Sharing The Love

This morning I awoke to pure joy, perfection in the heart of a mother.  All my kids under my roof for a weekend filled with all that is family, all that is Christmas, all that is complete in my life. 

Here’s a glimpse of this Christmas Eve:

And of course, Kenny G playing in the background!

We are headed to Church later on and then ice skating and dinner, the fun never ends.

What does your Christmas Eve look like?

Today, I am thinking about the many times I have moved and the many people I have met.  It’s interesting to me how as part of God’s plan, we have lived in so many great places and been involved in some dynamic churches.  

I believe when you are walking in the center of His will, God has His hand on every little thing as well as every big thing!!

Here is an example of that:

About ten years ago, we were living in Las Cruces, NM.  We had just built the home of our dreams and I was involved in a wonderful church that was filled with people that I still call “family” today.  There was a group of Spirit filled women who I became friends with.  We had so much in common and I knew these relationships would last through eternity.  We had kids the same ages, we had so much in common.  I remember thinking how awesome it was going to be to raise our then preteens into adulthood together.  We all believed the same things for our children, so it was perfect and comfortable.  Comfortable- when you get comfortable, it is then that God moves you!

The move came.  Even when you know it is God’s will for you to do something, it can still be difficult.  However knowing it’s what you need to do, you move forward.  So we packed up, sold our house, said some tearful goodbyes and moved to Georgia.  We moved to a beautiful island where the people were so friendly.  Immediately my children started looking for a church, as they will not miss a Wednesday or Sunday or any other meeting day!!  We found one and connected immediately.  I prayed for good friends as I was missing my old ones.  The first three people we met had some connection to New Mexico, or at least new where it was!!  That warmed my heart and I thanked God for that blessing.

After being in Georgia for a few year (and meeting some of the most influential and genuine people in my life) God sent us back to New Mexico, but this time to Albuquerque.  This, I later realized, would be a learning experience for me like no other.  Again I missed my Georgia friends, we had become so close.  The first three people I met in Albuquerque had ties to Georgia, in particular the area where I had moved from!  I felt like God was whispering a hug just for me!  

Leaving New Mexico was not difficult for me because the next move was to another country, the adventure of my lifetime!  I was excited and ready.  Living in a beautiful city and like royalty was living like heaven on earth!  The hardest thing to learn on this move was how to live in two worlds.  On the one hand, we lived in a community surrounded by wealth, celebrities and luxury.  On the other hand, we had the opportunity to reach those in some of the poorest areas of the city. 

Yes, in another country I met people who were from New Mexico and even a couple who grew up just a few miles from the small town I grew up in!  That was wild!  Again, a God-hug!

Leaving Colombia was bittersweet.  I knew God had yet another place where he needed us to be.  So He sent us to Houston, TX.  I had to keep repeating “I trust you God” for a few weeks!  We found an incredible church and attended membership class.   What I am about to tell you is unbelievable for me and I was there, so I know what you must be thinking.  But it’s true:  the couple that sat next to us at the class-and by the way there were over 150 people in this class as this is an enormous church-were from the same city that we had just moved from in Colombia, South America!!!!  

To know that the Creator of the universe cares for each of us so deeply and so richly, makes me want to love others as He has loved me.

 With whispers of love and genuine sincerity.

Thanking God for putting His arms around me!

There is nothing quite like family.  

Relationships in families can be the most encouraging and also the most devastating.  

Families are made of people, imperfect people.  Like you, like me.

There will times of solidarity, challenging times, times of change, and sometimes silence. But there will always be love.  Even when it is unspoken, even when you think it’s impossible, even when you don’t feel it-there IS love.

Never lose sight of the hearts of the people that God chose for you to call family.  

This morning I was thinking of Christmas traditions. I have never been one to be stuck on rituals. Don’t get me wrong, I put up a Christmas tree every year, just not on the same day. We decorate it all together, not necessarily with same decorations from the previous year. My daughter and I enjoy baking together but usually it’s whatever we want to at that moment! This year she chose to make Oreos wrapped in chocolate chip cookie dough! (Plus lots of other goodies!) Sometimes I send out Christmas cards (the old-fashioned kind, via snail mail!)-but not this year! Simply because there were things that got “bumped” off the to-do list. I believe when that list becomes a burden and steals time away from the people in my life, things will get bumped. Because people are always more important than things. And the people I would be sending the cards to are well aware of that, so they understand.

