Grateful

 We were invited today to "share with us five things that cause you to be grateful."  That's the reason I started this blog, so that on days when it wasn't so obvious, I would be intentionally looking for things for which to be grateful, moments of God's grace in the world.  Since I've been absent for a while now, this seems a good time to resume the blogging!  So here goes:

1. My boys - the Dear Husband who puts up with me, and the two boys who call me mom.
2. My extended family and friends.
3. Vacation - coming next week!
4. The joy of work and vocation being one and the same.
5. Aches, pains, fatigue, etc. - I'm alive and I can do what I want!

Breath Prayer

Last night,
the eldest boy and I had a fight about going to bed. 
It is a fight that happens regularly in our house, 
but last night we were both out of sorts. 
He wasn't feeling well, and I was stressed, 
and it escalated until we were both really unhappy.  
He finally went to bed,and I readied myself for bed,
a new breath prayer burst into my mind:

Child of God, beloved and forgiven.
Child of God, loving and forgiving.

I am often too hard on him, as I am often too hard on myself, so this prayer seems to fit.  

Thank you, God, for a new prayer.

A Happy Boy

After school yesterday, my 5 year-old said "I'm a happy boy, momma!"
When I asked him why, he responded:
"Because it's Friday, and that means I have two days off to relax!"

School for my little one is hard.  He has Sensory Processing Dysfunction, which means that it's hard for him to interpret information coming into his body through sensory channels and make appropriate responses.  For him in particular, it means that many aspects of school are a lot of work.  Sitting still is hard.  Paying attention is hard.  Playing well with others is hard.  Doing what the teachers wants and expects is hard.  Learning is hard.  Things sometimes don't make sense visually or auditorily.  He is sensory seeking, which means he needs a lot of physical activity.

He does pretty well.  Writing is developmentally on target.  He has adapted to the routine, and found ways to cope.  He loves his teachers and his friends, and they love him.  He enjoys being read to, and has good comprehension.  But some things are hard, and will get harder.  Like reading, or even learning his letters and their sounds.

So when he says he is a happy boy because he can relax, he really means it.  And he appreciates the gift of that time in a way that points to grace.

For him, the weekends are grace.  He know that he needs to work during the week.  Sometimes going to school is okay, but on other days there is a lot of resistance.  But weekends - those are a gift.  He doesn't earn them.  He doesn't have to make appropriate progress to receive them.  To paraphrase Buechner: there's nothing he has to DO; there is nothing he HAS to do; there's nothing HE has to do.  Weekends are gift.

I think he probably "gets" grace better than most.  I think he also understands sabbath rest better than most.  And because of him, I, too, can relax and lean into those gifts a bit more often.

Friday Five

Thinking of movie-watching, what do you prefer?

1. At home or at a theater?






We watch most of our movies at home, but I definitely PREFER going to the movie theatre!


2. With whom?


I enjoy going to the movie with almost anyone, but right now I would love to go to a movie with husband - a grown-up move with dinner before.

3. Movie you look forward to seeing?



Red Tails

4. Movie you like to see repeatedly?


At Christmas - The Santa Claus, It's a Wonderful Life

Anytime - favorite kids movies - Disney, Pixar

5. Food with a movie?   Popcorn and a soft drink, of course!

Blessings and Hopes

Sally gave us this Friday Five:
As you look back over 2011 share 5 blessings, they can be as grand or as simple as you like,if you year has been like mine they are probably a mixture!

As you look towards 2012 share 5 hopes- again, anything goes!

Blessings of 2011

Physical health - mine and that of those I love.

Significant anniversaries - mine and DH's 20th anniversary, and my parents' GOLDEN anniversary.

God moments - see the Barbarry sheep at left and turkeys below.

The small mountain churches and people there that I serve.

To have lived through and learned from the many trials and tribulations of this very difficult year.

Hope for 2012

To be kinder and gentler with myself and those I love.

To find a permanent (rather than transitional) position in the church, and increased financial security.

To grow in health - physical, emotional, and spiritual.

To look for God in every day things.

To show the love of God in my life.

 

Friday Five

This Friday Five comes from revkjarla over at revgalpals.

  Friday Five: Random

I don't know about you, but my life seems to have a lot of random surprises lately.  Just little things,

like the doggy in the picture, who was rescued by a Good Samaritan from running into traffic, who then brought him to the police, who brought him to my neighbor's house.  I took the doggy, now named Scout, to the vet on Monday, and the woman behind the desk said, "This dog looks so familiar.  Were you here last week?"  I told her no, that this particular dog is a stray, and she looked at me, and said (use your best Boston accent here), "Oh my GAWD!  I rescued that dog on Satuhday!  I took him to the police!" and then she proceeded to tell me the story.  She was Scout's angel.    

Random, right? 

So, for our Friday Five, I invite you share five random things about you, or five random thoughts, or five random surprises in your life. 

Just be random!

Random thing #1
New song learned from the kindergartner:

Chubby little snow man
With a carrot nose.
Along comes a bunny,
What do you suppose? 
Hungry little bunny
Looking for his lunch,
Took the snow man's nose,
Nibble, nibble, crunch!

Random thing #2

I love batter-dipped french fries with jalapeno mayonnaise.

Random thing #3

I drive 269.6 miles each Sunday to preach at my two churches.

Random thing #4

It has been two years since our house fire.

Random thing #5

It turns out the pediatric pulmonary doctor we are seeing for my son's asthma was my cousin's doctor for Cystic Fibrosis for 16 years.  Just found that out this week through a facebook greeting!

Thanks for a great Friday Five! 

   

Singing Christmas

Sometimes during this time of year, 

things get so hectic and people get so frazzled and grumpy that blessings are hard to come by.  We can snap and snipe at one another over the littlest things. 

I suspect that this year, 

there are even more reasons for us to be anxious or worried about Christmas. 

So as I stopped to think about the blessings in my life right now, 

one simple thing jumped out.

My youngest son is five, 

and he is learning Christmas songs at school.

We have been practicing a lot,

sometimes just he and I,

sometimes with his big brother.

Tomorrow his kindergarten class goes to sing

at a hospice facility.

His teacher told him today that he is one of the best singers in the class.

So tonight, in bed, we were practicing,

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,

and giggling,

and snuggling.

The simplest things are often the greatest blessings.