One of Us

A few years ago, I made a music cd for the car of some of my favorite songs and included the song, “One of Us” by Joan Osborne.  The boys always started laughing when it came on because there’s a little old lady that sings a little tidbit before the song actually starts. 

oh...

one of these nights at about twelve o'clock

this whole earth's gonna reel and rock...

things thay'll tremble and cry for pain

for the Lord's gonna come in his heavenly airplane.

It’s very nasal and whiny and it always made them laugh.    Before long, they were clicking to CD4, Track 18 themselves to hear it.   We must have listened to it hundreds of times before I asked them if they knew what the song was about.  Neither of them really knew.  They always just listened to the start and laughed then let the song play without really listening to it.

When I explained to them that it was about God being just like one of us walking on this earth, riding the bus, with a name just like one of us.  If you could ask Him one question, what would you ask?  It’s really a great song. 

I got to thinking today about that song.  What if you could ask God one question?  Would you?  What would you ask?  I don’t know that I could ask because I’d be so fearful it would be the wrong question. There are so many questions to be asked. 

Why is the sky blue and not hot pink?

What am I supposed to be when I grow up?

Will my children grow up to be happy and giving?

Is Heaven more beautiful than anything I’ve ever seen?

The list goes on and on and on.

The other part of the song talks about God being here as one of us, just a stranger on a bus.  It makes you think doesn’t it?  Would your behavior change if you knew the man sitting next to you in the movie theater crunching popcorn just a little too loudly was actually God?  Would you still honk at the car in front of you for sitting at the green light too long if it was God sitting in the white minivan? 

The part most people forget about is that God pretty much knows every single thing about you.   He knows how many freckles you have, how clean your ears are, how kind your heart is, how thoughtful you are, how angry you can become.  He sees it all. 

Would I make him proud of my actions?  My words?  My thoughts?   Perhaps on a given day I might, but other days I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t get a star next to my name.  Today I’m trying to live like he’s sitting on the couch playing Xbox with the boys.  I need to be mindful of my words and actions because what if God was one of us?  

Thanksgiving

Today is Thanksgiving and for us a day of rest. We celebrated on Sunday before my husband left on a trip and enjoyed a wonderful dinner prepared by my mom.  It was delicious.  So, today, we are enjoying a pajama day at home, watching the parade, reading books, listening to music, playing games, taking a nap and will probably watch a movie to top it off.

We have so much to be thankful for today.  Our home is warm when it is freezing outside.   We have our health and each other.  We have a fridge full of food and family and friends all over the world whom we love each day.

The things I’m most thankful for though are the little slices of the day that happen when no one is watching: getting a hug from my youngest when he’s still rubbing his eyes and half asleep, having my oldest say, “thanks, Mom”; hearing from my husband (who’s traveling today), snuggling together on the couch all reading books with the fireplace going or sharing a bowl of popcorn.   These are the things that make life, life. 

I am thankful for so many things and today I will enjoy this life and all the reasons to be thankful.  Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.  May your home be warm and filled with all things beautiful today.

Someday...

Someday…I’m going own my own gift store in a little town in Vermont and sell homemade jams and hand-embroidered dishtowels.

Someday…I’m going to fly to Paris on business for an important meeting.

Someday…I’m going to write a book that everyone will have to read.

Someday…I’m going to learn how to knit a scarf that I will wear with everything.

Someday…I’m going to join a crewing team for the spring.

Someday…I’m going to live by a lake and feed the birds each morning.

Someday…I’m going to meet a queen and know how to bow just so.

Someday…I’m going to run my own business selling my crafts and wares.

Someday…I’m going to cut my hair so short, it will dry before I’m out of the shower.

Someday…I’m going to learn about gardening……ok, maybe not.

Someday…all my little dreams will come true.

Friday Thoughts

Today is Friday and the end of a somewhat long week.   Here are a few thoughts that have crossed my mind the last few days.

  

-I am so proud of my family. 

-Teaching school is a difficult job.  You have to have so much patience and understanding.  When the little boy’s mother comes to volunteer and he’s not in her group for that day’s rotation, you have to bend the rules and make that child’s day.  Let him be in the group his mother is teaching. Teachers deserve more respect and appreciation.  I think it should be mandatory that every parent teach their child’s class for one day.   They’d never complain about anything again! 

-My kids are funny, loving, and just plain great.

-I am one of many stay at home mothers, but am so grateful for the opportunity every day.  I love being home when my children are done with school and hearing about everything that happened in school that day.  I love knowing what they’re thinking right as the think it.  I know that it’s making a difference in their lives and am thankful to my husband for supporting my dream job.

