rough around the edges

I spend a lot of time working with youth. As a high school teacher and volunteer for my church's youth group, as well as as the mother to a couple. I suppose the lesson I relearned the other night should've come as no surprise then. Our youth group had just spent the evening talking about relationships...and how human relationships often seem to fall apart and what causes that. After the lesson ended, one of the girls who I spend time with in a smaller group setting came and sat down near me. This girl is usually loud. The focus needs to be on her. She will interrupt, poke her friends, play with her phone...almost anything other than be present in our discussions. And yet, this same girl sat before me now quietly. When I asked if she wanted to talk she shook her head no. Before I could prod much further, tears started to slide down her cheeks. I moved to where I could put my arms around her and let her cry for a couple of minutes as I realized that she was hurting over her parent's divorce. This divorce happened about 8 years ago...and it is still tearing her apart: her heart, her loyalties, her time, and...I realized, her whole self.

As I held this grieving girl and we talked about the Love that doesn't fail, even when human relationships do, I was reminded about brokenness. Often the loudest people we know, those most difficult to get along with, are the ones going through deeply painful things. I knew this. I had just forgotten. It is easier to go through one's day avoiding the painful people. And yet, being able to reach out to them and make a connection gives a day a whole new meaning. Being willing to reach past the thorns to make a small difference--not an easy thing, but the lesson I relearned the other night.

Silliness

Take one superhero spirit day and one strange and artistic teen and here is the result. Her friend was octopus girl (but squid girl was much cuter!)

Sold

What to do when one child paints a really cool picture of the other for an art class project? Buy it of course. Paid in copics and hanging on our wall. We need to hope she doesn't do too many other must have projects....

60 years...

Just a little post with a card for some dear friends celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary. They are still very cute together, and make me hope that some day others will be able to say the same about us!

a little help please?

We were on the beach near low tide. The rocks were covered in starfish. I love how they are piled colorfully together...hundreds of them. And then, now and again, we'd find one no longer attached, facing the wrong way up. Maybe a bird had gotten to it, or it was somehow loosened by a wave. Kevin would be called on to reattach it to the rocks near the others. Sometimes, it would cling, but sometimes we were too late.

It got me to thinking about this journey of faith. We get knocked around and sometimes end up legs up, so to speak. We loose our grip on what is truly important. It is here where being a member of a loving church body makes a huge difference. When I am disconnected or feeling low, I have friends (and a husband) who will gently help me to be restored. Like holding the starfish to the rock to see it start to cling again, the church at its best should be a place that surrounds its people. We should be about the restoration of relationships, first with Christ, then in a way with ourselves, and then with the world around us. When we are in that right place is when we are most alive and most useful for the Kingdom. Hebrews reminds us to not get out of the habit of meeting together (10:23-25). The writer understood the starfish concept. We need each other.

Feeling glad of my friends today, and looking forward to being in service tonight with the youth.

rear view

So we got home from camping at the beach, and I uploaded my pictures to the computer. It struck me that many of the shots of my family were from behind. My parents have complained about this phenomenon. I like those pictures. I like that it is the one time when the crew is not pulling funny faces at me. I like the shapes of their bodies in silhouette. I like seeing the connections between them as they walk together. I like that it doesn't matter whose eyes are closed this time. Maybe it is that they are going out to face what is ahead...whatever it is, I love these photos. I love the subjects, too.

being present

I've been thinking about what this means lately. I sure am good at wasting time. And I don't seem to focus enough on the important stuff. Am I about the business God has for me? Am I real with my family and friends? I have had trouble falling asleep lately, so I have had more time to pray...that much is certain. And yet, there is this tension: I feel pretty anti-social. I guess in a way, that shows that God is at work...how else could I have my niece and her friend over last week or spend much of the past few days with my husband's family? The problem with vacations is that I think too much. At least when I'm at work I have other details to keep straight. Now my poor family has to deal with me obsessing about them :)

My photography lately has been working on the effects of light. I guess that's what's important here. Am I being filled with light? Am I letting it shine? Despite my inner worries about whether or not I'm good enough (and who has that imaginary ruler anyway?), am I offering grace? I hope so.