reset button

On Saturday, we went to get school supplies that we still needed to check off the list before school starts soon. There was some indecision when it came to you picking out a notebook and some frustration from Taylor about negotiating for a few items that he wanted to get.  After a bit of prodding in the store, we reached some resolution for you both and talked about better communication that you all could use in the future.  As we got in the car, you surprised me by apologizing to me and then giving each other a little tap on the nose and telling me that you had pushed your "reset" buttons.  We had an experience like this two summers ago (see below for the post I copied for you), and I love that this has now become part of our family vocabulary. I sure need a reset button at least once a day- so glad that we can help each other begin again, Anna. :) 

 

hamming it up at home when I asked you to push your reset button 

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

the reset button 

I've had some computer issues lately and have had to simply push the reset button a few times to get the computer unstuck from whatever glitch was going on. 

Yesterday afternoon, I was reminded that we too need those restart buttons when things get out of whack. 

After a great day with Eva yesterday at Lincoln Park, we had planned to run over to Green Lake for a pre-dinner swim. As we got home later than we expected from dropping her off at her house, it caused a bit of a problem as it was kids' cooking night and Jason had to be somewhere at 8. With the time we had, we knew that we had to figure out some compromises in order to make it all happen.  Taylor really wanted to cook. Anna really wanted to go swim. Jason and I were looking forward to the run.  After going around a few times, we figured out a plan to make it all work out, but in the mix, there was some tension and stress. I said to everyone at one point that we needed to all begin again and have a fresh start. I joked and asked Anna where her "reset" button was and we figure out that it was on her nose. So, I pushed her nose and we both smiled. 

We got the lasagna made, the kids hopped on their bikes, Jason and I put on our running shoes, 

and we headed to Green Lake while dinner was cooking. 

Running is definitely my reset button, and it was so good for my soul to be out on such a 

gorgeous evening running fast with Jason down to the lake.  

And there is something about being in the water that is good for my soul too-- 

refreshing and freeing...

We jumped in and enjoyed a beautiful swim in the lake for a bit and a few leaps off the diving board.  At one point, I swam over to Jason, told him about my chat with Anna about the "reset" button,  pushed his nose and gave him a hug.  

Ahhhh.... 

it was a big exhale

 for us all to have this mini-adventure together 

to recharge and start afresh. 

And, then we dried off the best we could and ran home. It turned out to be a fabulous evening.  

I told Anna and Taylor over dinner that one of the best invitations we have from God is the chance to begin again over and over during the course of a day.  The best thing we can do in our relationships is to offer that chance to others to start over and to begin again with grace, forgiveness and love. 

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases and his mercies NEVER come to an end. They are new every morning. 

I am so thankful for the faithfulness that never fails and that gives us the chance to reset 

anytime, 

anywhere. 

(with or without a little touch on the nose....) 

tucking Anna in last night with a reset button... 

just a little press on the nose is all it takes... :) 

family trek to Green Lake last night 

glory, glory. 

reset.... 

quite the treat to have these emerging little chefs here under our roof... 

Snow Lake

I know there is really no such thing as a "perfect day", but I think that you and I may have just had one.... We all were supposed to be in the Methow Valley this weekend with BC and Jodi, but with the horrible news about the fires there and the surrounding areas being evacuated, we changed our plans and had a free weekend ahead of us. When I suggested a family campout up to Snow Lake on Saturday, you were really the only one who was enthusiastic about it so we decided to head out on a mother/daughter campout yesterday afternoon. We had the BEST time and I am so grateful for such a beautiful hike and for a fabulous 24 hour getaway with you. Lots of good time to talk on the trail and bond together jumping in a freezing cold lake together... pure gold!

Thank you for being up for the adventure and for such a WONDERFUL time!! 

really hazy yesterday due to all the smoke in the air from the fires in Eastern WA... so sad!! 

pixie dust indeed... 

a little bit of heaven.... 

best hammock!! 

  

I loved evening prayer and morning prayer together, Anna... so special to be in that beautiful spot talking to God together....

a campsite right near the lake- such a sweet spot!! 

Sunday morning 

p.s. 

what I said: "you look like a little snake in this picture!" 

what you heard: "You look like a little steak in this picture!" 

soul friends

below is a reflection written by our friend Susanne Hassell about anam charas ... "soul friends"... I am giving thanks today for your friendship with Kate and the answer to prayer that has been that God has given you a kindred spirit in her. 

Anam Charas (Soul Friends)

In everyone’s life, there is great need for an anam chara, a soul friend. In this love you are understood as you are without mask or pretension. The superficial and functional lies and half-truths of acquaintance fall away. You can be as you truly are….The anamchara is God’s gift…  (John O’Donohue)

Just as Jesus lived in community, we are created to need one another. Within His wider community, Jesus walked closely with twelve disciples and even more intimately with Peter, James, and John. He invited these three to share in His high moments, like the Transfiguration, and His lowest points, like Gethsemane. Everyone needs a few deep friends – those who know who we are, as well as what we do; who laugh and play and pray together; who intentionally offer support and encouragement, reminding us of our true belovedness before God. Such a healthy, interdependent friendship reflects the love of the Trinity.

