18 August 2010

plates


You know that guy at the circus with the spinning plates? He has long sticks and he balances breakable plates on the ends of the sticks and the plates are spinning. He's not only doing this with one plate, but with l o t s of plates. He's running around, from plate to plate to plate, making sure none of his plates lose their balance, stop spinning and crash to the ground.
That's me. The plate spinner.
I work delicately to take care of one plate. I get it up and spinning. Tending to it ever so gently.
You see, the plate has to be able to spin on its own. I can't spin for it. So, when it wobbles I run to it. Giving it a nudge, waiting with protective hands.
And then I step back - to watch and wait.
Watching and waiting are hard things.
It reminds me of this verse:
"Be still and know that I am God."
-Psalm 46:10

"
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.

Trusting the Lord is not an easy task. Sometimes we have to trust that He DOES know what's going on. That he IS in charge.

16 August 2010

8

Ugh. There are only 8 days of summer left.
Well, technically, "summer" is still in full force. And for The Rest Of The World, summer will continue for several more weeks. It's still blazing hot outside. So hot, I even get sweaty driving my van out of the garage. Even still, I "kicked" the kids outside one day last week.
(Imagine the voice of a dictator.)
OK! It's time to go outside! Enough computer! Enough TV! Enough Xbox! Enough texting! Go outside!

What are we supposed to do out THERE?
I don't want to go out THERE!

moan moan whine whine
Go find something to do. Just sit on the porch swing. Run around in circles (actually, I did tell one of them to go outside and run around the house 5 times once in an act of desperation). I don't care. Just go outside for 20 minutes.


They came in 5 minutes later, they had already become dehydrated, you know.

Even though our community pool is out
THERE, they love going. They must not realize it's also outside. And I love the pool. There are no computers of TV's at the pool. Ah, there is also no laundry. No bills. No dishes. It's bliss.
It will remain open until September ... I don't want to count those remaining days, but I do know it's more than 8. I could take them to school and go to the pool by myself. Wow.
But, I'm not a mom who jumps for joy when school starts. I love having everyone home. I love the floppy pajama days of summer. Uno tournaments. Connect 5 (You have to get 4 in a row? I thought you had to get 5 in a row. Why do you think they call it Connect 4?). Disney movie festivals. Reading. Sleeping late. Staying up late. Late night runs to Rita's. That chlorine/sunscreen smell.
8.
I think we are heading to the pool.