-Every morning our neighbor leaves at the exact same time.  The truck is loud and once I hear it, I know my slumber is coming to an end.   I’m hoping he’ll take a vacation next week while the boys are off from school!  Doubtful, but a girl can hope right?

-I have wind chimes outside our back door.  They’ve been ringing too much for my liking.   Go away wind!

-I haven’t read a book in over four weeks.   Need to change that.  My mom brought over a book today for me, so may need to start it tonight.   She tucked three tissues in the inside cover.  Hope it will be a good cry and not a sad cry. 

-I don’t have an oven right now.  I’ve managed to get along without it, but it’s really starting to hinder my dinner choices.  I think we’ll have to get one ordered this weekend.  Need to make pie and cupcakes for the holidays and want to have a frozen pizza for a change.

Daily Gratefulness

-for patient teachers

-for kleenex

-for medicine to make a sinus headache vanish

Wink

Today the wind is blowing like it has somewhere to be in a hurry.   The sun is shining brightly now, but was hiding behind the gray clouds just moments ago.  It’s cold. I have socks on to keep my ever freezing toes warm.  I have one cat sleeping beside me on the floor and the other is an inch from my keyboard, snoring.  It’s Monday.  I’m sitting here typing and thinking that today could have been a very different day if it weren't for a very powerful wink.

My husband almost always drives an hour north each day to work and today was to be no different.  He was supposed to meet a client early, but hadn’t heard back from them to confirm their appointment.  He e-mailed and waited for a response.  He went about working from home waiting on a reply.  If he left without confirming the appointment, it might be a wasted drive and wasted time on his part. He waited another thirty minutes before the e-mail plunged into his inbox.

Finally, the reply came, and indeed, the time wasn’t going to work after all, thus canceling his reason for driving north for over an hour.  As he got the reply, the news alert ticker crawled across the bottom of the tv screen.  There had been a pile up on the interstate, about thirty miles north of us.  Over forty-three cars were involved and fourteen people were taken to the hospital.   A sudden burst of snow across the road turned everything into black ice instantly. It was thirty minutes away.  He was supposed to have left thirty minutes earlier.

God winked.

Had he left when he was supposed to and assumed the appointment would be confirmed, which he normally would have done, he would have been right at the area of the accident.  But something someone told him to wait for confirmation instead of just heading on out and driving anyway.   It went against his normal routine, yet he waited.

Don’t ever doubt.  I know this to be true.  God is there. He sees us. He hears us.  He loves us.  He knows how all this works. Don’t ever question it. He can change our worlds one moment at a time.   Open  your eyes.  Open  your hearts and you will see Him wink down upon your life.  

Daily Gratefulness:

-for e-mail

-for the grace of God

-for belief

Unpainted Knobs

We moved into our new house in June and when we decided what new things we were going to purchase for our home, we decided to buy ourselves new bedroom furniture. What to do with our old dresser? I had the idea to repurpose it into a craft room storage piece and it has become just that.  I painted it before we moved, so it would be ready when we got here, minus one little detail.   I haven’t painted the knobs yet for whatever reason. 

Well, today, I bought some paint and am going to “work my magic” on them and get them in place so I can actually open the drawers.   I don’t have any ideas, but do know that I don’t want them to be plain and boring.   I’m not an artist, but can get my craft on when I need to.  Today is that day.   I hope they turn out as lovely as the vision in my head is.  I’m ready to bring on the paint and knobs and finish what I started. 

A few hours later….

Daily Gratefulness  

-for the view of the mountains from my window

-for my health

-for the love of reading

My Fourteen-Year-Old Son

To me, it feels like four days, but in reality, it’s been fourteen years.  My heart skips a beat as I write that number. In a little over four years, he’ll be in college. How can this be?  I remember holding him when he was just minutes old.  In a matter of minutes, he’s now a full fledged teenager, doing Algebra, making plans for the weekend with his friends, and counting down the days until baseball season starts again.

I am completely taken a back as to how time has completely passed by me.  When did he start wearing his dad’s shoes?   When did his shirts begin to fall off the child-sized hangers? When did the girls lose their cooties?   When did he gain an opinion about what type of deodorant he likes?  Where was I?   I know I was there, but it’s all a blur to me now.  

He’s grown up so quickly and has become such a wonderful young man with his own values and feelings and opinions. Yes, lots of opinions.  He lives life with zest and has a sparkling personality to go along with the giant heart he has and can always make me laugh, even when I’m not in the mood to laugh.

He is going to do great things in this world. I just know it.  He’s willing to try anything at least once (except maybe for watching a psychological horror movie).  We both chickened out on that one.   Whatever comes his way, I know that he will be capable of handling it and know that he will strive to do his best in whatever calls his name.  He has drive and determination that most 14-year old boys don't have.    I am so proud of him and hope he knows that.

