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This Far

Dec 16th, 2009 by Amy

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This year, as December approached, I found myself in a reflective state of mind – pondering the passing year and what the New Year may bring.  I get this way when December rolls around.  Usually I find myself in awe of what God has done, the miracles, and His goodness to me, and my family.  This time, however, I struggled to see the wonder of the past year and even more to anticipate a better 2010.  Depressing as this may sound, 2009 was – simply stated – an unexceptional year.  Without going into a lot of detail, I would have to say that my hopes and dreams and list of things I was believing God for in the year 2009 never materialized…at least not as of the first of December.  In my brief review and reflection I was disappointed…and even worse, I wasn’t feeling all that excited about the year to come.

 

Then, something happened.  It wasn’t a mind blowing, heart pounding, once in a lifetime kind of event.  In fact, it wasn’t just one something that happened.  It started with my quiet time.  It started with a Psalm.

 

Psalm 40:1-3, 5

I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.  He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.  He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.  Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.  Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done.  The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.

 

This passage triggered a memory of another scripture I had studied way back in April:

 

I Chronicles 17:16

“Who am I, O Lord God, a what is my family, that you have brought us this far?”

 

I was feeling pretty convicted as I read, and re-read those scriptures over and over.  In fact, the following morning I opened my Bible and meditated on them again.  And then again the next morning.  And the morning after that.  And every single day in December thus far. 

 

It occurred to me that, while I hadn’t seen the one, big miracle I believed would be evidence of God’s presence and provision for the year, there were dozens and dozens of little miracles throughout the course of 2009.  So many that “were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.”  Looking once again at my family, and what God had done in our lives, internally and externally, I found myself frozen with gratitude for God’s graciousness to us.  That He had brought us this far.  That he had brought us through another year…evidence of His mercy, His love, His attention to every detail of our lives.  I recalled His protection, His provision of our daily needs, and His peace in the midst of the many ups and downs we’ve encountered.

 

This realization has been profound and humbling to me.  Just because I didn’t see God work the way I wanted Him to, or expected Him to, does not mean He wasn’t working.  He was just doing it His way – the best way.  He makes all things beautiful: the pain, the struggle, the disappointments and hurts.  He weaves them together with the threads of hope, grace, humor and unconditional love to produce a tapestry of indescribable depth and beauty.

 

I will remember this year forever.  Not as the year that “that one thing happened”, but as the year that God had brought us this far.  His wonders were too many to recount.  The favor of His hand was in the breathtaking brush strokes of the ordinary, the uncertain, the pain and even the little miracles of life.  Amazing to me that once again, He has brought us this far.

 

What about you?  Can you say that God has brought you this far?  I hope so.  I hope that if you are struggling to see it just now, that you will discover the wonders God has done before the year ends.  And I hope you too will be able to say:

 

“Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought us this far?”

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Posted in Faith, Grace | 5 Comments »

Easy Button

Dec 8th, 2009 by Amy

I need an easy button. 

 

Running errands yesterday on less than a quarter tank of gas, calculating how much cash I have to spend, how much I’ve spent, how many more gifts I need to buy, how can I make due with what I’ve got, and can I make it to the cheap gas station before the “low fuel” light starts blinking, I secretly wished I could press a button and everything would end up working out perfectly…easily.

 

Then, last night when my six-year-old decided she couldn’t sleep and woke up her siblings right around the time I was getting ready to crawl into bed myself, I thought how nice it would be to have an easy button right about now.  Instead of a bedtime battle, screaming and tears there would be sugarplum fairies prancing and dancing my daughter to sleep. 

 

Just this morning as I was trying to get out the door for a Christmas brunch, Jackson insisted on wearing his new mittens.  I couldn’t find them (I only bought them yesterday!), and ended up rummaging through the winter accessories basket in the coat closet.  Scarves, hats and mismatched glove sets were strewn all over the floor.  Irritated, I started looking for an easy button hiding in the knitted mess. 

 

It didn’t stop there.  Pulling Jackson’s mittens on to his little hands proved more difficult than expected.  He couldn’t seem to grasp the concept of separating his thumb from the rest of his fingers thus culminating all his frustration into one gigantic outburst as I worked feverishly to find his lost thumbs: “Jackson, give me your thumb.  Put your thumb here.  Stop fighting me.  Do you really want to wear these mittens?  Then you need to cooperate with me.”  Ugh.  Easy button?

