First Day, First Impressions

"It's your heart, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words. A good person produces good deeds and words season after season" (or school year after school year) Matthew 12:35

Policies, procedures, seating charts,
locker location, combinations, and rolling carts
welcome, welcome, to the first day of school
They sit, listen,and drown themselves in rules
First day labels from K-mart to Abercrombie
standing in lunch lines,staring like a zombie
hiding under bangs or hunting in packs
shoes scuff and scream on squeaky floor wax
copiers jam, lockers slam, BAM!
miles away from those final exams
file folders, plastic pencil holders
salmon upstream in halls, shoulder to shoulder
first impressions, lecture on the first day
never getting to what I really want to say
I have too many what's, no time for the why's
As I long to meet them behind those lost eyes
Beyond my clicking heels and jingling keys
I wish they could see
They matter to You
and they, too, will teach me.

Tell Me Where

"Tell me where you're working —I love you so much—Tell me where you're tending your flocks, where you let them rest at noontime.Why should I be the one left out, outside the orbit of your tender care? " Song of Solomon 1:7

Maya knew why the caged bird sings
Emily had that fly that buzzed
Bobby Frost took the road less traveled
Uncle Walt called honest Abe his captain
Shakespeare compared her to a summer's day
Solomon said her love was better than wine
Painting this flattering portrait of a beloved
university life poured poems out like springs
calender pages turn and dull the senses
hypnotized and tongue-tied, I think I lost him
time after time, he will go his way, I'll go mine
a language I used to sleep with at night
suddenly foreign spicy food that attacks the tongue
underneath it all, there's still an adventure
in the tick tock monotony of parental duties
double homicide of lovers by mom and dad
yet the mystery still calls,
the sweet safari of his inner monologue
but I've become too impatient
to hide in the bushes and wait
to tired to chase and rise early
to travel to his side of the jungle
Lord, forgive me,
I cannot turn back time
But I can turn
Just tell me where.

Out of The Mouths of Babes . . . well, my babe, anyway.

Jesus said, "Yes, I hear them. And haven't you read in God's Word, 'From the mouths of children and babies I'll furnish a place of praise'?" Matthew 21:16

ok, God, I have this fear that when she's older, I'll forget all of the joy and wisdom You give me in this three-year-old, princess-in-training, blonde-bombshell-in-the-making kid of mine, so here . . .

As I sit with my laptop, writing scripts for church, cerebral deep in an imaginary world, she bolts out of her own Barbie world bedroom, and proudly announces "Mommy, guess what? I just prayed to Jesus that I could get that new Prince Derek doll! Can we go buy it now?

First full sentence at 16 months, trying to toddle down our green, gooey pile-littered sidewalk: "Ew, Deez ducks need diapers!"

Along those same lines, two years later, after spotting a particularly stately pile--"Shew! That duck used a lot of energy on that one!"

One morning, as she climbed into our bed holding Pinky (a pink elephant who has seen better days) and her beloved animal blanket, she said "Oh, I love you so much, Mommy. I love how you're so warm." Laying her head on my chest, she adds "you keep me warm with your heart." ( I know, it's just too much.)

On our way to a family reunion, I began listing all the people we would be meeting and explaining how we were all related, she was very quiet, until finally she interrupted and said "Mommy, um, you're talking too much" (something I would expect at thirteen, but three?)

While traveling in the car with my sister-in-law and two year old niece, Lauren was learning not to tattle as I explained. "Let Lauren take care of Lauren and Nora take care of Nora." Lauren looked down at her belly, around the car, cocked her head to the side and said "But there's only one of me!"

At 18 months, after visiting the zoo that day, I hear a loud and long roar coming from her diaper. She smiled and said "Like a lion!" (She gets that from her daddy's side.)

After brushing my teeth one morning, I leaned down to kiss her and she said "Oooh, I like your breath today, mommy. I wish I could eat it."

On the way home from church when she was two, she asked "Does Jesus live in the stars? Maybe we can get my animal blanket and my pinky (the elephant) and get on an airplane, and I'll take a nap and then when I wake up we'll be at Jesus' house!"

One of my favorites is the spontaneous smile followed by a "Mommy, you're my best friend."

Last year, a dear friend from my (Titus 2 in action) women's small group suffered a stroke. Lauren and I went over to her house to help her clean up and get organized since she was to stay in bed for a few more days. I explained to Lauren that we were going to help Deb feel better since she was sick, but not to worry because Jesus was going to make her all better soon. As I was in the kitchen doing some dishes, Lauren and Deb decided to watch some TV together. As I was cleaning up, Deb suddenly walked in with her cane. I asked her what she was doing since she wasn't supposed to be up and about yet. She said she was proving a point to my daughter. While I was doing the laundry, Lauren had leaned over and given Deb a hug and kiss and whispered "Don't worry, Deb. Jesus is fixing you and making you all better. You can get up and play with me now." She smiled and told me "Forgive me if I'm not following doctor's orders, but you're daughter gave me a higher calling . . ."

and one that I think I'll be pondering until my last breath . . .

As I leaned down to kiss her good night and tell her "sweet dreams", she said "Dont' worry, Mommy. People who love Jesus don't see monsters at night."

A Moment

"Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land." Song of Solomon 2:12

Just a moment
leaning down in purple pastell
green grass tickling her toes
golden hair blowing in Your breeze
an innocent instant
of curious complement
"purple like my dress, mommy"
I smile and Thank You for this
break in the clock-watching conundrum
Mt little girl
A summer breeze
A flower
A beautiful gift
A moment with You
in this season of singing
Just
A Moment