There are some things that we do during this time of year that can be considered traditions.

We drive around our neighborhood together to see all the beautiful lights. We have done this since the kids were little and they had sippy cups with warm chocolate in them! Now as young adults they still enjoy it, but they take hot chocolate or coffee!

We play games. Cards, Wii, Crosswords, etc. These do vary by year! It’s the time spent together that I cherish.

We watch movies together. I especially enjoy the movie Elf! We watch old Christmas movies but we also make it a point to go see a couple of new releases at the theater.

We go ice skating. By we I mean the kids. The last time I joined in on a group activity that included a slippery surface was in 2005, when we were in Taos snowboarding as a family (this quickly became a non-tradition!)

We cook together and have fun doing it, each adding our own flavor! We all enjoy cooking so it makes it a great event.

I take lots of pictures.  Just ask my daughter-in-law!

We visit family and friends. And since we have lived in so many places, we have learned to do this creatively-via phone, skype, facetime and photo-journaling and of course, when possible, in person!

And we attend church together. This for me has become a sacred and meaningful time as a mother.  Because my children grew up in church, when they all moved out on their own I missed them most on Sunday’s. So when we go to church on Christmas and I hear their sweet voices singing and praising God, and see their hands lifted high in worship, that blesses me beyond words.

Wherever you are and whatever you are doing this Christmas, make memories, cherish your time, take pictures, and love like Jesus does!

My daughter and I decided to visit my Mom, who lives 571 miles away…..that’s nearly 10 hours by car. We were feeling pretty energetic! We thought it would be fun and it would be wonderful to visit! And so our road trip began. Just the two of us, doing our own thing, having a great time! We talked, had some serious conversations (my favorite kind)! Laughed a lot, played trivia games, played all kinds of other games. Listened to music, realized “oldies” are now considered “classics”, which is good, since this is music from my teens! I drove, she drove, I drove while she slept. We stopped in a town called Jolly. It had an interesting gas station/restaurant/truckstop combo. We just filled the car with gas! We saw lots of funny signs, lots of road kill and lots of small towns. We enjoyed the journey. And when we arrived, we were greeted with open arms, a warm home and lots of love. 

No, not a new show on NBC, not even a new formula for math, ministry, teaching or parenting! However it is the number of hours (24) it took my daughter and I to go on a spontaneous round trip across Texas (which btw is bigger than any state should be) to visit my Mom! And the actual time we got to spend with her in hours (48)! I can be talked into some crazy fun stuff by my kids, they are amazing. And when they do have these brilliant ideas, they always have a detailed plan. Which makes so much sense, it is hard to resist. My mom was really happy to see us. And we were overjoyed to see her. Although she recently moved out of the house I grew up in, and into a different city altogether when my father passed away, I find that “home” is wherever she is. Even though the time we had together was limited, it was well spent. It contained the three elements necessary for a successful visit!

1). Love ~ Hugs are always important, and in my family, given at every opportunity. Four or five people on a small couch is not considered crowded, it’s fun and cozy!

2). Laughter ~ Laughing at everything and anything! Sharing our lives and doubling our joys. My daughter was asking my Mom questions about my childhood. Not because I don’t share with her but because my Mom is a better storyteller! We laughed a lot! We caught up on other family members and of course, reminisced about my Dad. Smiling as we remembered his good advice, his sense of humor, his sweet spirit, his genuine heart. Sometimes the laughter turned into tears…

3). Lots of memories ~ My Mom started journaling and I continue to take pictures. I am happy that we record our moments together! Every time I visit my Mom, I see pieces of my life all around her home. What it used to be, memories of my father, my brother, my childhood, a life that seems so distant yet so familiar. When I am away from that too long, I desire to rush back to be wrapped, if only for a moment, in all that is my Mother’s heart. 

The journey was amazing and the destiny was worth every mile!