I'm not a huge fan of Christmas. I've always said that Christmas is for two kinds of people: children and couples. I am neither. Don't get me wrong. I don't hate presents and I certainly don't mind buying presents. But, the stress and the rush of Christmas are not my favorite. I kind of always feel like there is one more thing to do. Today, for example, I have been going non-stop since 8am. I try not to bah humbug up everyone else's holiday, but I'll probably be one of those people who takes a cruise at Christmas.
Anyway, I've said all of that to say this: today, I had the priviledge to see Christmas through the eyes of a few four year olds. It definitely brought a tear to my eye. They love it so much and its not just the presents either. They love Santa and Christmas songs and shopping with their mommies and daddies. They love decorating the tree and dressing up for parties. Sure, they are going to tear into those presents, but they really do love Christmas.
Today, during circle time, I was talking about Rudolph and how he had a special talent that he used to help out a friend (for the record, just in case Anita reads this, I did not say Santa. Okay, maybe they guessed it, but I didn't say it.). And, they started telling me their Santa stories. One little girl told me that last Christmas her sister heard Santa say 'ho ho ho,' but she didn't and that she was going to see if she could hear it this year. If you could have seen the sincerity and hope in her eyes. I can't even explain it. Then, a little girl tells me that she woke up in the middle of the night and heard noises on the roof, but by the time she got to her window he was gone. But, when she went downstairs, she saw all the presents and she just knew it was him. And, they take the whole 'better not pout' thing super seriously, by the way.
Yes, the real reason for the season is Jesus' birth and most of these kids know that. But, I think that Jesus would want us to celebrate the hope that these kids have. I think he would want to encourage their dreams and awaken their imaginations. And, Santa certainly does that. All the holiday movies and all the songs and the Christmas cards and parties couldn't teach me about Christmas what eight little four year olds showed me today.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
UR GR8 <3
Okay, I know I'm not much of a dater. So, I accept that maybe there are some rules and rites of which I am not entirely aware. I know I'm socially awkward and that maybe I didn't develop socially as fully as I should have. I blame it on private school. Call me crazy, call me awkward, call me socially stunted, but I think that, as a lady, I should be treated a certain way.
So, let me tell you a story. A story about a girl who gave her phone number to a guy. The particulars of how she met the boy are not important. But, he asked for her number and she gave it. Lucky fellow, if you ask me. He has her personal phone number and you may be asking, 'what does he do with it?' Oh, I'll tell you what this boy does with the phone number. He sends the girl a text message.
Again, maybe I'm really out of the dating loop, but a text message? I remember a day when a girl would sit by the phone waiting for the nervous phone call from that special boy. But, now, we just reduce the conversation down to one short sentence, in text speak might I add, and then send it over the airwaves. Did he not want to waste his minutes? Or, maybe it was his time he didn't want to waste. I can only imagine what the relationship would be like: dinners at mcdonalds, movies downloaded from netflix, and ecards for anniversaries.
I think I, and I think you, deserve a bit more than a text messaged date invite. I deserve to be chased, to be pursued, to be called, for heaven's sake. Does the romance have to be sucked out of everything? I know we're not in the movies and love rarely happens like it does in Hollywood, but can't it even be close? I think I deserve a little disney magic.
So, let me tell you a story. A story about a girl who gave her phone number to a guy. The particulars of how she met the boy are not important. But, he asked for her number and she gave it. Lucky fellow, if you ask me. He has her personal phone number and you may be asking, 'what does he do with it?' Oh, I'll tell you what this boy does with the phone number. He sends the girl a text message.
Again, maybe I'm really out of the dating loop, but a text message? I remember a day when a girl would sit by the phone waiting for the nervous phone call from that special boy. But, now, we just reduce the conversation down to one short sentence, in text speak might I add, and then send it over the airwaves. Did he not want to waste his minutes? Or, maybe it was his time he didn't want to waste. I can only imagine what the relationship would be like: dinners at mcdonalds, movies downloaded from netflix, and ecards for anniversaries.
