Hello little one.

I got to meet a friend’s baby over the weekend.   She was born about three months ago.     I really should have gotten myself together to hold this little one sometime sooner.   Sigh.  Life gets too busy sometimes.    

My friend is a gentle person.  She’s also brilliant.   It’s a good combination.    She and her husband used to live very close.   We used to be on each other’s speed dial and you could count on pretty frequent double dates.    Actually, more like large group dates with lots of couples.   We used to go out for Chinese food.   I always ordered the number 9.   Hold the sweet and sour chicken.  Add Pork Fried Rice.     

I remember the day they told us they were moving.  They invited us over because they had news they wanted to share.   I thought for sure they were pregnant and were going to be the first of us to have a baby.    I was wrong. 

 I remember they day they moved.    I cried.   Sobbed more was like it.   We both did.   We stood in a parking lot as they were getting ready to drive away to go to school out-of-state.    We hugged.   We cried.  Neither of us could talk.   Eventually our husbands dragged us away and put us in cars and off they went.   

It was totally right that they moved.   I’m incredibly proud of them both for reaching goals and accomplishing much.  I’m proud of them for doing what they knew was the right thing to do even though it was the hard thing to do.    I still miss them though.  

Saturday was a birthday party.  A whole pile of children merged in the lawn and yelled and ate cake and generally caused  a ruckus.   I enjoyed watching my friend’s kids play together with my child.    It was sunny.   Ah sunshine. 

 I sat in a chair and held my friend’s baby.    Her toes grasped my finger when I tickled her foot.    Her Winnie the Pooh hat had a strap that kept tickling her nose.    She’s old enough to smile.   

I got absolutely nothing accomplished on Saturday.   I watched my child play.   I held my friend’s baby.    It was perfect.

Let it shine.

My daughter and I were driving to play practice today.   It was raining.   This is not surprising.  It’s March in the Northwest.   I was running late.  This is also not surprising.   It’s a Saturday.    I don’t know about you but when I think of the ideal Saturday it does not include an alarm clock in the morning.   It includes a large breakfast and pajamas until noon.

However, sacrifices must be made when important things come up.   Our church has its annual presentation of Bow the Knee in about two weeks.  Bow the Knee is a musical about the death and resurrection of Jesus told from the vantage point of a Roman soldier.    Since the play is in two weeks, practices are in full swing and so lazy Saturday mornings are on hold.

I’m married to one of the Roman Soldiers.  I think he enjoys the tough growling and marching as a balance to all the pink and frills he’s surrounded by living at our house.   I like the costume although it’s a little odd to see my husband with that much makeup.   My daughter is a peasant girl.  We lost her costume in the move over the summer so later today we’re headed to the fabric store.   I don’t sing and I don’t act but over the past nine years I have developed some skills were styrofoam is concerned.   I’m on the set design crew.  Mostly I just do what I’m told.

Today I was told to have the four-year old at practice, so I dutifully put on my clothes and dragged us both out to the car and we were driving in the rain.    My daughter asked “Mom, where is the sun?  I can’t see it.”    I said, “Oh honey, the sun is still there, it’s just covered in clouds and rain.”   She responded “Mom, how does the sun still light the world when it’s covered up”.     I grinned.   What a perfect teachable moment.    “Honey, the sun is strong enough to give us light even when it’s covered up.”.    She said “I know, because God is powerful.”   And the child becomes the teacher. 

You see, the Son is powerful too.  Powerful enough to shine His light to the world even when it’s covered up.   And that is why we spend our Saturday mornings at play practice.

Want tickets?

http://www.lbnaz.org/bow-the-knee-easter-musical/