Over the years I adopted so many masks and roles that I lost sight of who I really was. When I found the courage to speak my questions and doubts within a small group, I was not taken seriously (“You’re too hard on yourself”) or my feelings were dismissed with pithy phrases (“Don’t feel like that. God knows what’s best for you.”) I longed for a few friends with whom I could re-discover my true self and learn to speak my truth.

Such relationships don’t just happen; they require a prayerful desire, searching, and intentional sharing of hearts. The Gaelic name for this type of friendship is anam chara, meaning soul friend. The anam chara acts as mentor, companion, prayer partner, and spiritual guide. The emphasis is on spiritual companionship and direction instead of today’s romantic notion of the “soul-mate.” The relationship is much deeper and often lasts a lifetime.

Read how important having an anam chara was for Celtic Christians:

Go forth and eat nothing until you get a soul-friend,

for anyone without a soul-friend is,

like a body without a head;

is like the water of a polluted lake,

neither good for drinking nor for washing.

That is the person without a soul-friend.

(St. Brigit of Kildare)

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

put a bird on it

Dear Anna,

I thought it would be fun for you to get a long letter when you are at Uncle Jim’s in CA.

I love that our verse to memorize this month is from Matthew 6 as that is something that I was meditating on last week while you were at camp.  One night last week after my class, I got to go over to Libby Chapman's house as she has opened up her home this summer a few times for "Space for God". We did Lectio Divina together (reading a passage 4 times and sharing reflections on it).   She talked about how sometimes we have apps on our phone that we don't even know are open but they are draining the battery from our phone.  (You are often the one to close those apps for me on my phone because I don’t even realize how many I have open!!)  In the same way, there are some anxieties we carry around that we may not even realize are there that are draining life out of us.  

We read Matthew 6 in these two translations below which made them come alive to me. 

Matthew 6:24-34 The Voice Translation 

24 No one can serve two masters. If you try, you will wind up loving the first master and hating the second, or vice versa. People try to serve both God and money—but you can’t. You must choose one or the other.

25 Here is the bottom line: do not worry about your life. Don’t worry about what you will eat or what you will drink. Don’t worry about how you clothe your body. Living is about more than merely eating, and the body is about more than dressing up. 26 Look at the birds in the sky. They do not store food for winter. They don’t plant gardens. They do not sow or reap—and yet, they are always fed because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are even more precious to Him than a beautiful bird. If He looks after them, of course He will look after you. 27 Worrying does not do any good; who here can claim to add even an hour to his life by worrying?

28 Nor should you worry about clothes. Consider the lilies of the field and how they grow. They do not work or weave or sew, and yet their garments are stunning. 29 Even King Solomon, dressed in his most regal garb, was not as lovely as these lilies. 30 And think about grassy fields—the grasses are here now, but they will be dead by winter. And yet God adorns them so radiantly. How much more will He clothe you, you of little faith, you who have no trust?

31 So do not consume yourselves with questions: What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear? 32 Outsiders make themselves frantic over such questions; they don’t realize that your heavenly Father knows exactly what you need. 33 Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then all these things will be given to you too. 34 So do not worry about tomorrow. Let tomorrow worry about itself. Living faithfully is a large enough task for today.

Matthew 6:24-34The Message (MSG)

24 “You can’t worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you’ll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can’t worship God and Money both.

25-26 “If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.

27-29 “Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.

30-33 “If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

34 “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

As we took some time to be quiet and to reflect on these passages, Libby suggested that we could try to write out the scripture in our own words and apply things that might be worrying us at times.  Among other reflections about trust and faith, many of the significant people in my life came to mind.  And of course you are among those most dear to my heart, Anna…

"Don't worry about Anna. Look at the birds of the air. They do not store food for winter. They don't plant gardens.  They don't sow or reap- and yet they are fed and tended to because God feeds them. And don't forget that Anna is more precious to Him than a beautiful bird.  If He looks after them, of course He will look after Anna.”

I laughed in thinking about the Portlandia skit that made this quote famous: "Put a bird on it". I think that's indeed the best thing to do. Why not just "put a bird on it" so that I will be reminded not to worry and to be reminded that we are more precious to Him than a beautiful bird.  

I am praying that you will see some beautiful birds while you are there in CA and that these will be sweet reminders to you like a tender kiss on the cheek that God loves you.

feeding the wolves

There is an old story sometimes attributed to the Cherokee about a boy and his grandfather watching two wolves fighting. One wolf represents Fear and the other is Courage. Their fight is vicious. There’s a lot of angry fangs and blood and claws. 
The boy asks his grandfather, “Which wolf will win the fight?” 
The old man says, “The one you feed.” 

The idea is simple. If you spend your time feeding your fears, that “wolf” will win. If you feed your courage (also can be referred to as love), it will win. 

The thing is, it’s completely true. 
To put this another way, what you focus on ... grows. 

I read this today and thought of you in how you have handled camp this week. Monday was difficult with the disappointment of not being put in the group you had hoped and because of feeling discouraged because you had not practiced as much as you wanted this summer. But then you jumped back in on Tuesday and had a great day making the best of it and coming home with a smile on your face.  As the story says above, what you focus on grows. I am thankful for your grit and your ability to shift gears this week. I can't wait to hear your concert on Friday night! :)