 

Errands before the brunch, errands after the brunch (I seem to be running errands a lot these days), I figured I deserved a little “me” time when we got home.  Jackson screamed when I put him down for a nap (press “easy” now), Brooklyn followed me downstairs playing twenty questions (or something of that nature), and I realized that having time for myself was probably not going to happen. 

 

Then, BAM, I hit my own easy button; something internal, I really can’t explain it.  Suddenly I was inspired to start our Christmas baking.  Donning our aprons and Christmas music blaring, Brooklyn became my sous chef as we measured, mixed, stirred and rolled out the most scrumptious of holiday treats.  I can still smell the peppermint from our candy cane cookies – a family favorite. 

 

In that brief span of time – baking with Brooklyn, then taste testing our yummy confections – being a mom became as easy and sweet as our holiday candy fudge bars.  The stress I was feeling rolled right off my back, and when Jackson woke up I felt like a brand new mommy. 

 

With one click of the easy button I was armed and ready to search for Jackson’s “Lightning McQueen” car (that he loses multiple times a day), help Brooklyn “type” an e-mail on the computer, clean out my fridge and freezer, tidy up the kitchen and sweep the floors.  All before 4:30pm.  Easily completed so that I could have a few minutes to write this post for my blog. 

 

I may not have discovered a tangible easy button, but I learned a lesson far more valuable.  It is actually one I tried to teach to Sydney this morning before she left for school.  It’s all about the attitude.  We don’t always have control over our circumstances and the junk that comes at us day in and day out, but we do have control over how we look at life.  If we think we’re going to have a bad day, then we probably will (the world out there is merciless and will no doubt gladly contribute to the badness).  However, if we change our perspective, even just a little bit, it can be the catalyst for an absolutely amazing afternoon – as I learned so well today.

Posted in Life, Motherhood, Random | 2 Comments »

Time In The Bustle Of Christmas

Nov 30th, 2009 by Amy

Dashing through the store

With my cart leading the way

‘Or the aisles I go

Laughing all the way!

Here and there I dart

Searching for a steal

Oh what fun it is to shop

And find the perfect deal.

Oh…Jingle bells

Jingle bells

Jingle all the way!

 

‘Tis the season for crazy drivers, holiday deals, gift wrapping, cookie baking, carols, parties, gifts, cards, hustling and bustling through the all of the holiday festivities.  As much as I have wanted to sit at the computer and focus on deep thoughts and life lessons, the busyness of the season pulls me away…continuously.  Instead of pouring out my heart in a post, I am pouring over online discounts and free shipping specials in order to tick a few more items off of my Christmas list.

 

I’ve been working on a series for the past several months, but have become slightly distracted.  One of the posts in this series is about simplifying my time…my priorities.  I realize that the holidays are one of those seasons in the year when the pace of life picks up, but only lasts for a short period of time.  The next few weeks for us are jam-packed with concerts, shows and church activities.  I must confess, I do love it.  Sadly, a few things tend to get neglected:  my house, for one, and basic routine tasks and chores.  It’s not the end of the world that my house is not completely put together and orderly.  I can handle that.  However, one thing that cannot fall by the wayside for me is my quiet time with the Lord.  As I was re-reading the post that I hope to soon publish I realized that when life gets busy, and my time no longer belongs to me, there remains one thing that I can’t let go of: quiet time.  Time with God.  Time to pray.  Time to reflect.  Time to thank.  Time to sit in the presence of God and allow Him to strengthen me, lead me and guide me through the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season.

 

When all is said and done, Christmas is about Jesus anyway.  There’s really no point in all of the festivities if my mind and heart aren’t centered in Him to begin with.

 

So if I seem a little distant, and the posts aren’t as regular, just know that I am fully engaging in the spirit of Christmas.  

 

And I truly hope and pray that you are too. 

Posted in Life, Random | 1 Comment »

Count Your Blessings (instead of sheep)

Nov 25th, 2009 by Amy

One of my favorite songs from the beloved classic “White Christmas” is a duet sung by Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney.  The song is titled “Count Your Blessings” and begins with these simple lyrics:

 

If you’re worried and you can’t sleep

Just count your blessings instead of sheep

And you’ll fall asleep counting your blessings.

 

I’m counting my blessings.  Even the ones that seem a bit shallow – they still count.  Here is a short list I’ve compiled of a few things I am thankful for today:

 

  • My Heavenly Father – without Him I don’t know where I would be.

