Keeping the tradition of framing the new year around a word . . . this time it's a phrase:
Love in Action.
I spent some time in December reading through 1 John, and it just hit me. Especially 3:18.
"Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and truth. This is then how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything."
And then of course on the drive back to MN after Christmas, that was a highlighted verse on a random radio show.
And then, days later I read these quotes (in The Happiness Project):
"Love proves itself by deeds, so how am I to show my love? Great deeds are forbidden me. The only way I can prove my love is by . . . every little sacrifice, every glance and word, and the doing of the least actions for love"
- St. Therese of Lisseux
So there it is. Simple but not.
And to turn 180 here, the lighter side, some 2016 so far:
I've been just laughing lately. January must be for laughing. After picking up Dad is Fat at the library I was almost in laughter tears reading the intro. In the library. People were probably wondering. I read a page here or there while the kids are playing, and I've realized I laugh harder when I read it in their presence. Comedic truth is hilarious when your watching the subject.
Dance parties. I've been going through my "hit songs" piano book with the kids . . . as I write this, Trevor just got done singing along with me to "Everything I do, I Do it For You" (lots of history there, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves is one we watched while dating. You know, 20 years ago. WHAT?!). Karis told him he was singing too loud. This has quickly become a new tradition - one song after dinner, Karis dances and Trev takes a break in the wing chair and Judah either dances or brings a Star Wars book to Trev.
More dance parties. Trev recorded himself singing "That's My Daughter in the Water" and the kids love playing it on their CD player and dancing (Judah prefers wearing Karis's pink slippers. Obviously).
Living, growing things in the house (besides children). We were given a lily plant by neighbors (from their wedding), Trev was excited to have something green and alive here. And then one grandma gave us a fairy garden (it grows grass and beans) and another grandma and indoor Amaryllis plant. And so, Karis has some things to take care of (besides Judah).
Small randomness. We were driving down 169 one day to drop some things off a ways south, and I wanted to do something fun with the kids after the driving but didn't want to drive any more . . . and then, we passed the Depot coffee shop, right by where we used to live. Oh my word, the kids loved it - CARAMEL MILK! On a comfy couch. And all sorts of things to get into and adults to disturb! We didn't overstay our welcome, but it was a huge score for simple treats and memory lane.
Wonderful winter weekends. One weekend for Grandpa Jim's 95th birthday (wow!), included a McD's date for kids with J & C, and fairy garden assembly with Gma L. Another weekend was me leaving on a children's leader's team retreat (amazing) while Karis got strep (awful) and grandma and grandpa were here to help hang out and be with Judah while K was at the doc with daddy. So grateful. Oh, and they got to watch the Bronco's win together. Oh, and while I was gone Trevor reorganized some of "my" kitchen (and I had to put some things back, sorry honey - because let's be real, like it's "your" garage, it's "my kitchen". Yes, we're "traditional" like that and it works).
Good movies watched. When Marnie Was There. A good old re-watch of Dan in Real Life (still love it). In the middle of The Legend of Arietty.
Shoveling. The kids love shoveling (well, the novelty is wearing off already, but it worked when it counted. Thanks minions).
Donut date with D & M, Judah & I loved the quality time together at Yo Yo (and the marshmallow donut, so fun to watch him decide).
Christmas party date. Why not have the work Christmas party at the end of January? Super fun, we found a quiet corner table and talked to the same people the whole time (introvert side heaven - lots of people around but quality connection with a few). Refreshing to be out with my hub on his turf.
No tech time. Instituted by my wise husband (who is on technology all day). I'm on technology in hyper snippets throughout the day and so this is probably the biggest change for me - and so good. We sit in the toy room on the wing chairs and talk. Imagine that! Refreshing.
Keeping it real. Not without reality here, plenty of it. One day Karis fell into my arms saying, "I just don't like when I'm not perfect". Preach it, girl! We are here to teach other about Grace, and I'm grateful. We are all making mistakes around here, and giving Grace and trying to receive it (that, to me, is the hardest part). Trevor is navigating lots of change at work. I remain a thermometer to my family and still needing reminders of solid ground. Always trying to pay attention to our habits of relating and living together. And yet just chill out and enjoy the ride, right?
What I'm reading/recently read: The Middle Place, Dad is Fat, A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet, Jane of Lantern Hill, War & Peace, As for Me and My House, Notes From a Blue Bike, Plan B
What Karis is reading (more like what we're reading together): The Hundred Dresses, Mr. Popper's Penguins, The Five Dog Night, Fun in the Sun, A Bear Called Paddington, Hans Brinker (picture book)
She's busy sounding things out and soaking in language and trying out words - love it.