For the next little bit, while the dryer is humming in the background, I’m going to head to the basement and pull out a few of his baby photo albums and enjoy some remember when time. He was such a cute little thing.  Happy Birthday, my sweet baby. I love you.

 Daily Gratefulness

-for conversations in the car

-for the dirty socks on the floor

-for neighbors who have embraced our family

Twenty Remained Standing

I attended my older son’s Veteran’s Day school assembly this morning to listen to his select group in the band play a piece with the choir.  In an hour, I’ll be heading to my youngest son’s assembly where he will be part of the Color Guard.  I don’t know what the assembly will entail this afternoon, but the one this morning was very moving.  The school had a wonderful ceremony and did an outstanding job of recognizing all those students who have an active family member in the military. They were asked to sit in a special section together and when they were recognized, over 100 students stood up (according to the Veteran’s Day e-mail the school just sent out.) When they asked the ones to remain standing who currently had a parent deployed, over 20 remained standing.   I was moved.  That is such a huge sacrifice for those families.   I can’t imagine being away from my family for a year or more at a time. 

I am however, so very grateful for the military mothers and fathers who serve our country every day so that we may sleep soundly in our beds at night and enjoy the freedoms we do as Americans.  If it weren’t for them, our lives could be very different.  My heart though, is with those 20 or so students who stood up during the assembly this morning whose parent is deployed.  Their mothers don’t get to kiss them good night.  Their fathers don’t get to attend their soccer games.  They don’t get to tell their parents what silly thing happened during Algebra class or what upset them during lunch.  They are making a sacrifice as well.  

I am not from a military family, so cannot begin to imagine what it would be like to have a family member in harms way during this time of war.  For those students, still young children really, this is their reality.   They must go to bed each evening with a part of them worried for their parent’s safety.   Tonight I will worry with them.   Seeing those boys and girls stand proudly in honor of their mothers and fathers touched me.  Tonight I will kiss my two boys goodnight for the mothers and fathers who cannot kiss their own.  I will tell my boys that I love them, like I do every night, but I will share that love with those parents who are serving our country to keep us safe.  I will remember them tonight and offer up and extra prayer of protection for them and hope that those students will not have to stand up next year.

I have an uncle who served our country and my mother’s cousins have served as well.  To them, I say thank you and to their families, I say thank you.  We appreciate the sacrifice you’ve made for all of us. 

Photo Credit

Daily Gratefulness

-for the ability to kiss my children good night

-for the people willingly serving our country

-for red, white and blue

Casual Friday

Pull up a chair and grab your coffee (or tea, or diet dr. pepper) and sit back because today is Casual Friday here at my little blog space.   It seems that the week has flown by and the weekend is just minutes away.   Sharing a few random thoughts with you here today.  Enjoy your weekend.

-I love our king-sized bed.   We had a queen-sized bed for twenty years and have to say, that a king is the only way to go.   Why did we wait so long to upgrade?

-When I was taking the clothes out of the dryer today, I was thrilled to get paid by my oldest son for doing his laundry.  $17.40.  Not bad for one load of towel and jeans.  He got Keva Juice with his friends last week and left his change in his pocket.  He doesn’t even know he left the tip for me. (I’m terrible about checking pockets before I wash things too, so didn’t catch it before the water hit the bills). I’ve tucked it in the “change” basket behind the washing machine and will see how long it stays there.  I think I’d know if I was missing $17.40, wouldn’t you?

-I’ve added a photo string to my wall in my loft.  I made the clothespins over the weekend and labeled them all with different words, then had prints made of my favorite photos and hung the string.  I like the way it turned out.

-I haven’t even started my Christmas shopping this year.  I’m not usually like this, but for some reason, just don’t have any original ideas, so keep putting it off in my mind.  If I keep doing this, I will be one of those out shopping Christmas Eve and wrapping everything in the car.  I better get on it.

-Our new kitten Nela is a loving little thing.  She comes when you call her and she snuggles up to you when she needs attention.   She does however, eat the other cats’ food and then looks at them while she doing it.  Quite the attitude.

-I’m thinking I might need a real camera.  We have several point and shoot cameras, and am by no means a photographer, but would like to do more close up shots and not have them be blurry and bleached out by the flash.   May need to do some research.  

Daily Gratefulness

-for sharing dinner with friends and game night

-for laughter when you need it the most

-for forgiveness

Flash Cards and a Table

My uncle owned an antique store when I was growing up and remember going through it and looking at all the stuff and thinking, “who buys this stuff?”  Who needs two hundred fifty marbles?   Who is ever going to need old postcards from people they don’t know?   Why would you ever need to buy an old farm bucket?  Well my friends, I am older and wiser now and have officially become an antique store junkie and have purchased several items including an old farm bucket.  (I did wash it when I got it home because it had evidence of “use” in the bottom of it. Probably fed the family horse out of it.)