 

  • Joel – read here for a more detailed explanation.

 

  • My children – my reasons are simply indescribable.

 

  • My family – and the fact that my sister is already planning my 40th birthday party which is a little over four years from now.  (To be perfectly honest, I’m not sure how I feel about this.)

 

  • I’m thankful that what I thought was a bright, white hair in my head was actually a piece of lint. 

 

  • I’m thankful for staying up until the wee hours of the morning talking and laughing with friends (even though it takes me a week to recover).  I’ll sacrifice sleep for friends any day!

 

  • That a couple who thought their adoption fell through are now the proud parents of a beautiful baby boy! 

 

  • My home.  We have a roof over our head, beds to sleep in, food to eat, clean clothes and (if I really stay on top of things) a well vacuumed floor.  Home doesn’t have to be big.  Home doesn’t have to have all the latest and greatest appliances and gadgets.  Home is a shelter and safe haven for my family.  I’m so grateful for our home.

 

  • Les Schwab.  (I threw this one in for my husband – he’s made quite a few visits there recently.)

 

  • Hope.  I am overwhelmed by the hope we have day in and day out.  Life happens (quite frequently at my house), but in the midst of it all I have hope.  God is faithful.  God works all things for good- even four flat tires and a blow-out.  God sees everything and holds us firmly in His hands.  He is my hope, and truly the reason I can get up and get moving every single day. 

 

I could easily keep the list of blessings going, filled with detailed testimonies of God’s faithfulness throughout the year.  I know I am not alone.  I am certain we could sit around with a cup of coffee and share all of the wonderful ways God has been good to us.  I hope your Thanksgiving allows you time to stop and reflect (perhaps between turkey basting’s) on your own blessings.  And if you are worried, if you are coming to the end of the year and still waiting on your miracle, and if you can’t sleep tonight, may you count your blessings (even the blessings of the past).  May you be reminded of how faithful God was, how faithful He is, and how faithful He is going to be!

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Posted in Faith, Life | 1 Comment »

Show & Tell

Nov 20th, 2009 by Amy

Our deep early morning conversation began like this:

 

Sydney: “Mom, do you remember when I was a little girl?  You know…when I was five years old?”

 

Me: “Why, yes I do.” because that was all of six months ago.  (I know I’ve been forgetting a lot of things since I became a mom of three, but a five-year-old Sydney?  This I do remember.)

 

Sydney: “I was a cute kid.”

 

Working hard to stifle a laugh, I concurred: “Yep.  You were a very cute kid.  And you still are.”

 

Sydney has show-and-tell today at school.  She is supposed to bring something that she is thankful for.  Sydney decided that she wanted me to be her show-and-tell.  Today, I am the object of her affection.  My highly challenging, deeply intuitive and strong – both in will and passion – daughter wants to show me off to her entire first grade class as the thing she is most thankful for. 

 

I’ve never been so honored to be an object.

 

I’m going to take this day, put it in my heart and never let it go. 

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Posted in From The Mouth Of Babes, Motherhood | 2 Comments »

A Mighty Tree

Nov 16th, 2009 by Amy

This morning as I was driving Sydney to school, a huge gust of wind came rushing through; blowing leaves and dirt and bending tender tree branches low to the ground.  Sydney was impressed.  Even the large and sinewy evergreens waved to us as we listened to the rustle and howl.  Finally, once the flurry subsided, Sydney asked me, “Mom, will the wind knock those trees over?  Will they start flying at our car?”  “No,”  was my reply.  I went on to explain that those trees have deep roots that cling to the earth below.  When the wind blows, the roots hang on tight to the soil so that the trees will not fall over.

 

Of course, this thought continued to ruminate in my mind long after I had dropped Sydney off at school. 

 

There are some pretty strong and mighty storms that are blowing through life these days.  Without deep roots and fertile soil to cling to I fear I could be swept away like chaff in the wind.  Sydney’s simple question drew me to a scripture that I memorized years ago – Jeremiah 17:7-8:

 

DSC00766But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.

He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.

It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.

It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.  (NIV)

 

No fear.  No worries.  Roots planted deep, clinging to the rich soil of God’s faithfulness.  I pray to be one who trusts in the midst of the heat and through the course of the drought.  Whether life comes at me as a gentle breeze or a gale force wind, may my confidence be rooted in the One who holds me tightly in His grasp and steady through the storm.

