Life Together

"As I was praying for you..."

That was the first sentence in a letter I received this week, sweetly tucked in with a beautiful gift of flowers and watercolor print.  The rest of it chronicled her prayers over my life and what she could see God doing in this season I'm in.  It was from one of the ladies in my monthly dinner group, and was quietly dropped off to my office while I was out running errands.  

This group of women has been meeting together since the first of the year.  We have a date, the second Thursday of the month, that's now blocked off for gathering around the table.  We eat, we talk, we laugh, we pray, and we eat some more.

And even though I always know it's going to be fun, sometimes I don't feel like gathering.  Since it's at my house, gathering means cleaning (I've tried not to worry about this, but I can't not worry about it), cooking, and finding some place for my family to eat dinner without making a mess of what I just cleaned.  It never fails that I end up being tired that day and wish I could warm up a frozen pizza for my family and eat dinner in my bathrobe.

But, I am always, without fail, so glad that we gathered.  Every time the last woman leaves the front porch after that one last goodbye chat, I am thrilled that I get to share my life with them and partake of theirs.  They are all so beautiful and so valuable, and when we share a meal together and then take the deep breath and jump into the pool of vulnerability month after month, their beauty and value spills over the wall of their own life and flows into mine.

This is the way women were meant to be together.  Friends.  Confidants.  Champions of each other.  It's what every little girl is looking for when she heads into the lunch room and wonders where to sit.  It's what grown women still long for when they find themselves in transition and wonder where their safe place is. 

And it doesn't happen by accident.  Because life is crazy, and families are demanding, and vulnerability is terrifying.  There is only one way it happens.  It happens when you decide you have to have it and that it's a vital part of shepherding your heart and having something to give to the people you love.  It happens when you take a risk and throw open the door to your home and your heart at the same time.  It happens when you welcome the beauty of the woman next to you into your life and tell your own insecurities they can not dictate your parameters to you anymore. 

And the reward of letting go and diving in is the note and the flowers and the watercolor that speak life to your soul because someone loves you and is praying for you and listening to what God has to say about her friend..  It's the text you can send in the middle of the night when your kid is sick and you're scared.  It's the lunch you know you can grab in the middle of the week that will connect your heart in a matter of four minutes, before the bread even comes. It's the long phone call when you're a mess and don't want anyone to know, but also know you can't afford for anyone not to know.  A reward beyond price.

Last week, we met at a restaurant instead of my house, because life.  

And I noticed the ladies around the table all had a hard time getting there, because life.  

There was a lot of weariness in the eyes as we sat down, because life.  

But, after thick bowls of pasta and laughing until we snorted, I also noticed that the walk to our cars looked different.  We were full of energy, and our smiles were in our eyes.  

Because life together.

A Blessing for Teachers (With Free Printable!)

New year.  New grade levels.  New friends.  New habits.  New teachers.

We are sending our most valuable treasures out into the world to be taught and shaped and mentored by teachers who didn't bring them into the world, wash their clothes this weekend, or put their breakfast on the table this morning.  Teachers who care about them, but aren't their parents.  Teachers who want to see them succeed, but don't have a lifetime of equity built with them.  Teachers who can't focus on four children like we do at our house, but have an entire classroom to take care of.

And that's why I take a few minutes today to bless my children on the first day of school, but also the teachers who are entering my children's lives today:

I bless you to see the value in each of your students, the God-given gifts in each one.

I bless you with patience in your heart today, and that it will be expressed in your face and in your voice.

I bless you with joy today, the kind of joy that can laugh at the moments that didn't go your way and exalt in the moments of success.

I bless you with peace in your classroom today, the kind that can be felt when students walk in the door.

I bless you with the ability to make learning a contagious source of wonder.

I bless you with the skills to communicate well with your students, their parents,  and your peers.

I bless you with renewed vigor and energy, enough to go home and still have an enjoyable evening with your family.

I bless you with wisdom and creativity to solve the problems that come your way.

I bless you with conversations around school that encourage you and lift up your spirit.

And I bless you with a new-found passion for your job, the job that is shaping the next generation.

Amen.


As a free back to school gift from Treasure the Ordinary, click here for a free printable of a Teacher's Blessing!  This simple page makes a great first day of school present for the teacher's in your life. 
 

