Lest I Forget

It is not often that you actually get to "walk in someone else's shoes". I have sort of done that for a week now and I pray that I will remember some very important things about life. First is this: My mom is an amazingly strong woman. Second, these 'big' things in life can really bring you down if you don't look for the little moments that can warm your heart and lift you back up. For me, I find that the little things are the laugh of my toddler, the words of my preschooler, the creations of my son, the smile of my daughter. Noticing the mourning doves that skitter under the bushes each morning as I walk by their nesting spot. The curve of the mountain that I looked at every day as a child. The pattern of the frost on my van in the early morning. Nature is full of God's handiwork, and stopping to admire the beauty is essential for my well-being. Third, I must remember not to judge. It is not my place, and I do not know someone else's heart or ci...

From the warmth of my house, I stared out the window at the cold wind blowing, swirling leaves up and around and spreading them hither and yon. I felt like one of those leaves. I am caught up in the winds of a huge move and I don't have a lot of say about which way I am blown. Today, for instance, I will be packing up the kids again so that the property manager can show the house. We did this yesterday too. So much for organizing our things. On New Year's Day, though, I stood firm against that mighty wind and chose to get in the car yet again to take one almost seven year old to the Lego store two hours away for a birthday surprise. I walked behind him and his siblings. As the store came into view, he grabbed Anna's hand, gave it a good squeeze, and began walking faster. There may have even been a little jig in his steps. Before going inside, he paused outside to look at all the displays in the store window. Then, after giving me one of the biggest grins ever, he stepped ...