The Donkey and The Birds

Most every morning I take Marshall (my beloved dog) for an early morning walk. We are up and out the door before most everyone is awake, and we head for the neighborhood walking trail. It is usually quiet, and it gives me a chance to just "be" before I have to "be mom" and get the boys out the door to school. I like to take that time to pray and be still in my mind, which doesn't always come easy for me. These early morning walks have helped with that. It has become one of my favorite times of the day.

One of the things I like most about living in the south is that we have birds here year round. I have always thought there is something extraordinary about birds singing. The Bible tells us that creation proclaims the greatness of God, and when I hear the birds singing each morning I am certain the Bible is right. All along the walking trail there are trees and old fences with birds pirched, singing their songs. It is beautiful, and it always encourages me to praise God along with them.

The walking trail also winds past an old horse farm. It is a beautiful piece of land, and most every afternoon you can watch children taking riding lessons or see the horses grazing in the pasture. The horse farm also has an old donkey. He is often out in the pasture grazing with the horses, and if you're lucky he will come close to the fence and stare you down. He looks a little rough around the edges, but seems harmless enough.

The last few mornings I have been out walking Marshall, praying about my day and enjoying the birds singing, when all the sudden - "EEEEEEE-AWWWWWW!" That donkey starts braying, and it is so loud it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. He brays and brays, and no matter how far along I get on the trail, I can still hear him bellering back at the horse farm. I find myself so focused on the "EEEE-AWWW" that I forget to listen to the singing of the birds.

This morning I had to laugh. Isn't that so much like life? God really does speak softly to us - we just have to be still enough to hear Him. God is generally not a yell-er. I look back on my life and I can't think of one time when God "yelled" to get my attention, although I can think of several times He had every right to. I do know that He has kept up a constant, whispered conversation with me. The problem is I only hear it when I am still enough and quiet enough to listen.

But even when we are truly listening to God, life always throws us a braying donkey, doesn't it? And the funny thing is, usually the distraction is about as harmless as the old donkey by the walking trail. For me it can be as simple as a good TV show or as consuming as a misunderstanding with a friend. It doesn't take much. But often, once I hear that braying I can't (or won't) refocus on the gentle whispers of God.

So this morning I decided I am going to try and keep quiet enough to hear God's sweet words and not focus on all the world's braying. I had to laugh as I walked home past that old donkey this morning. I always felt like God spoke through the sweet song of the birds, but I think this morning He decided to use the braying of a donkey to teach me a lesson in listening.

It Ain't Much...

...but it sure is enough to entertain these Tennessee boys!

Today school was cancelled because of the weather and the boys were delighted to put on their snowpants (we may be the only family in town who own snowpants) and play outside. They have been shoveling the deck all the while trying to maintain a semi-respectable snowball fight.

I have to laugh though - my boys are turning southern on us. They think this is amazing! Having been raised in northwestern Pennsylvania, I have to tell you it looks a lot like early October to me.

Here's to the snow!

I've Been Tagged...

...and I have no idea what to do!

In what I assume must be a giant game of blogtag, I have been "tagged" by my dear friend Chex. I love being involved, but my dear friend Chex made the assumption that I have some idea of how to make a link here. Shoot, I can barely get the spellcheck to work...

But I will give this a try.

Here are the rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you. (Like I could if I wanted to...but shout out to Chex!!!!)
2. Post the rules. (I'm trying. Heads up on misspellings.)
3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself. (Everything about me is important...)
4. Tag at least three people. (In my dreams.)
5. Make sure the people who you tagged KNOW you tagged them by commenting on what you did. (Huh???)

Well, I can at least do the six things about myself.

Hmmmm...

1. I absolutely cannot stand hair not attached to bodies. I'm not talking about wigs, but like a hair laying around. If I go to a hotel and there is some random hair in the tub, I can't shower after seeing the hair. Don't know why. Don't know where this came from. But I hate hair not attached to bodies.

2. I can say the alphabet backwards and sing the first verse of "Children of the Heavenly Father" in Swedish.

3. I despise salsa. Looking at it makes me gag. All those nasty red chunks. Hurl. Gag.

4. I love cooking Thanksgiving dinner, but I can't touch the raw turkey. Mark has to stuff it while I gag in the background.

5. Apparently I have a strong gag reflex.

6. Someday I want to write a book, see Mt Rushmore, run a marathon, get more tattoos, and meet Garth Brooks.


So now we are at the part where I am supposed to make some links. Uh-huh. Sure wish Mark was awake - he would know what to do... Looking at the icons here... Seeing nothing that looks helpful...