Favorite Things

My daughter watched the Sound of Music last night.  She was telling me this morning her favorite part is when Maria sits on the pinecone.  So many memories, that movie holds for me, since I watched it at least once a week, it seemed, while I was growing up.

And I think my favorite part has always been the "Favorite Things" song.  I'm pretty sure if the rest of my family experienced anything at least once a week, it was me singing that at the top of my lungs from behind my closed bedroom door.  It may or may not also be the reason my bed broke when I was nine, since I also tended to act out all of the children jumping on it with Maria as they sang.

"When the storm strikes, when the bee stings, when I'm feeling sad, I simply remember my favorite things, and then I don't feel.....(getting up to full out gusto here)...so baaaaaaaaa----aaaaaaaa-------dddddd!"

It's a lovely song.

And probably the reason I have always believed in having a lot of favorite things.  Because if you have hundreds of favorite things, you can't help but happen upon them every day.  The more you have, the better your odds.

Which is why last summer, when our family was trapped inside on a rainy day, we played the Favorite Things game.  If you've never heard of it, I'll teach it to you, and you don't even have to click a link to connect to Pinterest or buy it on Amazon.  Here it is:

You each sit down with a piece of paper and a pencil and you have five minutes to write down all the favorite things you can think of.

Isn't that a brilliant game?  But the real fun comes in the sharing because when you're done writing, you go around the circle and share your favorite things.

I still have our lists because they are now some of my favorite things.  I mean it.  I treasure them.  Because in each list, I am allowed to peer into my husband and my children, into the deepest places of who they are and what makes them happy. 

And what I find there is that there aren't a lot of fancy cars or designer clothes on the list.  None actually.  Not any toys or technological gadgets, either.  What made the lists are just the simple things in life that all equal up to...us.  The hundreds of little things that are actually the great things.  The ordinary that is actually the sacred.

cheese and crackers
comfortable jeans
knowing the answer right away
making funny jokes
midnight cuddles because you're 5 and afraid of thunder
when the storm is over
chicks in a nest
grandparents
music
dessert
when mom is cooking macaroni
a baby's first word
honey and biscuits
father and son hikes
heaters in winter
victory
chickens that have feather pants
being pleasantly tired
learning another language
a sky full of stars
worshiping around a campfire
laughing at yourself
reading a good book
our dog's ears
gentle rain
oreos and milk
old friends
new friends
highlighted and underlined Bibles
worn quilts
fluffy towels
vacations
cherries
green grass
morning coffee
forgiveness

These are a few of our favorite things.  

Blessings for Teachers on the First Day of School

This morning, my husband and I stood on the front porch and watched our sixteen year old drive himself to school.  You would think as many years as we've been sending kids off on their first day of school, we wouldn't have "first day jitters" anymore.  But, they're still there. 

New year.  New grade levels.  New friends.  New habits.  New teachers.

We are sending our most valuable treasures out into the world to be taught and shaped and mentored by teachers who didn't bring them into the world, wash their clothes this weekend, or put the breakfast on the table this morning.  Teachers who care about them, but aren't their parents.  Teachers who want to see them succeed, but don't have a lifetime of equity built with them.  Teachers who can't focus on four children like we do at our house, but have an entire classroom to take care of.

And that's why I take a few minutes today to bless my children on the first day of school, but also the teachers who are entering my children's lives today:

I bless you to see the value in each of your students, the God-given gifts in each one.

I bless you with patience in your heart today, and that it will be expressed in your face and in your voice.

I bless you with joy today, the kind of joy that can laugh at the moments that didn't go your way and exalt in the moments of success.

I bless you with peace in your classroom today, the kind that can be felt when students walk in the door.

I bless you with the ability to make learning a contagious source of wonder.

I bless you with the skills to communicate well with your students, their parents,  and your peers.

I bless you with renewed vigor and energy, enough to go home and still have an enjoyable evening with your family.

I bless you with wisdom and creativity to solve the problems that come your way.

I bless you with conversations around school that encourage you and lift up your spirit.

And I bless you with a new-found passion for your job, the job that is shaping the next generation.

Amen.

First Day of School Blessings (Re-Post)

Author's Note:  Of all the blog posts on Treasure the Ordinary, this one post has had more continuous visits than any other, a testament to the desire of parents to partner with what the Lord is doing to bless their children.  As a new school year begins, may you find joy in sending out the birds from your nests, sheltered by the God who loves them even more than you do.


