (Grandpa is usually in the field when we did the trips to Florida.) and on one trip we flew.  Tim, the youngest of four boys and 5 at the time, would have wanted to be with his brothers or walking with his dad, but that would have meant his mother would never know where Tim was.  It would not have worked to tell him to stay with grandma, BUT, if he was in charge of grandma, he would take that responsibility very seriously.  And he did.  He guided me through the scanner at the airport.  He sat beside me as we waited to board.  He made sure I was okay on the plane.  And you know what?  At the age of 17, he still holds my hand and meets me at the door with open arms and a hug ... there are no words.

We all know the big blessings ... the beauty of a sunset and sunrise.  The grandeur of the mountains and the vastness of the oceans.  BUT NEVER, NEVER, NEVER ignore the hidden blessings waiting for us.  A cup of coffee.  A child touching our cheek.  Seeing the total devotion of a father for his child.  The wonder of a grandchild’s hug.  There are no words to describe these surprise blessings.