Bits: Everywhere

I had a deep post writing itself in my head this past week and then the weekend arrived. Some friends, whom we haven't seen in years, came to visit-- friends who knew us before kids, friends who walked alongside us until a brand new Hope came into our world, friends who had yet to both meet the other 2/3 that now make us Martins Party of Five.

And, man, it was a sweet time of fellowship.

There was a lot to catch up on-- normal pleasantries quickly giving way to the stuff that real life is made of. Good, happy stuff but-- more often than not-- the challenging, hard stuff too. The valleys we've walked or continue to walk through, the ways our faith has been tested, the desires of our hearts and how our purposes continue to unfold. All of that balanced with a delicious dose of silliness and fun.

Suddenly my long winded, previously drafted head post boiled down to practically a single truth. The hard in our lives can often leave us in one of two places-- unable to see the good around and in us or constantly seeing it... everywhere.

I am filled up with the everywhere this Wednesday.

:: My Mama often says I should be out on the sidewalk practicing dance moves with my brother circling me on his bicycle... both of us within the view of her kitchen window. I understand now and my chest tightens a little to think that will someday be me.

Thankfully today I still have this.

:: Similarly I remember that line from Father of the Bride when he says that he cannot imagine coming down to the kitchen table without his daughter there in her nightgown and socks. I so get you, Mr. Banks.

:: A single different colored rose for each of us from our Father of the Brides. Hearts sang.

:: Friends coming to town means baking pies to be eaten way too late on a Friday night.

:: And not letting them escape family dance parties unscathed.

:: The weather lately! A metaphor for life in so many ways. Saturday: Joe's in shorts, we're creek hopping behind our house with the kids, eating potato salad at the picnic table.

Sunday: The skies opened up and, oh, it was pretty-- especially at night. Totally fun to boot. It was the best of both worlds.

:: I scream, you scream, Alysse screams for SNOW CREAM! And smoothies.

:: I love teaching my kids. A random addition workbook page turns repeated addition (multiplication), turns subtraction, turns repeated subtraction (division), turns to-- "What if I had three friends who wanted to share four cookies?"

Hello, my little problem solver, you just taught yourself fractions.

:: Clearly my resolution of one load a day is coming right along. How else could my children play "Buried in Laundry Mountain"?

:: Dear God, I love You God. Your love. Your great. Love, Hope

She wants to know if He will pick up this note and take it to Heaven. I may just have seen her lifting it up high practically expecting it to float on up there. Faith of a child.

I remember three years ago when a lot of everything in my life tried to swallow up the everywhere. I remember that tough time with painful, grateful clarity. For in the remembering how it feels to stumble in some darkness, I keep myself looking ahead into the light of all that is good. It doesn't always prevent the falls, but it sure gives me a hand up before I'm tempted to linger there too long.

How can I not smile?

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. ~Phil 4:8

~Katrina