Because of His Grace, it IS a Wonderful Life!

This morning Brighton seemed to be coming down the stairs awfully early.  

Jeff asked, “Have you brushed your teeth?”

Paused on the stairs, “Almost.”

“And how do you “almost” brush your teeth?”

“Well, I did it half way.”

~*~

This same morning as I was headed up to awaken them to start the day, I stepped over a piece of notebook paper and saw that it was something intended for me.  

“Dear Darling Mother,

If it pleases you, will you wake me up at 6:30 sharp?  I wish to start my chores, practice pano (I forgot where the “I” goes) and do my BSF lesson.  I will be so grateful and pleased.  I am sorry for __________.  I had vowed not to speak to you, but that was not right. I love you.

Your grateful daughter, 

Julia Sanders”

There’s your peek.  And so goes the day~ always interesting, always dramatic and ever changing.  Julia and Brighton are 4th and 2nd graders this year and continue to enjoy their same activities.  Julia is not intimidated by my sewing machine that, for me,  sends chills down my spine.  Her ballet moves have turned into words I cannot say, much less spell and maybe next to watching her dance, I love to watch her play the piano {I know where the “i” goes}.  She plays critical roles in keeping our home running smoothly but her favorite roles are the ones she plays in her mind in centuries long gone.  She’s torn between iTouches and out of print books, North Face jackets and crocheted shawls.  She’s delightful to talk with, that is,  if you can find her without a book.  Then it gets a little difficult.  Day after day, I am blessed by her.

Brighton, in the best sort of way, doesn’t care what she’s doing.  He’ll talk to her at 3am- and to you at 3am , if he found you.  I’m never worried about him while he is playing out in the neighborhood, because I can always hear him above all the others.  I know he has not gone far.  And if for some reason I miss an injury, a scrape, a spin, a roll, a jump, a dance ~ no worries, he thrives on instant replays.  Sometimes that means I just get to see it twice.  He is enthusiastic about baseball, not so enthusiastic about reading {if there aren’t rewards after the last page}, enthusiastic about picking out his own tunes on the piano, not so enthusiastic about reading music, enthusiastic about all things Dad, not so enthusiastic about chores.  He singlehandedly makes it safe for you to walk in our backyard.  And the icing on this cute little cake?  He may be the most relational person I know and he flourishes in a room full of people or with just you.

By God’s grace, Tarrant Net is still going well.  Jeff and his staff recently met with a group of pastors that will serve as a new pastoral leadership team in 2012.  October brought the second county wide Faith in Action where 56 churches and thousands of believers of all denominations invaded our county with good deeds and major service projects.

The animals stood around his bed. And the whole earth and all the stars and sky held its breath....”The One who made us has come to live with us!”  And a young mother with no place to rest, nowhere to stay, kept it as a song inside her heart..... 

“OUR RESCUER!” 

And they gazed in wonder at God’s great gift.  Lying on a bed of straw wrapped in rags-- a tiny little baby.  Heaven’s Son sleeping under the stars He made.

Song of the Stars by Sally Lloyd Jones

Rescue us!  Emmanuel!  God with us!  Praise be to God!