What Judah is reading: Snow (Cynthia Rylant), A You're Adorable, The Story of the Snow Children, Love You Forever, Otis, Bedtime Rhymes, Little Blue Truck, Goodnight Goodnight Construction Site, Jonah Golden Book
What Trevor's been reading lately (oh my word, get ready):
Prometheus Bound, History by Herodotus, Lords of the Sith (Star Wars), Thucydides: The History of the Peloponnesian War, Plato: Statesman
A little reading not-coincidence, stories (specifically ones around the kitchen table . . .
Paying attention to reading the same thing in two different places in one day . . .
From A Little Salty to cut the Sweet (this book ends with a chapter called "That Whole Table Thing is Pretty Symbolic, Y'all" and she is HUGE on family togetherness around the table):
". . . you stay with it, and you get after it, and you love each other, and you forgive each other, and you keep coming back to the table. And once you're there, you sit down, and you settle in, and you remember. You share your stories. The table is where He links the generations, where He prompts us to join hands and bow heads and remember and laugh and pass our stories back and forth to each other . . . as we share our stories with those people God has specifically ordained to walk with us on this side of eternity - and they share their stories with us - we see the sacred in the ordinary. We see the profound in the mundane. We see the joy in the day to day. We see the hand of God writing a much bigger story - a story of rescue and redemption and hope and glory. Right here in the middle of the hilarious and the tragic and the sublime and the sad. We have to share our stories with them (our children). We have to write them down, we have to say them out loud, we have to put away our phones and close our computers and linger at the table long after the meal is over. We have to make much of what God has done in our lives and what He continues to do . . .after all, why in the world would we keep our firstand experiences with His faithfulness, His grace, His kindness, His mercy, and His joy to ourselves?
From Kitchen Table Wisdom
"The more we listen, the clearer that Story becomes. Our true identity, who we are, why we are here, what sustains us, is in this story. The stories at every kitchen table are about the same things . . . Stories about God. In telling them, we are telling each other the human story. Stories that touch us in this place of common humanness awaken us and weave us together as a family once again."
Karis-isms:
- "We're so blessed this car was taken care of so well! Grandma and daddy took such good care of it" (mini Trevor - she will take good care of her things!)
- "Did Jesus REALLY die on the cross? "
- "Is tucking me back in the favorite part of your night?" (I hope it's okay I said yes, even though at 3am I'd rather keep sleeping. Sweet tender girl)
- "Is the teria in your back?" (asking Gpa Kirk about bacteria, while cuddling with him on the couch in the middle of a fever)
- "Mom, I just don't like pushing trucks around like Judah does. It just looks really tiring" (HA! I'm doing some reading on the psychological basis for these differences, so we had a quick chat about that)
- "Mommy, are book clubs important?"
- "I can't wait to go to the hot lock!" (church potluck)
- "I gotta go work on my bacteria" (what she now calls the place behind her rocking chair . . . always evolving)
- "Mom, Judah got into my bacteria and instead of yelling, I just asked him to keep his arms down at his sides!" (HA!)
- Karis LOVES babies. Loves them (pic below). She's practicing for all the cousins she'll have soon!
- She's really into telling time, amazing to watch her make sense and take ownership of it
- Her new stations include taking care of mini dolls . . . feeding, napping, setting up a play pen. Pretty adorable
- "I made an ice rink in back!" (indeed, found a patch of ice and loved sliding on it)
- "Can you play the 'vitamin in D'?" (Canon in D - hilarious)
Judah jabbers:
- "Where did the blue car go?" (can we please stop talking about this?)
- "Wa wa wa wa wa wa what IS that?!" (asked about everything)
- "What's Totoro's mommy doing?" (lots of questions about mommies - where are they, what are they doing. Adorable)
- "I made a choo choo train! CHOO CHOO!" (while at a friend's home for tea - the train was made out of stools. There was also a pillow tower. He also played hide and seek with their cat and went into our hosts bedroom un-invited)
- "What is it doing?" (said to anything, including inanimate objects like food, books, toys)
- "I have to disobey mommy!" (in such a sweet voice and doe eyes - so hard to keep a straight face)
- "You want please read it to me?"
- "I want to go potty training - get an m & m!"
- "I want my monkey hat, mommy! Climbing to get my monkey hat!"
- "Go inside, mommy" (sincerely, wanted me to go back inside while he played in the snow)
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