life is coming.

I could spend hours out there.

Tracking down blossoms.

The signs that life is coming.

Reaching for his hem,

Ann

Parenting lesson no. 634,598.

The parenting lesson I learned today:

never, ever ask your 12 year old son to wake up his 8 year old sister;

he will select the foghorn app on his ipod, set the timer, and place it next to her ear. Sister will be grumpy all day, while brother will giggle all day.

Laughing while I am reaching for his hem,
Ann

Did I really just do that?

I did it.

I signed up for that Hartford Marathon.

What have I done?

Reaching for his hem,

Ann

i will follow.

Where you go, I'll go
Where you stay, I'll stay
When you move, I'll move
I will follow you Who you love, I'll love
How you serve I'll serve
If this life I lose, I will follow you I will follow you - chris tomlin

Reaching for his hem,

Ann

made it!

Plotted a running course for this morning.

I am certain the hills were just like this.

Ugh.

But, I made it and the hills seem so defeated right now - even if I did have to walk a little bit - and I feel just a wee bit stronger than before I tackled them.

Hmmm . . . could there be a metaphor for life here?

Reaching for his hem,

Anjanette

before my King.

Job did it.   And, he was found blameless.

David did it.  And, he was a king after all.

So I did it today.  I ushered myself before my King and shared that I am not pleased. 

And, I asked him to blot that lousy state out of my heart.  I told him that I am craving him. 

I want to hear his heartbeat.  I want to feel his hand.  I do not understand him.  I wish I understood why I would give him my life and he would allow these difficult moments to enter in.  I do not see his plan or how his hand could be in it.  I cried at him.

And, I knew it was okay.  I knew he holds my tears and my hand. 

It was okay because he already knew everything I was feeling and he welcomed it.  He welcomed all of it - the lousy and the ungrateful along with the belief and the grateful.  That is just the kind of God he is.  He wants me as he made me, not a me who wears a mask or pretends I have it all figured out.  

Job received joy.  David received purpose.  I know he's got a plan for me also.  And you, too.

We'll find it.  We'll see it.  He promised.

Reaching for his hem,
Ann

forever surprised.

Anne Rice, in her book, Christ the Lord, gives Jesus words, words she might imagine him saying.  At one point, when asked what he will do next, he tells his seekers, "I will go on from surprise to surprise." 

I love it. 
I claimed it. 
I had the words engraved on a bracelet. 

Surprises.  He greets us with them daily.  I wear the words to remember that I must open my hands to receive them - the good, and oh it's so hard, but also the bad.

Yesterday was a struggle.  Somehow, I put the struggle on the shelf and decided to live like it wasn't there.  Oh, if it were always that easy.  I spent the morning at my daughter's preschool brushing up against the amazing love of children, and decided I was going to soak up the creative.  Forever 21 looked like a fun store to check out.  I forever felt way too old to be shopping there, but I dove into the fun with my girls.  We laughed.  They picked out necklaces and helped me pick out a cute shirt.

The struggle didn't join us.  Surprise.  The pain slipped away.  Surprise.  My living in the moment of who I was made to be and not in the storms that threaten my sea - it was possible.  Surprise. 

And then, he reminded me he was there and he had been the one who let the joy in, who brought the strength to find the joy.

Surprise.  On the bottom of my Forever 21 bright yellow bag - there it was, in simple bold letters: "John 3:16".  Surprise.

Don't you love when he surprises you?

Reaching for his hem,
Ann