Sophie Sue and John Curtis, too!

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Lessons from a Tree House

400. Chick-Fil-A breakfast biscuits

401. Morning bike ride with JC

402. My wandering dog coming home

403. Flowers to grace the table

Our church had a women's retreat this last weekend at T Bar M. It was a lot of fun. I did a lot of things I haven't done in a long time, including sitting in a tree house giggling until 1:00 in the morning, and things that made it hard to get out of bed. I learned a lot, too. Mainly that we don't really know each other. I consider myself very close with several of the women who went. I can tell you where they grew up, what they like to do for fun, and how old their children are, down to the month. But after jumping off platforms with these girls, climbing up telephone poles, laughing, and really listening to them talk I realized we all hide so much. When we're open and honest with who we are and what our struggles are, we gain so much more from our friendships. It's hard to get there, though. Maybe it takes being scared for your life or being delirious with laughter, but when those walls come down we don't love each other less for the imperfections we see, rather so much more.

Vulnerability risks a lot. Everyone has their own reasons to keep walls up. For me it is a fear of reflecting poorly on Taylor or the church. If this is what their pastor's wife is like, what must that church be like? I'm constantly second guessing my conversations and how I come across for fear of hurting the church I love so much. But sitting in a tree house I realized I am not these girls' pastor's wife. I am their friend who happens to be married to their pastor. It is a freeing feeling when relationships get there. I always tell my friend, Leia, that I knew we were really friends the first time she introduced me as her friend, Alyson instead of her pastor's wife. I think the risk is worth it to have community you can live real life with.

404. Laughing so hard it hurts

405. Getting away with the girls

406. Deer

407. Knowing people deeper

408. Quiet in the morning

409. The Lord Almighty with us - Ps. 46

410. Spiderweb reflecting in the sun

411. Pretending like I'm 18 again

412. Shooting hoops

413. Conquering my fears

414. Ziplines and high ropes

415. Sand volleyball

416. Giggling until 1 AM

417. A sense of belonging

418. Sand in my clothes

419. Serving communion to one another

420. Happy welcome home by my children

421. Dinner ready

422. Fridge cleaned, filled, and organized

423. Meals planned

424. Laundry done

425. Taylor's care for me

426. A body that can ache

427. Holy Week

428. Sophie's school

429. Getting all our ducks in a row

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

33 Years and 1 Day Old

Today was my first full day to be 33 and I can't really think of anything to write about. I did save a blue jay from certain death and I think our town was close to burning last night, but both the bird and the town survived. It is a good thing I have my list or else I wouldn't be blogging at all. It's not that I'm too busy, too tired, too stressed, too sad, or anything like that. It's simply that I really haven't had anything to write about. Life has been common, mundane, routine. Not a bad thing at all, just not much writing material.

I did take the kids to Lowe's again on Saturday. Taylor couldn't come this time and I was blamed by my kids for every minor construction flaw. I still believe that the kit was slightly defective and the holes weren't lined up, but as Sophie said, "If Dad was here it would work." No doubt that is true, but he wasn't so we have two slightly off pin ball machines.

374. Ladybugs crawling all over us

375. JC's speech improving

376. A wonderful dinner out

377. Parent's Night Out at church

378. Waking up at 6 and realizing it's Saturday

379. Smudges on the windows

380. Comfortable Spring evening

381. Simple Sunday

382. Thunder

383. Watching lightening in the distance

384. Enjoying the rain from the porch swing

385. An answered prayer

386. Faith to believe in answered prayer

387. Birthday presents

388. Falling asleep to thunder

389. Another birthday

390. Breakfast from coworkers

391. Birthday lunch with my guys

392. Our beautiful new library

393. Chocolate cake

394. Cuddling with my babies

395. Birthday cards

396. Preschoolers singing Happy Birthday

397. The wonder of butterflies flying away

398. Fires put out

399. Sitting in the sun at the park on a perfect Spring day

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Water for My Soul

355. Spur of the moment cookout with friends

356. Relaxing with a book on the back porch

357. Friday night bubble bath

358. Catching up with a friend over lunch

359. Popsicles

360. Shade on a hot day

361. Friends to pass an afternoon with

362. Blue jay outside my window

363. Lost library book found

364. An exciting basketball game

365. Friends to cheer with

366. Taylor's flexible schedule

367. Kids piled up on me watching TV

368. Tickle time with Daddy

I didn't water my plants yesterday. I was busy trying to get everything done so we could go to our friends' house and watch the Fightin' Texas Aggies win a National Championship. I had to throw that in.

369. A National Championship for the Aggies

370. Watching the big game with new friends

One 97 degree day without water and my plants are parched, shriveled, thirsty. I notice them when I come home from work. I find I sympathize with my parched plants. So instead of retreating to my book or a show on Netflix I retreat to my swing and open to Jude. It is my turn to teach our Sunday school class this week and that is what the lesson is on. When I read it quickly yesterday I thought, "Why Jude? This is a weird book." Today I am not rushed. Nothing around me is rushed. I begin to read and there it is in the first verse. How did I miss this yesterday?

371. Loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