Something Beautiful

The start of something new. It's always a little bit scary, a little bit risky, a little bit exciting. There is happiness of new things, and sadness for the things that have been laid aside. There is joy and expectation and longing, always longing. New Year's is upon us. Usually by this day I have had lots of time to reflect upon the last year, and to review things in my mind. Turning events over and re-living things, celebrating some, mourning others. This year, however, I have been so busy, that I have not spent large amounts of time reflecting. Yesterday I cut up almost an entire bushel of apples (that's a lot by the way), and so I had lots of time to think. I didn't necessarily think about the last year. I thought back over my college years. That chapter is closed. I thought about the JBB's and aprons, remembering the special night that we first started that joke and the many times afterward that we giggled and chuckled and flat out on the floor laughed about it...

I drove home yesterday. There were a few stops along the way. But mostly there was just good drive time. Me and my car and my music (turned up too loud, I'm sure). I think a lot when I drive. With nothing else to occupy my time and mind, I am able to think a lot. Without really intending to, I think I set some unintentional New Year's Resolutions. What are they? I thought you'd never ask! Now stick with me because these get a little deep... Love Deeply. Live Fully. Give Generously. I know that on the surface, these seem to just be warm, fuzzy, feel good resolutions. That's what I first thought when they came to mind as I was praying, but then I explored them a little more. Love Deeply. I don't understand love...not even close. I do know, though that God is love. The first and greatest commandment is to love God with all my heart, soul and mind. The second is to love my neighbor as myself. I do know that Christ lived a life of absolute love poured out to everyone He ...

Home again. Sigh. I need another weekend...can I make that happen, please? No, okay well, I'll just settle for another long night's sleep then. Last night I slept for a long time. I could have slept longer, but I made myself get up. I guess I've been a little bit tired lately. Soon I shall have plenty of rest...well, hopefully. Christmas was lovely. Lots of relaxing and lots of time with mi familia. We played phase 10 and watched funny and sweet movies. We shared our thoughts and insights on Scripture and ate together. We had warm, spiced wine sipped from cheery Christmas mugs and eaten with Lebkuchan, a celebration of our German side. We had a conversation about the faith that has been shared on both sides of our family, passed down from generation to generation. We talked about how we don't get to decided who we come from, but we do get to decide where our grandchildren will come from. We talked about the legacy that we can establish through a righteous life. We talke...

Today is Christmas. I seem to keep forgetting it. In my mind, Christmas is tomorrow. None of the usual Christmas-y things have happened this year...yet. Normally, there is a Christmas Eve service with candles and Christmas hymns surrounded by those who I love most. Followed by hot cocoa and Christmas presents. Then there is sleep -- long, deep, Winter's sleep. Followed by Christmas morning excitement. The last of the nativity calendar is put up, breakfast is eaten, the Christmas story is read, and stockings are opened. And there is rest. That hasn't happened this year...yet. My presents weren't wrapped until last night. There was too little sleep followed by a long drive. But tonight there will be sleep. Tomorrow there will be worship and rejoicing at my Savior's birth. Then I will be surrounded by those who I love most, and it will be Christmas. This year, I'm a day late, and I'm okay with that. I mean this isn't really when Jesus was probably born anyway. ...

I'm quite tired...put in another crazy day at work, but it was oh-so-much fun. The boss brought in breakfast...cinnamon rolls and oj? Yes, please. Still don't think I woke up until after 9:30. It was a record setting day of business. And we ran our feet off. We couldn't keep pie in our case, and on top of pre-orders we sold over 100 pies today. The lovely L and I made pie after pie after pie and laughed when our boss said that we could alternate to take a lunch break. We knew there would be no break for us today. Thanks to the help of all our lovely elves* we managed to accomplish a good amount of tomorrows work in much less time than we expected. Coming home was lovely. I love driving up to Christmas lights on our house and seeing all the presents under the tree. I made some supper since lunch was nonexistent. A glass of wine sipped slowly as I reheated a hearty soup and a twice baked potato (thanks to the dos C's). Catching up on the world outside of work. My day will...

This is the first day in weeks...maybe months...that I have nothing going on. I don't think I realized quite how tired I was until I took an almost 5 hour nap yesterday and still slept for about 11 hours last night. I'm feeling remarkably more well rested now, but I'm still looking forward to a day devoted to all the things I never seem to get done. There is laundry to be folded and put away. Letters to write. An application to fill out. Plans to be made. Dinner to be cooked. Baking to be done. Presents to be wrapped (the irony of that statement is that I have yet to go Christmas shopping). Today will be restful...I might not even get out of my sweats. Because tomorrow will start the last push of the holiday season before Christmas is here. There will be many pies to be made, and many long hours of work to be enjoyed. I had a revelation last week in church. My pastor has been delivering a sermon series about the "Advent Conspiracy" and talking about how much Amer...

Another 12 hour work day is over. Exhaustion has set in. I thank God for days off...of which tomorrow will be one. I thank God for the strong, healthy body He has given me. I thank God for the endurance I have built up working long hours. I remember my first day of work -- a 12 plus hour day -- and how exhausted I was. Now it doesn't even phase me. Endurance doesn't come overnight. It is built up over time. Surrounded by a dark, quiet house, with only the light over the mantel illuminating the lovely painting, I am reflecting over life and all that goes with it. Several friends will be graduating from college tomorrow. I am so proud of them, so happy for them. Yet, there is a sadness that goes with it. They are moving on. We celebrated earlier this week. A late dinner, reminiscent of Spain and family dinners. Memories shared over glasses of red wine and good food and of course, pie. We talked into the early hours of the morning. Almost as if we all knew that this was at last th...

When I went to bed last night, I was mildly dreading this day. Fridays are my day off from work, yet because of my seeming inability to say no to extra hours from work, I agreed to do a last minute lunchtime event today. Last night I was exhausted. I'm not even kidding...I couldn't think straight, I couldn't complete sentences. It was like the end of last semester, and for about 5 hours I really thought I was going crazy, legit crazy-town. And then a marvelous thing happened...it is called sleep. It can cure a wide array of ailments, and it was exactly what I needed. I am always in awe of what a good night's sleep can do for a person's attitude. And then another marvelous thing happened...56 degrees in December. Yes, please. I went to work, knocked out a catered event, felt incredibly energized, came home and went for a glorious long walk in the delicious weather. The sad thing is now it seems to be getting cloudy and grey outside, but I got my wee bit of sunshine a...

K and I were talking about pulling a Ruth over dinner and drinks at Gastropub. More specifically we were talking about what it means to pull a Ruth in a modern day context. For anyone who doesn't know what pulling a Ruth is...I will summarize briefly for you (for the entire story read the book of Ruth). Basically, in Biblical times, God had set up the laws of Israel so that if a man died and he and his wife did not have children, then his closest male relative would marry the wife to raise up children in the man's name so that his line would not disappear. Ruth was the Moabite wife of an Israelite man who died. In fact, so did his brother. Ruth follows her bereaved mother-in-law, Naomi, back to Bethlehem where after a long period of waiting, Naomi urges Ruth to (under scandalous circumstances, for the time) basically ask Boaz (a near kinsman redeemer) to marry her. Are you with me so far? Okay, good! So Ruth goes to the place where Boaz is threshing grain after his harvest is f...

I wish for... my family to all be together and happy. my heart to find the romance in everyday life. my friends to regather and reconnect. joyful conversations over steaming mugs of hot cocoa. toes nestled in warm fuzzy booties. greater and deeper understanding of God's Word. love that cannot be contained within me. a full heart and a thoughtful mind. carols sung by sweet voices. memories for years to come.