Free-write Fridays

We donned our writing hats which had some vague connection to famous authors - I can't really explain the transformer mask that Ezra had or why he is perpetually shirtless.  Anyhow, with our writing headgear, we gathered round and spent five minutes putting pencil to paper.




Then, we made our selection of tea or hot chocolate and sat down with a few sandwiches and cookies to hear and applaud each other's stories. Ezra's story was taken by dictation and was so interesting that the others wanted to hear it again.

Jude says, "I think we need to this every Friday." The others agreed, even the one who just that morning had made up and sang repeatedly the most atrocious song about how much he hates writing.

"Sure, sounds like a great idea," I say hiding the tiniest of grins - or was it a smirk?

Idea of free write came from LoraLynn who has some of her own non-writers and it seems great success with this process.

"If God is in your heart, then is He also in your blood?" says Ethan from the very back row in the van with absolutely no preface.

Then ensues a conversation on what it means to have Jesus in your heart, where is the soul, and other such deep topics on a sunny afternoon drive home.

And I thought I must jot this down to remember how sweet they can be...

Poetry

Courtesy of Nathaniel and a new app called Word Mover. This is completely undirected on my part and must be way better than writing on paper because that is not something that this child enjoys in the slightest. This is when I think that interest-led learning has much more merit than I fully understand.

Some days

... we get lots done, we play, we learn, babies nap, and generally everything goes as it should.  Today worked out that way.  There have been enough days these couple weeks that haven't been that way that I think I need to halt and remember this one.

Also, notes to self:

Your attitude makes a difference.
Let them know what's expected of them.  Your oldest loves a checklist!
Give them choices and let them be accountable for their decisions.
Make time to run off some energy.

just thinking

Tomorrow is a special and happy day for us -- our 10th wedding anniversary.  But for a good friend of mine, it marks one year of her "goose" flying into the arms of Jesus.  Last year, I remember being completely shocked when we received the news that Matt's colleague and friend, Luis Bonilla had passed away in a helicopter crash.  He was on his way with others from Mayo Jacksonville's transplant team to procure a heart.   I will also never forget being at the Bonilla house that night when Tracy and the kids returned home to MN.  That night, I witnessed in Tracy the incredible grace, hope, and strength that only faith in Jesus can bring.

That day also brought about the unexpected for us and now a year later, I find myself in Jacksonville, Florida.

The recent tragedy in Connecticut freshly imprints on my mind how much things can change in the span of a few moments and how quickly an ordinary day can become anything but ordinary.

Life is fleeting and even fickle.  Life will bring suffering and pain along with joy and beauty.  But God is always in control.

I want to choose to be thankful for the moments that are given to me - the good ones and the not so pretty ones.  I want to choose to cherish the ones around me.  To use my words to bless.  To store up treasures in heaven.  To build deep into the solid Rock, so that when the storms blow, I can hold on to that everlasting hope and the hand that will never let me go.  And when the storms cease, I can know that God brings joy in the morning and beauty from ashes.  He is faithful.