OK. Plan B. Because everybody whose blog I read is WAAAAY more internet savvy than me (as are all the animals at the zoo apparently) then I will have people post their links in my comment section and you all can clink on that! Ha! I can only be outsmarted for about fifteen or twenty minutes!

Angela, Justin M.(who is probably way too cool to read my blog anyway), and Danielle - can you please post a link to your blog and consider yourself tagged?

Chex - can you also post your blog link in my comments? I want everyone to see your house. (She has the most amazing house you have ever seen.)

Well. Now that's done.

Time to wrestle the spellcheck.

Oh My Darling Cal Henry!

Life with my youngest is never, ever boring.

Cal and Jude were each sent to the rooms this evening for a cooling off time after a particularly heated "debate". Mark went in to Jude's room first and talked to Jude about how we operate as a family and how he needs to work with his brother to solve their issues. Then Mark went into Cal's room to have the same talk. I saw Mark walk in, but then abruptly turn and walk right back out without a word. I gave Mark a questioning look, and he said, "I just can't get into the talk looking at him right now." Out walks Cal, claiming to be the next great superhero and dressed like this. Apparently he had moved on from the brotherly disagreement to his next great adventure.

At lunchtime today I asked him if he wanted to pray before we ate. Here is how that went.

Cal: Can I pray about robots?

Me: (slightly disappointed, but figuring maybe God likes robots too...) Um, sure honey.

Cal: (bowing his head and folding his hands) Dear God. Thank you for doggie robots. (looking up suddenly, very concerned) Mama, there are doggie robots, right?

Me: (seeing we probably weren't going to have a confession of faith and really just wanting to get to my ham and cheese sandwich and chips) Um, sure honey.

Cal: (relieved and back to the prayer position) Thank you God that doggie robots transform into cars. Amen.

Me: (thinking in my head) OK, I was hoping he would pray for our family or at least for the food we have...but I am too hungry for a lesson on gratitude right now. Time to dig in!

Cal: (wide eyed as if he has just discovered the atom or something) WAIT!!!!!! I forgot something!!!!!

Me: (thinking in my head) Maybe he does get it! O happy day!

Cal: (assuming prayer position again) And dear God, please bless their headquarters. Amen.

Now I know I may be biased, but I think Cal Henry is about as interesting a person as they come. He has a limitless amount of energy and imagination (which has created some unfortunate situations in the toilet bowl), and he is constantly catching me off guard. After three and a half years, I still can't quite anticipate his next move with a great deal of accuracy. He just marches to the beat of a different drum. And while it is slightly unnerving at times, I most often find myself watching him with delight and admiration. Cal is Cal. He is 100% Cal at all times, and he waits for no man to catch up. It is delightful.

Mostly.

You Think You Really Know Somebody...

...until you discover what music they listen to. Twice in recent weeks my perceptions of people have been rocked (no pun intended) when I found out a little about they music they listen to. First there was Mary Lee. I thought I knew her pretty well. Then one evening I got in her van and saw...a KISS cassette! What????? Kiss????? The guys with the tongues and the makeup???? I mean this came as such a shock to me. Mary Lee strikes me as more of an... REO Speedwagon kind of person. She claimed the tape belongs to her husband, but the mere fact that Mary Lee may have at one time been a passenger in a vehicle where Kiss was playing still is enough to turn my world on its axis a bit.

Then last night, I found out that Stephanie likes (no loves!) Michael Jackson. Huh??? I have to admit, while I haven't known Stephanie as long, I just never saw that one coming. Never. Totally out of left field for me. All I could think was, "Say, Say, Say what???"

So I have decided in an effort to be transparent, I will share with you a few of my personal choices of music found on my iPod.

1. ABBA - Dancing Queen

2. Blake Lewis' version of "You Give Love a Bad Name"

3. The original Broadway cast recording of "Fiddler on the Roof" (You can't have anyone but Tevye singing "Tradition"!)

4. Pretty much everything by Garth Brooks, Toby Keith, and Queen

5. MC Hammer "Can't Touch This"

6. Paul McCarthy "My Brave Face"

7. Lots and lots of praise and worship music (including Mandisa's "Shackles" and some classic Stryper)

8. Vanilla Ice "Ice, Ice, Baby" (You know you like it too, don't act all appalled...)

9. Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons "December 1963"

10. Carmen "The Champion"

As I look at this list, I have NO IDEA what it says about me, except that I love Jesus and the early 90s were good for me musically (not so much otherwise - I spent most of that decade in the "awkward phase".). I guess you can draw your own conclusions about me from looking at my iPod.