Posted in Faith, From The Mouth Of Babes | 1 Comment »

A Cornucopia Of Thanks

Nov 13th, 2009 by Amy

Everyone seems to be in a perpetual state of thanksgiving these days.  At least, the people I have encountered on facebook.  A few days ago, as I scrolled through my facebook homepage, I picked up on a recurring theme in many of my friends’ status updates: thanksgiving.  They weren’t reminding the world that November is a month for giving thanks, but they were reminding themselves, by declaring to their friends, just how much they have to be thankful for.  At first I thought it was just another facebook fad, and I wasn’t going to jump on the bandwagon.  God knows that I’m thankful, and I don’t need to list my blessings for all the world-wide-web to see.

 

Then later, after further thought, I came to realize the power of stating publicly the things, people, blessings and provisions that so often I take for granted.  In a sermon a few weeks ago we were challenged to thank God for our daily bread; recounting the ways God has provided and continues to sustain us.  So profound has this exercise in breathing simple prayers of thanksgiving been to my personal faith walk that I was inspired to openly share my own words of thanks (even on facebook).

 

Sometimes getting started is the toughest part, especially when going through a “valley” experience.  Giving thanks comes more naturally to me when I am on the mountaintop of provision, miracles and easy living.  Counting blessings becomes more challenging when I am on a mountaintop of needs, and my natural reaction is a far cry from gratitude.  When I find myself weighed down with the burdens and cares of this world, struggling to see the silver lining, I look to Psalms.  If I can’t seem to muster up the words for myself, I turn to the words of the Psalmist and let them speak for me.  Eventually my heart is seized with the goodness of God – past, present and future – and what pours forth from my lips is nothing short of giant cornucopia of thanksgiving and praise.

 

Psalm 100 (NIV)

A Thanksgiving Psalm

 

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.

Know that the Lord is God.  It is He who made us and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.

For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.

 

I love the translation of the Message version, which says this: “Bring a gift of laughter, sing yourselves into His presence.”  Praise and thanksgiving to God doesn’t always precede my feelings.  Many times I have to literally sing myself into His presence – recalling His promises and declaring them, even though I don’t feel it in the depths of my soul.  Once my proclamation of praise has been made, then my heart is ushered into the very presence of God that I have been longing for.  There comes the powerful conviction that there are not enough words to express my gratitude for how much I have to be thankful for.  God has been, is currently, and will be in the future, good to me, faithful to me – sustaining me, leading and guiding me.  He is my rock.  He is my strong tower.  He is my provider, my deliverer, the God who sees, the God who promises to never leave me or forsake me.  The God who supplies my daily bread, a warm home to live in, three vivacious and energetic children – reminders of a healthy family – the piles of laundry that remind me of how much excess we have, the washing machine that allows me to clean the latter, beds for sleeping and afternoon naps, and even the creamer in my coffee.  He is also the one who supplies the finances when we need a miracle, the wisdom when I don’t know what to do, the grace when confronted with a difficult person, and joy in the morning after a night of weeping. 

 

Just like the adorable paper cornucopia that Brooklyn brought home from school the other day – a wet gluey mess plastered with all her favorite things – I, too, have a sticky, messy cornucopia of thanksgiving that I offer to God.  I am grateful for the little things, I am grateful for the big things and I am grateful for the things yet to come. 

 

How has God been gracious to you?  What do you have to be thankful for?  If you are finding it difficult to pour out a heart of thanksgiving just now, remember Psalms.  Remember to “bring a gift of laughter and sing yourselves into His presence”.  Even if it is a broken song from a broken heart, God’s presence will envelop you and soon the praise will follow.  As in the words of David from Psalm 51: “O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.”

Posted in Faith, Life | 2 Comments »

Looking For The Funny

Nov 10th, 2009 by Amy

It seems over the past several weeks and months I haven’t had very many humorous experiences to write about.  There is so much tragedy, almost too much, happening all around me; friends and family members all touched to some degree with suffering, pain, loss and grief.  To tell about my most recent brush with the wild and unruly little people in my home might come across as shallow and empty, in light of the real hurt that others are walking through.  I find myself overwhelmed, grappling with such serious and heady issues.  With a heavy heart I’ve asked God, “Where’s the funny?”