I think I, and I think you, deserve a bit more than a text messaged date invite. I deserve to be chased, to be pursued, to be called, for heaven's sake. Does the romance have to be sucked out of everything? I know we're not in the movies and love rarely happens like it does in Hollywood, but can't it even be close? I think I deserve a little disney magic.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
The Perfect Man
I know you're shocked I'm writing another blog so soon, but its kind of therapeutic for me. Deal with it. I've had a rough night. And, some of the 'stuff' that happened tonight got me thinking about what I'm looking for in life.
I don't think it will be a surprise to anyone that knows me very well that I'm not really sure of my ultimate direction in life. I'm pretty content to just enjoy the ride. I like to take things as they come and deal with them as they happen. I'm really not much of a planner. I don't have a five or ten year plan. Absolutely, I am not exactly where I want to be in life, but there's not much I can do about it. I try really, really hard to make the best of what I've been given. I'm not very good at it though, admittedly. But, as I was thinking about where my life was going, my mind wandered to what I'm looking for in a relationship. One word came to my mind: honesty.
The hardest part of any new relationship for me is the 'getting to know you.' I find it awkward and strange. I just want to jump to the place where you feel like you've known each other for years. Unfortunately, the universe does not let you jump around like that, so you have to put time and energy into getting to know that person and letting them into your life. That's always awkward and difficult. But, the rewards are so worth the pain of bearing yourself to someone else. There is nothing like having someone who knows completely and still thinks you're cool.
So, when I say I want honesty in a relationship, I want complete honesty. I want to bare all my broken parts to someone. I want to tell all my dark secrets. I want to reveal every flaw, every mistake I've ever made, every weakness. I don't want them to just see my strengths or the facade I put up. I want that man to know everything there is to know about me. I want him to be there at my most vulnerable. See me without make up, see me cry, hear me get angry, be around when I'm wrong. See me at my ugliest and tell me I'm beautiful. Know all my broken parts and love me.
Because life is hard. Marriage is harder. I'm damaged and broken. I have pain and I have caused pain. I might make you cry, you will undoubtedly make me cry. I can be flakey and indecisive. I don't want to settle down. But, I want you here, through the good and the bad, the comfortable and the scary, the rich and the poor. The perfect man would know me completely and still love me unconditionally.
I don't think it will be a surprise to anyone that knows me very well that I'm not really sure of my ultimate direction in life. I'm pretty content to just enjoy the ride. I like to take things as they come and deal with them as they happen. I'm really not much of a planner. I don't have a five or ten year plan. Absolutely, I am not exactly where I want to be in life, but there's not much I can do about it. I try really, really hard to make the best of what I've been given. I'm not very good at it though, admittedly. But, as I was thinking about where my life was going, my mind wandered to what I'm looking for in a relationship. One word came to my mind: honesty.
The hardest part of any new relationship for me is the 'getting to know you.' I find it awkward and strange. I just want to jump to the place where you feel like you've known each other for years. Unfortunately, the universe does not let you jump around like that, so you have to put time and energy into getting to know that person and letting them into your life. That's always awkward and difficult. But, the rewards are so worth the pain of bearing yourself to someone else. There is nothing like having someone who knows completely and still thinks you're cool.
So, when I say I want honesty in a relationship, I want complete honesty. I want to bare all my broken parts to someone. I want to tell all my dark secrets. I want to reveal every flaw, every mistake I've ever made, every weakness. I don't want them to just see my strengths or the facade I put up. I want that man to know everything there is to know about me. I want him to be there at my most vulnerable. See me without make up, see me cry, hear me get angry, be around when I'm wrong. See me at my ugliest and tell me I'm beautiful. Know all my broken parts and love me.