I have never enjoyed myself more than when walking the aisles looking for treasures to decorate my office or laundry room.  It’s addicting to say the least.  My recent venture for an office table and chair took me to a store I hadn’t been to before.  The owners were very helpful and tried to sell me an antique white pitcher and an old crow to put on my porch.  I didn’t buy either, but told them I appreciated their help though.  When they asked me if I was looking for something in particular, I lied and said no.  I didn’t’ want them taking me to the back room to see the two tables that “might” fit my description for fear I’d miss walking by the “perfect” one on my own. 

It was very organized (at least some of the booths were) and easy to walk through so as not to miss anything. There were old typewriters, Girl Scout pins, and even found some 1920’s flash cards, but no table or chair.  I had a very specific type in mind and knew it was out there somewhere.   I finished the top floor with nothing but one of the sentence flash cards (don’t tell anyone I paid $6 for an 18 inch piece of yellowed card-stock) and headed for the basement. 

My eyes got big.  The basement was where the furniture was kept!  Score.   I saw many I liked, but needed a small table to fit in my loft space and still have enough room to walk around.   In the back room I found a round yellow drop leaf, circa 1940’s (or so I was told) kitchen table complete with chipped paint and lots of love.  I searched for the price. $37.  What?   I was thrilled.  I told her I’d take it and we moved it to the rear loading door while she went upstairs to get her receipt book.  I walked around a few more minutes waiting for her, when I saw it.  The white table I’ve been picturing in my head for four months.  It was covered with dishes and table linens but couldn’t find the price.  I lifted the teacup on the corner and saw it.  $48.  I couldn’t believe it. 

I apologized for the bother of moving the yellow table and quickly helped unstack floral dishes and move hand embroidered table linens to the floor so as to clear off my new table.  I drove home with it in my little car as giddy as a girl being asked to prom.  The chair (which I picked up at my favorite antique mall on the way home) was tucked amongst the legs of the table awaiting its new home as well.

I couldn’t be happier with my finds and am thoroughly enjoying my loft/craft space.  The sun shines in the window and is the warmest room in the house.  The cats sleep by my feet while I’m writing and my happiness factor is off the chart.  I’m sure I’ll be adding to my room with more treasures and possibly another flash card or two.  I’ve always had trouble multiplying 6 x 7.   


Daily Gratefulness
-for my parents
-for the energy to greet the day with a smile
-for wonderful neighbors

Dot, Dot, Dot, Something, Dot, Dot, Dot

…listenting…to the washing machine churn and gurgle

…eating…halloween candy that I shouldn’t be eating

…drinking…sparkling black cherry water with a straw

…wearing…old stuff that I’ve worn too much

…feeling…in need of direction

…weather…right up my alley with a crispness in the air

…wanting…to spend a day alone with my husband in a quiet cabin

…needing…a haircut like there’s no tomorrow

…desperately thinking…about what the future holds for my boys

…enjoying…sweaters and vests

…wondering…if I’m doing what God wants me to do

Daily Gratefulness

-for my family near and far

-that I have a husband who loves us so much

-for my computer that keeps me in touch

Daily Gratefulness

As November sneaks into our lives, I am thankful for its entrance.  I think November is one of my favorite months for several reasons; the weather of course, the year coming to a close, and a month in which everyone talks of thankfulness. 

Being grateful is easy when things seem to be going well.  We can be thankful for happy children, wonderful times with friends and family, a beautiful home to keep us warm, and every good grace that crosses our path.  It’s during these times that being grateful is simple.

What about the times when it’s not so easy?  How can we be grateful then?   How do you say thanks when someone is home sick, when the car needs new brakes or when a family is in mourning?  It’s there; gratefulness.  We have to open our hearts to see it though and recognize that it’s there for us to hold on to.  

We can be grateful we’re able to be home with a sick child and comfort them.  We can be grateful the brakes were less costly than we had expected.  We can be grateful we have family surrounding us to comfort us in a time of mourning.   It’s there; gratefulness.

I challenge you, on this first day of November, to keep a list, a journal, a voice memo or what have you of the things you are grateful for each day this month.  I will do my best to share mine along with you at the bottom of each post.  I will call this list, Daily Gratefulness.  If you feel like sharing on a given day, then please do so.   I love reading your comments. 

I welcome November with open arms and the newness the 1st of the month brings to us.

Daily Gratefulness

-for morning hugs from my boys when they are still half asleep

-for crock pots on a crisp day

-for the gift of being a stay at home mom

participating in Tuesday's Unwrapped at Chatting at the Sky