 

I’ve been looking for it.  Looking for the funny.  Even this morning, when all three of my children melted down simultaneously, and in perfect harmony I might add, while eating breakfast.  I paused for a moment and briefly analyzed the situation, “How can I spin this moment of shear chaos into something funny?”  Unfortunately, by 7:30am I was already pulling out my reserve nerves because my kids had successfully trampled on the last of my daily supply.  All this after waking up early to pray for these three monkeys!  There was nothing funny about that.

 

As I was trying to finish getting ready, my son came into the bathroom to help me.  In his effort, and to his credit he really was trying to help, he slammed my foot and finger (don’t ask – I don’t know I managed to have both my foot and finger in the same place at the same time) in the bathroom cabinet.  It hurt.  It was not funny.  I was not funny.  After I let out a glorious shout of “OUCH!” I looked at Jackson, his eyes wide open, and stifled what was about to leak out of my mouth next and started to pray…loudly.  Jackson was concerned and laid his hand on my foot and prayed too.  Then he gave it a kiss.  That’s not funny either, but it sure was sweet.

 

Once recovered, I sat down at my desk to collect my things for Bible study.  I had been praying this morning and preparing my heart for this time of fellowship with other women.  We are all facing various challenges in our lives, and we have been rallying around each other in prayer and encouragement.  These women have been high on my prayer list.  I was deep in thought when I turned to look at Jackson, who was once again following me.  He was picking his nose.  Then he was eating “it”.  I said, “Eew, Jackson.  Don’t eat your boogers.  Icky gross!”  He looked straight at me and said with defiance, “No!  I like my boogers.”  Then he stuck his germ-encrusted index finger up his nose, pulled something out and proceeded to plunge it into his mouth.  Completely satisfied with himself he let out a triumphant, “Mmmmmm,” and walked away.  And there it was.  The funny.  I found the funny.  Thanks to my two-year-old son and his appetite for boogers, funny found its way into my day.

 

Amidst the pain and sorrow that surrounds each and every one of us, finding the funny can be so hard – almost impossible.  I know that there are situations that are completely out of my control; things I need God to intervene on and I don’t know how or when He will.  There are other issues that seem inexplicable to me – pointless in the present – and again I just have to trust in the sovereignty of God.  In the meantime, I need a good laugh.  I need to feel the sides of my mouth turn upward while my heart flip-flops in glee.  I need the funny.  Sometimes the funny can be found everywhere and in everything.  Other times we have to look for it.  We have to set out to find it, and then relish in every moment of laughter it gives to us.  If you need to find the funny, then I truly hope you find it.  If you’ve found it, then I hope it lingers long enough to satisfy your longing.  For me, I’m still thinking about Jackson and his boogers, and I can’t help but smile.

 

Proverbs 15:13 (NIV)

 

A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.

Posted in Faith, From The Mouth Of Babes, Motherhood | 3 Comments »

An Early Christmas Gift

Nov 6th, 2009 by Amy

DSC03042Nope.  This is not another giveaway.  I apologize if I got your hopes up, but don’t let that keep you from reading on.  This post is a pre-holiday treat that I hope you will enjoy.

 

Once November hits I officially become glued to my day planner.  It seems that holiday activities don’t wait until the traditional Christmas month of December.  Oh no.  Starting November first it seems we are inundated with television commercials, storefronts and e-mails announcing holiday markdowns and savings.  On top of which I find my schedule filling up faster than a stocking with Christmas goodies:  concerts, school activities, holiday bazaars and parties.  And somehow, someway I’ve got to squeeze in our annual family Christmas picture, order cards, go shopping for three eager children, husband, parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, etc.  One word.  Exhausting.  Three more words – I can’t wait.

 

We’re in the middle of a major office/playroom remodel (more on that another time).  For the past three days I’ve been sorting through toys, books, papers and files.  I have successfully filled a giant garbage bag with miscellaneous items, and it feels good to throw stuff out.  One of the projects I just completed was going through all of our children’s books.  I love books, but especially a really good children’s story.  We have so many, and of varying categories.  One of which is a stack of Christmas storybooks.  I’m pretty picky when it comes to children’s literature, and the ones we have are true Christmas treasures. 

 

DSC03024My pre-holiday treat for you is a list of my top ten favorite children’s Christmas books.  Perhaps this list will give you some gift ideas.  I have chosen these particular books because of the content of their story or poem, and the quality of artwork.  The following books, to me, put a warm fuzzy in my heart, bring huge smiles on my little ones’ faces, and in their own special way make the season bright.