If you are up for it, post some of your favorite music in my comments section. I am feeling a little vulnerable here.

Sweet, Sweet Eli

Last Sunday night was a bittersweet few hours for me. Of course, you all know (OK both of you who read this...well, maybe not Angela...) that it was the Super Bowl. The Big Day. The Pinacle of Sport and Competition. It is bittersweet in that it is a huge festival of Americana highlighting the greatest sport man has ever played, yet sad in that it is the final "real" game for several long months. My beloved Steelers weren't in the Super Bowl, so you would think I wouldn't watch with the same emotional intensity that I have previously been known for.

How wrong you are.

You see, I despise the Patriots.

Besides the fact that they are big, fat cheater pants (Spygate anyone???) I just take issue with a coach who cuts the arms off his sweatshirts and a quarterback who models for Stetson. (I mean, is he wearing Jordache jeans while he poses???? Way too 80s to come off as promotional if you ask me...) To top it all off, they were undefeated in the regular season. Every game that was close, I begged and screamed and armchair-quarterbacked myself into a frenzy, all to see my gridiron archnemesis pull out a victory in the end. Maddening.

And then along came Eli. I think I might love Eli now even more than I despise the Patriots.

I am happy for all the other Giants players. I am. Who couldn't love Strahan's big wide grin or Plaxico's tears with their unexpected (but well deserved!) Super Bowl victory? But it was sweet - so sweet - to see Eli win a championship ring.

You aren't sure who Eli is? Oh. He's Peyton's little brother.

Now you know him? Yes?

Therein lies the rub.

Being the youngest of three, I know what it is like to live in the shadow of your older siblings. To keep it short and simple, it generally stinks. I followed my sisters through grade school, middle school, and high school and I spent all those years hearing about how fabulous my sisters were. Don't get me wrong - they were alright - but hearing it year after year after year begins to wear on a person. I will never forget my German teacher who would just look at me and shake his head and mutter something about Lisa always being so quiet and well mannered. (What is up with that?) Elaine was always funny and pretty and popular, so clawing my way through the awkward years was a real joy when people made the connection there. I followed Lisa to college and a professor stopped me and told me that as Lisa's little sister I had some big shoes to fill. You can guess where I wanted to put those shoes.

So here is Eli - a good, solid, maturing quarterback in his own right, and yet the back of his jersey might as well have said "Peyton's Little Brother". Although it didn't seem to bother Eli (he is fairly robotic emotionally), as a little sister I felt the pain for him.

While I was excited - thrilled- exhuberant to see the Patriots lose their final game (and it brings me even more evil pleasure that their season will probably be remembered for the game the DIDN'T win), I was even more blessed and inspired to see Eli, younger sibling extrodinaire, lead his team to victory. While the Giants get the rings, we younger siblings everywhere get redemption.

Thanks Eli - sweet, sweet Eli.

Who knows? Maybe next year Peyton's jersey will read "Eli's Big Brother"...

Something I Am Learning (Again...and Again...and Again...)

I have had two thoughts burning in my heart and taking up part of my prayer time lately, and I have been all set to blog about them both. I have waited and waited to write about these two things, hoping that the right words would come easily and that I would be able to convey what I think God is teaching me with accuracy and humility. I even began an attempt this morning, but can I tell you - the words just aren't coming. And that is unusual for me. (I can hear those "Amens", people!)

But just a few minutes ago it dawned on me. Those two things I am learning may just be for me. I want to share what God is teaching me, but I think the point is that He wants to teach me. Maybe He wants me to just ponder these things in my heart and continue to pray. Maybe the lesson isn't finished yet. Maybe this information isn't for instruction as much as it is for relationship. Maybe other people already know what God is teaching me. I don't know. All I know is that I think (interesting start to a sentence, huh?!) that I need to let God teach me and not worry immediately about sharing what I am learning with everyone. God is the Creator of all mankind, but He is also the God of intimate encounters. I think He is slowly teaching me the difference. I am not going to lie - being quiet doesn't come easy to me. (I can hear those "Amens" too folks!) But for now, I think I am supposed to.

So maybe later today I will be back with another post about the boys or my thoughts on some other random topic. Don't panic - I won't stop talking altogether! But right now I have nothing to share with you. But I am guessing God does.