braces

a trip to the orthodontist
in preparation for the big day
little rubber bands
jammed between her molars

today her mouth hurts
as the teeth protest the move
and a diet of jello and pudding
is quickly growing old

two weeks and counting
until the big day of braces
she is actually excited
in that unknown kind of way

i took a moment
to look at her smile
being with her dad for the summer
i don't see it much

(well, i don't see it much
anyway
she is almost twelve
after all)

i watched those big teeth
in her small mouth
and thought back to a time
when her teeth were small too

she'll be twelve on sunday
it's so hard for me to believe
she's almost as tall as i am
but in her mind, she's much taller

every year
as the birthdays pass
i wonder just where the time has gone
and how they got to be so big

so yes
she is excited about her braces
i'm sure the novelty will wear off
way too quickly

but for me
those braces symbolize
yet another step forward
another step in growing up

and i wonder just where oh where
my little baby girl has gone
but i look forward to watching
her blossom into a young woman of God

pretty smile and all

julio

Meet Julio. He's 5 and from the Dominican Republic. He lives with his mom and dad and one sibling.

He's also the newest member of our family. Well, kinda. We are sponsoring him through Compassion International. I love their motto: Releasing children from poverty in Jesus' name. How cool is that? By committing to give monthly, we help ensure that Julio will receive medical and dental care, be able to attend school, and be given at least one balanced meal a day. Most importantly, he will be involved in a program that will teach him about Jesus Christ.

For a long time now, I've had it on my heart to sponsor a child. Ever since I was a little girl, I've felt the God-hurt of compassion when I see people suffering. It just doesn't make any sense to me. I want to reach out and put my arms around them and help them know it's going to be okay. The children are what touch me the most. They have no control over their circumstances, nor do their little hearts understand what is happening. Luckily, they are resilient but that doesn't mean it's easy.

I think that if I hadn't got married and had a child so young, I would have ended up in some foreign country loving the daylights out of some kids. That's actually still a dream I have. I hope one day to have the financial resources to be able to go on mission trips. Right now, it just isn't feasible monetarily but someday. There is no fuller feeling of Christ than loving and working hard in His name. Sometimes God has to take our mistakes and make blessings out of them. And I am blessed for the road I've taken, and I wouldn't trade my daughter for all the love in the world. I'm just saying that I have always felt the pull of these kids.

I hope to make this a family project. It takes you out of your comfort zone to think of another's needs. My kids need that. They forget or don't care about how blessed they are. Unfortunately, they are materialistic. Common for a kid, but worth working on. What better way for them to understand than to show them an actual child who they can pray for and write letters to? Julio's favorite activity is baseball and that will go over well here. I also picked a child close to my son's age so it would make it more real for us.

I'm not saying this is for you. But I do ask that you think about it. We are so incredibly blessed and we could, in turn, pass that blessing on to another family. That's what being a follower of Christ is all about.

washin' up jesus

The title is what my son used to say when we would go to church and worship Jesus. I was really touched by a song we sang yesterday at church. It truly felt like worship in my heart. I wanted to share the lyrics with you. I don't know who has the copyright on the song. I looked online and saw the name John L. Bell, and also the name Robert Kochis associated with it. Whoever it is, great song!

The Summons

Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don't know and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown? Will you let my name be known?
Will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?

Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?

Will you love the "you" you hide if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you've found to reshape the world around,
Through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?

Lord, your summons echoes true when you but call my name,
Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.
In Your company I'll go where your love and footsteps show,
Thus I'll move and live and grow in you and you in me.

Definitely food for thought. A clear statement of what Jesus calls us to be. Do you hear Him calling? Can you hear the freedom in following Him? I hope this began your week with a blessing, like it did for me.

do you like it?

First things first - did I really say ta ta for now in my last post? Yes, yes I did. And I'm sorry about that. I guess I was just excited about finding a FREE template online!

Now that I've gotten that out of the way, how do you like my new look? I've always gravitated towards water scenes, lighthouses and darker colors because the title of my blog makes me think of those things. But what I love about this look is the different flowers. It reminded me of the many different emotions that we feel. Each one is different. My favorite part would have to be the raindrops. Because even when it rains, something is growing. I've been really learning that a lot lately.

I was waiting for someone to ask if the new, brighter template reflected that I was doing better with the whole fog thing. And it didn't take long - it was the first thing Handsome (my hubby) asked when he saw it. All I can say is that it is complicated. I have been studying about emotions and what God has to say about them. What I am learning has been a big surprise to me.

I'll be back soon to discuss what I'm learning because it might just be helpful to someone out there. Also there are New York pictures to share - because really there is nothing more riveting than pictures of other people's vacation, right?

Have a great weekend everyone!