Good Friends, Summer, Special Days, and Lost Shoes

Good Friends

3 days this week we spent some good quality time hanging out and talking with friends. I love watching my wife light up and engage in conversation - loving on and enjoying the people who are important to her - to us. We are not extroverts, but company brings out the best in both of us, I think.

Summer

Our backyard has a large box elder tree with a swing, and an even taller European linden tree that flowers with these strange light green wisps giving it a great rich two tone hue this time of year. Tonight around twilight the lawn was freshly mowed and the garden was weeded and most of the toys were picked up. The sprinkler was running. I plugged in the strands of white Christmas lights that run through our patio awning, and just soaked in the crisp summer air, feeling the misted grass between my toes. I love summer in Colorado. I love our backyard.

Special Days

Amanda and I have been married 10 years. She asked me, over dinner as we celebrated, what some of my favorite memories were from these ten years. I had a few significant ones to share. But right now the only thing that occupies my mind are glimpses of her joy finding expression in sparkling laughing eyes, - her nurture metered out to an infant asleep on her chest, - her contentment seated beside me holding hands on the couch. Truly, it is all the little insignificant memories of these last 10 years of blessings that make me long for more.

To the next 10 and beyond sweetie!

Lost Shoes

I found two navy blue crocs in the bathroom tonight. They are beloved, well worn, and sized perfectly for a 5 year old boy. The house was dark, and everyone else was asleep. I looked at them and remembered all the frustration that ensued hours before when these shoes could not be found.

"They're not in the shoe basket, not in your room, not in the backyard buried in the sand, not in the playroom, not in the basement, not in the car, not in the living room, not in the kitchen , not in the dining room. None of the normal places you lose them. Maybe you need to go barefoot to remember to put your shoes away!"

*sigh*

They are really small shoes, sized perfectly for a 5 year old boy, sitting there on the bath mat next to the tub with foam cutouts to stick on the glass during bath time. I love the little feet that fill those shoes. He deserves better than my aggravated impatience. I'm going to miss those really small crocs when they are replaced with size 15 sneakers. And even more when they won't be found on my floor anymore.

Lord Jesus, hear mr prayers, petitions, and thanksgiving for good friends, Summer, special days, and especially for lost shoes!

I Will Rise

"I'm on fire when you're near me. I'm on fire when you speak."

Sunday worship has been moving me to speechless silence and tears. The experience is a potent visceral oomph like my chest is opened and waves of joy and praise are lapping my soul as I raise my hands to heaven. There is NOTHING that compares to my invitation into His life. There is no sensation as tremendous as pure worship. Not sex. Not Drugs. Not Alcohol. Nothing compares...

Nothing.

"Yes, I will rise when he calls my name!"