All the backpacks are lined up by the front door.  The first day of school clothes are waiting on their hangers.  The crayons are pointed and unbroken.

My birds are asleep in the nest, ready to fly away tomorrow.  And it's this hour that a Mama kneels and prays.  She prays that the small wings will be strong as they carry her precious ones into a world not always hospitable to young things.  She prays that His breath will blow, lifting them higher, above the reach of that which would entangle.  And she prays that they will fly safely home again.

Mama bird blessings:

• I Bless You with courage. (Joshua 1:3-9)
• I Bless You with the Father's protection. (Ps. 91)
• I Bless You with a Godly child’s heart that respects and honors his parents and authority.
• I Bless You with the Holy Spirit’s marking your life so that you stand out in a crowd.
• I Bless You with the favor of God on your life so that others want to go out of their way to do you good.
• I Bless You that people speak to you with kindness and honor.
• I Bless You with confidence in your looks and abilities: you will like who God made you to be.
• I Bless You with strategies of the Lord for your future.
• I Bless You with purity in thought, speech, and action.
• I Bless You with confidence and a complete lack of fear of man.
• I Bless You with the ability to be a good friend.
• I Bless You with the ability to be grieved by sin and the desire to make all things right with the Father.
• I Bless You with truthful lips.
• I Bless You with the ability to honor those around you, even when it costs you.
• I Bless You with the knowledge that you are a joy to your parents and that they are proud of you.
• I Bless You with the knowledge of the Father’s unconditional love for you and your parents’ unconditional love for you.
• I Bless You with the desire to pray at all times, with all kinds of prayers.
• I Bless You with the spirit of a warrior, a Godly warrior.
• I Bless You to be a blessing to everyone you meet.

Many thanks to Melba Burk, who taught me the power of blessing.  

My Blue Eyed Treasure

My baby boy turns ten today. 

He's the youngest of the brothers.  The quickest to laugh.  The one who most often drives me to prayer.  His ability to make people smile is unparalleled.  He has not yet located the dirty clothes hamper.  He possesses incredible compassion for the hurting.  He's the only one of our children that has needed a trip to the emergency room--twice.  His imagination is astounding.   His teacher's phone number is on my speed dial.

I have realized he is the answer to my prayer to know what my husband was like as a child.  I would caution you to watch what you pray for, but really, it's a joy to have this desire fulfilled.  I just have to remind myself of that often, encouraging myself by thinking on how well his dad turned out.

And the whirlwind called my son is worth every smile, every anxious moment, and every howl in the dark after stepping on a lego.

Ten years old.  A decade of joy.  I cherish it.

This morning, I held him close and blessed the next decade of his life.  I blessed the choices he will make.  I blessed his ability to hear the voice of God.  I blessed his body, soul, and spirit.

May the next ten years see my baby "grow in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man."  (Luke 2:52)  And may I, as his mother, remember to breathe every moment into the deep places of memory.  Even the legos.

First Day of School Blessings

All the backpacks are lined up by the front door.  The first day of school clothes are waiting on their hangers.  The crayons are pointed and unbroken.

My birds are asleep in the nest, ready to fly away tomorrow.  And it's this hour that a Mama kneels and prays.  She prays that the small wings will be strong as they carry her precious ones into a world not always hospitable to young things.  She prays that His breath will blow, lifting them higher, above the reach of that which would entangle.  And she prays that they will fly safely home again.

Mama bird blessings:

• I Bless You with courage. (Joshua 1:3-9)
• I Bless You with the Father's protection. (Ps. 91)
• I Bless You with a Godly child’s heart that respects and honors his parents and authority.
• I Bless You with the Holy Spirit’s marking your life so that you stand out in a crowd.
• I Bless You with the favor of God on your life so that others want to go out of their way to do you good.
• I Bless You that people speak to you with kindness and honor.
• I Bless You with confidence in your looks and abilities: you will like who God made you to be.
• I Bless You with strategies of the Lord for your future.
• I Bless You with purity in thought, speech, and action.
• I Bless You with confidence and a complete lack of fear of man.
• I Bless You with the ability to be a good friend.
• I Bless You with the ability to be grieved by sin and the desire to make all things right with the Father.
• I Bless You with truthful lips.
• I Bless You with the ability to honor those around you, even when it costs you.
• I Bless You with the knowledge that you are a joy to your parents and that they are proud of you.
• I Bless You with the knowledge of the Father’s unconditional love for you and your parents’ unconditional love for you.
• I Bless You with the desire to pray at all times, with all kinds of prayers.
• I Bless You with the spirit of a warrior, a Godly warrior.
• I Bless You to be a blessing to everyone you meet.

