Lights in the Mist Around Us

What a cool misty, foggy night out as we drove back from the Y tonight after swim team practice. Wet, cold air wrapped around us as we walked to the van. Then it enveloped our vehicle as we drove. On longer stretches of the road that dipped into valleys, the fog was so thick that I had to slow way down to peer around me on the road, wondering what was ahead. Street lights were blurry, muted yellow in the deep mist.

Sipping a V8 at home now, my kids are readying for bed, the house is quiet. Soft music plays from the computer here, as I write. It's funny how a melancholy song can make you feel melancholy, even when you are not.

I've been thinking since a Sunday School class discussion about how we as Jesus-followers are impacting the world. How are we impacting the world? In what ways are we changing our worlds? Are we bringing in a joy that supersedes circumstance? A peace that is not dependent on what is around me? A sense of purpose that is solid? Do I remember these things? Do I radiate it? Do I radiate Him--who is the source of that joy, sense of purpose and peace that lasts despite circumstances?

Sometimes it is easy for me to instead see the harried life of the instant, the urgent, and not pause and reflect back on what is eternal. Reflect back, and then reflect out the truth. Funny. That sounds a little bit like the mist I was driving in tonight.

Slowing down, pausing to breathe in the cool air, and reflect on what a cool God he is... I want to radiate him out of me more.

Want to Hear Something Sad but Funny?

So, with my family's background of living in war-torn West Africa, and then later my kids seeing their grandparents in that same situation and occasionally fleeing violent political situations, my kids and I have often talked about the fact that anyone could die at any moment. We recognize that there are "bad guys" here too where we live, and that anything could happen. I have always assured my kids, though, of three things:
1.) That God loves us and that is heart can be trusted, no matter what things may happen in life.
2.) That God will never give us anything more than we can handle with his help ("I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"). And he will give us the strength to go through anything we need to. ("My grace is sufficient for you.")
3.) That God promises that he will never leave us or forsake us. Ever.

Tonight, though, as my husband is sick, and feeling miserable, hunched over, walking feebly, racked with chills, and other yuckyness, my kids and I are praying for him and hoping he feels better soon. As I was praying with my daughter M for her to go to bed, she asked "Has anyone ever died from the flu?"

"Well, they have," I answered honestly, "but I don't think Daddy will," hoping to make her feel better.

"Well, it could just be Daddy's time to die," she declared matter of factly, and biblically. "True," I laughed, slightly horrified, "but I don't think he probably will."

Later, out of hearing shot, I ran to my husband and told him the story. He grinned feebly. "She learned that from you, huh?!" he laughed.

Don't worry. We hug a lot and are all very close, my family of four. We're just very realistoc when it comes to death. Strange, huh? Meanwhile (back at the hall of justice), my man is not on death's door that we know of. :)

We're off to J's second swim meet just now! He will be competing in the 50 yard freestyle, 50 yard back stroke and 100 yard freestyle against his age group.

Little M is practicing for her kids' Sunday School program. She received the part of the storekeeper which has 17 lines to learn! She is eager to have fun with the "snotty" storekeeper role, kind of the bad guy in the play. Her play is Dec 16th at 7 pm. All are invited!

J's next home meet is Dec. 1 here at our Y. All our welcome. :) There are other semi-local city ones too.
Love to you, my family!

Too Cold for Sandals Now

Well, you will be happy to know that I changed out of my flipflop sandals this week into normal shoes. (Actually they were cute little black, pointy boot things, with side zippers)--But enough of the girl stuff! I sense the gentlemen shaking their heads...

So what's new? Hmmm,
sipping a nice cold cherry pepsi,
looking out my window at the awesome yellow blanket of leaves on the neighbor's yard,
laughing with my son over the Far Side cartoons (They are hilarious!),
studying the Civil war in homeschooling (Know any good Civil war movies that I could show to my kids? That's the hard part.)

I'm sending in my book proposal this week, and I'm really excited about that. I realize it's a long and probably discouraging process. That's okay.

Know any good jokes?