Tuesday, October 5, 2010

The flying heart....

MUNICH, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 18: The ferry wheel is pictured during the opening day of the Oktoberfest at Theresienwiese on September 18, 2010 in Munich, Germany. 2010 marks the 200th anniversary of Oktoberfest.The Oktoberfest tradition started in 1810 to celebrate the October 12th marriage of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig to the Saxon-Hildburghausen Princess Therese. The citizens of Munich were invited to join in the festivities which were held over five days on the fields in front of the city gates. The main event of the original Oktoberfest was a horse race. The world's biggest beer festival will last this year from September 18 to October 4. (Photo by Alexandra Beier/Getty Images)


It costs a lot of money to go to the fair these days. I had been wanting to go every time I passed by, but I kept thinking how expensive it is. So, even though I have not been in 20 years, I thought we shouldn't spend the money. I knew if I mentioned it to The Bob, he'd be all over it. 1. He's always up for fun. 2. He's not as crabby about money like I am. But one evening, he came home from work and started talking about ride that he had seen that day as he passed by. That was it. It was all I could take. We all happily decided we were going. The next morning I told The Bob, "What if we took our change bucket and wrapped the money in it to help toward the cost." I hadn't lost all my crabby senses about how much it'd cost. His reply, "Do you really think that's necessary?" Me: "Well, it would just help." And he said ok and that it would be good for the kids to see that we don't just spend money like it grows on trees. Cause sometimes they do think that ya know. So the kids and I wrapped the coins and were pleased with our bounty and what the Lord had provided. I told them this way we wouldn't have to worry about how much rides cost, how much a corn dog costs, and we could completely enjoy our fair experience.

There was one member of our family who enjoyed it as it should have been. One who was fearless on rides. One who completely embraced every bit of excitement that he could. Moose. When he rode the ride with his dad in which they take you straight up about 80 ft. in the air and then let you free fall to the bottom, he was fearless. Initially his eyes were big from the shock, but after he released the hoots and hollers of a boy who may have completed a passage to manhood. On a ride that had me screaming, fretting "is this thing gonna hold", and holding on for dear life...Moose held on to nothing. He let loose, held out his arms, and he was flying. And in that moment I saw him flying and the look of joy, contentment, and happiness on his face...my heart was flying, too.

Friday, October 1, 2010

The Real Deal...

HOLLYWOOD - SEPTEMBER 25:  The movie's poster is displayed at the premiere of Samuel Goldwyn Films' 'Fireproof' at the Fire Museum on September 25, 2008 in Hollywood, California.  (Photo by Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images for Samuel Goldwyn Films)
The movie Fireproof is one of my fav-o-rite movies. Remember how the black guy at the firehouse loved the Lord and took so much teasing for it? There's one scene in which Kirk Cameron's character tells another fireman character, "Well, we can say what we want to about him. But we both know. He's the real deal." I looooove that line. I hope people say that about me. I hope I come across as the real deal. Real deal people have so much influence for the Lord. I once read a quote that said, "Live your life so that when others talk bad about you that nobody believes it." I wonder when bad things are said about me, is it so easy to believe it...or not? I hope...how I hope not.

"I just want to be a blessing..."

I got that saying from Heather. And you have to say it in a high pitched voice or it just doesn't work. Heather. She's full of sayings.

And I did want to be a blessing. Cause her Mom is real sick. Cause she's taken on her Mom's care. Heather needed milk, and I needed to serve someone other than myself. She wouldn't tell me she needed the milk, but I knew better. So to the store the kids and I went with me reciting through the store, "A loaf of bread, a gallon of milk, and a stick of buttah." { Sesame Street :) }

The strange thing about blessing others is that usually it means just at much to you, too. There are now two hugs that I will always remember in my friendship with Heather. The one she gave me right after Beth died. And the one I gave her when I took her the groceries. It was done with me trying to keep a light spirit in a dark time. Me teasing her about not coming clean about needing the milk and bread. But there was so much more underneath. It was an "I love you Heather you are so precious to me I can't even describe how sorry I am and did I mention that I love you" Hug. Yep, all that in like a 5 second hug.

She needed milk. I needed that hug.