Many thanks to Melba Burk, who taught me the power of blessing.

Treasuring the Moment

It keeps coming to my mind lately that one day the spot under the swing will actually have grass.  There will come a summer when the blades of St. Augustine won't be kicked around by a wild ruffian and they will grow peacefully. 


There will also come a day when I pull back the shower curtain without finding Barbie mermaids in my tub.


There will be a week that goes by when I don't stoop to pick up granola bar wrappers off my living room floor.


There will be a season when I do laundry and it's done in three loads, instead of thirteen.


There will be a night when I go to bed without tucking anyone in.


And suddenly, these things don't seem at all burdensome.  In fact, they seem like treasures.  Treasures that make a lump in my throat.  Treasures I don't want to lose. 


These treasures I will hold close today.  I will savor their goodness and breathe in their joy.

Sweet Moments in a Hot Summer

We've had a tremendously hot summer already, and it's only June. That doesn't bode well for West Texas. But, I have learned something living in this great state for......a number of years, and that is when it gets hot in Texas, Texans eat watermelon.  And it helps us feel like it's cooler.


It also makes us happier.  My husband had a revelation the other night and shared it with me.  It went something like this.  "I don't have a single bad memory involving watermelons." 


I could tell he was really impressed by that thought, so I stopped to ponder it, too.  The truth is I don't really like watermelons, but I don't have any bad memories of them, either.  It must be because when watermelons are served, the mood turns festive.  And I might pass on the watermelon, but I like a good party.


So, if you need to change the way your day is going, lop off the end of a chilled watermelon and start cutting huge chunks of the sweet stuff and handing them out to whoever is nearby.  Then, stand back and watch the smiles.  Maybe snap a few photos....because watermelons make smiles, and smiles make for good memories.

Nicknames and Blessings

My nickname growing up was "Birdlegs."  It was bestowed upon me by a gruff grandpa who didn't know how to express affection.  His best attempts were the call signs he gave to each one of his grandchildren.  With my overly skinny body and complete lack of curves, the name was fitting, but never flattering.  Have you ever looked at a bird's legs?  Not pretty.  And while it's true I wouldn't mind hearing that nickname now, with a not so skinny body and plenty of curves, it wasn't something I delighted in at the time.


It could have been worse, though, much worse.  Many kids' nicknames are worse.  And it doesn't stop at nicknames.  Words, and the tone they're spoken in, have the power to profoundly wound.  They leave marks that may not be visible to the eye, but shape the heart and form the lenses through which that little person will view themselves and the world around them.


Words have the power to label, and children must be labeled correctly.  They must be identified by their strengths and not their weaknesses.


If we were to follow God's example, the labels we bestowed upon our kids would be blessings.  When God gives a new name, it's always a step up.  Abram the Father to Abraham the Father of Many.  Jacob the Deceiver to Israel the Prince.  Simon the Reed to Peter the Rock. 


When our Father labels us, it's always for our good.  It always calls us higher.


When people give names, it's usually an attempt to reduce in size or to remind everyone who hears of the person's failure in an embarrassing memory.


I want to be like my Father. 


And so I choose to call my third born a warrior.  Yes, there are days he fights for the wrong things and in the wrong way.  That's why I'm here, to teach and keep on teaching, until he gets it right.  But in the meantime, my words will remind him of his calling and not his shortcomings.  I will praise him for the gifts God has placed in him to war for the underdog and to stand for what is right.  I will teach him to use his strength to heal and not to wound.  And I will help him remember how God sees him.

Lord, make the words of my mouth be a blessing to those I speak to.  May the names I give speak of the treasure I see in the people who bear Your image.  Even when I speak to myself, may my pronouncements be those that build up, honor, and encourage.  And when I can not see good to speak of, open my eyes and let me see what You see.  And may Your words in my mouth bring healing.  Amen.