Because life is hard. Marriage is harder. I'm damaged and broken. I have pain and I have caused pain. I might make you cry, you will undoubtedly make me cry. I can be flakey and indecisive. I don't want to settle down. But, I want you here, through the good and the bad, the comfortable and the scary, the rich and the poor. The perfect man would know me completely and still love me unconditionally.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Know Your Name
First of all, let's just stop and acknowledge just how long its been since I posted a blog. I'll wait while you do that...yeah, it really has been that long. I had kind of a rough day. And, I suppose that's what prompted this blog. That, and a Jason Mraz song, Details in the Fabric. I won't post all of the lyrics cause it drives me crazy when you do it. Here is the significant part:
If it's a broken part, replace it
But, if it's a broken heart then face it
If it's a broken heart then face it
And hold your own
Know your name
Go your own way
Hold your own
Know your own name
And go your own name
This struck me because lately I have been obsessed with names. I think names are so ridiculously important. I don't think we really give names their due. I have a pet peeve, maybe a silly one, but a pet peeve nonetheless. I absolutely hate when expectant parents tell everyone the name of their child-to-be before they give birth. I think names are so intensely personal. God places so much importance on names in the Bible. He changes them when something significant happens in a person's life (i.e., Paul, the artist formerly known as Saul). He says He has called us by name.
Sometimes, I imagine that God has a name for each and every one of us, even before we are born. There's something about that image - God having a secret name for us (and probably a handshake cause God is pretty cool like that) - that makes me feel so loved. I know the Bible says He formed each one of us in the womb. But, He kind of has to do that. Who else can? But, He took the time to name us and call us and get to know us. You don't name things unless you care about them. Have you named your couch?
So when Jason, cause we're so tight I call him by his first name, says 'know your own name' that's a pretty powerful image for me. Obviously, we all know our names, and I think most of you are intelligent enough to know that he's saying know yourself. Know who you are. There are people who spend their entire lives trying to find themselves. And, the truth is, we probably all should engage in a little self-discovery every once in a while, as painful as it can be to turn that light inward.
Really, there is so much I want to say about that short little piece of lyric. Know your name and go your own way. Find yourself and do what it takes to be that person you need to be. So much easier said than done. Especially, when life sees fit to throw you insane obstacles. But, you just have to deal with all those broken parts. You just have to find a way to cope with the situations you've been given.
Oh, but friends, there's one thing we can't forget as we struggle to find ourselves and take that road less traveled, all while dealing with life. We have an advantage. God knows our name. He calls us by that name. He even knows our broken parts. And, He still wants to hang out with us and practice that secret handshake.
If it's a broken part, replace it
But, if it's a broken heart then face it
If it's a broken heart then face it
And hold your own
Know your name
Go your own way
Hold your own
Know your own name
And go your own name
This struck me because lately I have been obsessed with names. I think names are so ridiculously important. I don't think we really give names their due. I have a pet peeve, maybe a silly one, but a pet peeve nonetheless. I absolutely hate when expectant parents tell everyone the name of their child-to-be before they give birth. I think names are so intensely personal. God places so much importance on names in the Bible. He changes them when something significant happens in a person's life (i.e., Paul, the artist formerly known as Saul). He says He has called us by name.
Sometimes, I imagine that God has a name for each and every one of us, even before we are born. There's something about that image - God having a secret name for us (and probably a handshake cause God is pretty cool like that) - that makes me feel so loved. I know the Bible says He formed each one of us in the womb. But, He kind of has to do that. Who else can? But, He took the time to name us and call us and get to know us. You don't name things unless you care about them. Have you named your couch?
So when Jason, cause we're so tight I call him by his first name, says 'know your own name' that's a pretty powerful image for me. Obviously, we all know our names, and I think most of you are intelligent enough to know that he's saying know yourself. Know who you are. There are people who spend their entire lives trying to find themselves. And, the truth is, we probably all should engage in a little self-discovery every once in a while, as painful as it can be to turn that light inward.
Really, there is so much I want to say about that short little piece of lyric. Know your name and go your own way. Find yourself and do what it takes to be that person you need to be. So much easier said than done. Especially, when life sees fit to throw you insane obstacles. But, you just have to deal with all those broken parts. You just have to find a way to cope with the situations you've been given.
Oh, but friends, there's one thing we can't forget as we struggle to find ourselves and take that road less traveled, all while dealing with life. We have an advantage. God knows our name. He calls us by that name. He even knows our broken parts. And, He still wants to hang out with us and practice that secret handshake.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
