Watch-It Wednesday: If I Stand

Have you noticed that "Watch-It Wednesdays" are more frequently "Listen-To-This Wednesdays"? I considered re-titling them "Wordless Wednesdays," but then I'd feel compelled to not write anything and, well - we all know how much I like to talk, right?

This is an old song. An old song raw with a time-transcendent longing for heaven. An old song fresh with the realization of who we are before Christ. An old song marveling at the mystery of beauty around us, refusing to be enraptured even by the "good," in the precious hope of the perfect.

If you stand, stand on the promise. If you fall, fall on the grace. If you sing, sing for the Lord's joy. If you weep, weep with longing.

Have a blessed Wednesday!

A Quick Note from a Mildly~Distracted Blog Negleter

Dear blog,

I have missed you! Rest assured, I am doing well, but am, quite simply, spinning out of Thanksgiving and into Christmas - just as I felt I was settling into the fall schedules!!

It's been a good couple months, though. In October, I ran the color race with Benj - a new experience, and one I definitely hope to have again! Additionally, the month held hikes, cider pressing, and a trip into Portland to visit Powell's with two fellow book addicts, JT and Jacob!

November (Yikes! Can you believe it isn't November anymore? Scary...) marked the beginning of the craziness fun. Our annual Girls' Weekend to the beach was, once again, "the best ever" (how can that be true every year? But it is...). I am sorry I didn't bring you along, but Mikaela brought One Bright Corner, so you can catch up with her there. Suffice to say, stormy weather, Bleak House, tea by the kettle-full, shopping, laughing, crying, and studying the Bible together combined to define our four days, and brought us home encouraged and refreshed (if a little sleep-deprived)! Then, of course, there was Thanksgiving! Cousins, gingerbread houses, hikes...we are just coming out of a special weekend, and find ourselves in December! Yesterday afternoon we went tree-hunting, and now our garage smells like pine and our house resounds with Christmas music!

 

Which brings me to today, the first Monday in December. There's my symphony concert coming up, a studio recital & New Year's ball to plan, concerts and parties to attend, friends to see, Christmas shopping & wrapping to do, Christmas cookies to bake, Christmas letters to write, and a miraculous event that happened quietly and virtually unnoticed 2000 years ago to celebrate with every thought and deed.

It's going to be a good month.

Watch-It Wednesday: Nothing!

I just got back from a fabulous day of babysitting some super-fun kiddos! What do you do for eight hours with five children, 10 & under? Oh, "Nothing!"

...which, of course, translates to "Have a Ball!"
Happy Wednesday!

Watch-It Wednesday: Apples R Us!

Let the games begin! Step one of Operation Cider has been accomplished: retrieving the apples. Our entire garage now smells like an apple pie, and it's the season of feasting on apple fritters by day and apple dumplings by night! I can hardly wait to rent the press and begin our good, old-fashioned, cider-pressing day! Complete with fellow apple-buying friends, contests to recognize the fastest pressing team, sticky hands, savory cider warming on the stove, and a bonfire - yes, it's a time to anticipate!!

Have an apple-licious Wednesday!

Five Minute Friday: Ordinary

I woke to a typical, grey, October Friday. I woke with the standard cold that is going around. I woke with hopelessly sad, shower-needing hair that didn't have a chance. I shrugged at the idea of dressing "nicely" and wore a boring jean skirt. This morning I had errands to run, preparations to make, and people to drop off.

Today was, in a word, ordinary.

Checking out at the craft store with some needles and thread, I found my eyes preoccupied with my purse, wallet, and receipts. As I finished my purchase, I realized I had yet to even really look at the girl across the counter from me. Taking my bag, I looked purposefully up into her eyes with a smile. She was dressed for an ordinary day, too: chunky sweater, comfy scarf, her apron covering up most of the rest of her outfit, counting out change for yet another customer in her morning (me). "Thank you so much! Have a good day!" I said. Suddenly, her entire face lit up. "Thank you! You too!" She answered, and, as I walked toward the door, "And your hair looks really pretty, too!"

My hair was a tired, dirty-looking braid, but suddenly, in the light of the smile, her eyes saw something ordinary as beautiful. She was the picture of an ordinary work day, but in the light of her exuberance and kind comment, she became beautiful in her encouragement to me. Walking out of the store, I couldn't keep the smile off my face - both because of her sudden, brilliant reaction, and because of the reminder it gave to me:

As the light of the world, I have the responsibility to dispel ordinary days from those around me. What an extraordinary mission it is!

 One word. Five minutes. No edits. It's Five Minute Friday!

Disclaimer: This particular post I was writing for a little more than five minutes...but it still is just a "rough draft"!