 

 

Amy’s Top Ten Children’s Christmas Books

 

  • Snowmen At Christmas – written by Caralyn Buehner and illustrated by Mark Buehner.

 

  • The Night Before Christmas – Clement C. Moore’s classic Christmas poem brought to life with the charming and winsome artwork of Mary Engelbreit.

 

  • The Legend of the Candy Cane – written by Lori Walburg and illustrated by James Bernardin.

 

  • Away In A Manger – the classic Christmas carol illuminated by the “artist of light”, Thomas Kinkade.

 

  • Silent Night – yet another beautifully illustrated rendition of the traditional Christmas hymn by Thomas Kinkade.

 

  • The Little Drummer Mouse – written and illustrated by Mercer Mayer.

 

  • The Miracle of Jonathan Toomey – written by Susan Wojciechowski and illustrated by P.J. Lynch.

 

  • Christmas Cookies – “Bite size holiday lessons”, written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Jane Dyer.

 

  • The Spirit of Christmas – written and illustrated by New York Times bestselling author, Nancy Tillman. 

 

  • You Are My Miracle – written by Maryann Cusimano Love and illustrated by Satomi Ichikawa.

 

I’ll close with an excerpt from The Spirit of Christmas by Nancy Tillman:

 

That’s when the Spirit of Christmas smiled.

“Remember, this all began with a child.

Because it took nothing but love to begin it,

It’s not really Christmas if love isn’t in it.”

 

Your tree may be large as the room will allow

With a big yellow star on the uppermost bough,

But of one thing I’m certain,

I’m sure of one thing.

 

It is love that makes the angels sing.

 

Happy reading and pre-holidaying, my friends!

Posted in Books, Fun Stuff, Motherhood | 2 Comments »

Smashing Pumpkins

Nov 4th, 2009 by Amy

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When pumpkins start popping up at local farms and grocery stores I get giddy anticipating our annual visit to the pumpkin patch.  I visualize what our front porch will look like with a big fat splash of fiery pumpkin orange.  Ultimately, this image triggers a memory of a pumpkin I had in college.  My one moment of Bible school rebellion all started with a pumpkin. 

 

Friday nights were not big “going out” nights for me in college.  My phone wasn’t ringing off the hook with eager suitors.  Guys weren’t lining up outside my dorm room anxiously waiting to spend a couple of hours in my presence.  I was not a man magnet.  I was a man repellent.  Friday nights for me consisted of hanging out with other girls, late night Perkin’s coffee, and long heart-to-heart talks of life and love. 

 

That is until a pumpkin rolled in to our lives.  I really don’t remember how we acquired the giant squash, but eventually it ended up on the floor of the dorm room surrounded by a bunch of girls desperate for a little excitement.   It has been a few years and honestly don’t remember whose bright idea it was, but some genius decided we should toss the giant orange fruit right out the window.  We all agreed this would be fun (I feel so sorry for my college self – we must have been really bored and really hard up for good entertainment).

 

We managed to get the pumpkin up to the windowsill, and after confirming that there were no pedestrians in the vicinity of our target (because they were all out on dates), we launched our pumpkin missile to the ground…splat.  Eyes bulging from their sockets in sheer disbelief that we had actually thrown the pumpkin out of our three-story window, nervous laughter slowly filled the open space in the room.  We were really living on the edge now.  Being the hardened Bible school rebels that we were, we were so incredibly riddled with guilt for having committed such a crime that we quickly threw our shoes on and headed down the stairs and out the door to clean up our sticky, gooey pumpkin-y mess. 

 

No one witnessed our one moment of rebellion.  Our dreams of becoming notorious were smashed the moment our pumpkin hit cold, damp ground.  Friday nights resumed as usual: boring, uneventful and filled with the unspoken longings of love and adventure with a teeny tiny dash of defiance to show the tougher side of us. 

 

Ultimately, some did find love and left our little tribe of lovelorn co-eds.  Some stumbled into adventures and travels that swept them completely off their feet.  And some spent the following years discovering and uncovering who they were meant to be…and eventually found something greater than they expected. 

 

I’ve since hung up my Bible school rebellion days, and now the only smashing pumpkins I’m aware of are the ones I listen to on my iPod.  

 

Yes. Pumpkins.  They truly make me smile.

Posted in Life, Random | 4 Comments »

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