Did I Just Eat Lunch With a Local Celebrity???

Yes, I did. I just had lunch in the McDonald's playground with Eric Chilton, the head meteorologist for our local CBS station. I thought he looked familiar, but then again, I don't watch the news much, so....

As I embarassingly stared at him, trying to remember where I knew him from, he started the conversation with, "You've got your hands full." Nodding in agreement as I had to keep running out to the dining room to get various items, straws, ketchup, an extra cup, I was too distracted to think of any conversation starters. Then he commented on our new Carolina tee-shirts Eliza and I were wearing and so we talked about Saturdays game.

I met his twin boys and we talked about having multiple children and how boys and girls are different. We talked about their pre-schools. Then he proceeded to talk with me some about his personal life, and it didn't feel weird. He was very nice. I wonder if he was glad that I didn't recognize him or if his pride was withered that I didn't refer to him as "that weather guy on TV." Maybe he just wanted to be a normal guy eating at McDonald's with his 5 year old boys.

So, Eric Chilton, nice to meet you, my name is Diane. Thanks for being a down to earth person, maybe I'll watch your weather reports instead of the competitors.

Husband of the Year

Three posts in one day? Yeah, I know, I function in bulk. I buy in bulk if it's cheaper, read the 98 blogs in my google reader and publish 3 posts in one day. But I have to write this one to honor my sweet husband. I hope that each of my friends can name their husband as "Husband of the Year" too.

He just started a new job, which is overwhelming and exhausting. Yet, he still gets up with the crying babies (yes, that's plural). Even though his introverted-self comes home exhausted from lots of meetings, he musters up the energy to do puzzle races and read books, change stinky diapers and ask me how my day was.

We've been through a lot of crisis together over the past several years and he has pushed us, as a couple, towards the Lord in healing and renewal. We actually feel like newly weds, in a much deeper way.

Thank you, sweetheart for your patience, perseverance, and your love. Each night I put Jacob to bed I pray that he grows up with a heart like his father's.

I love you and I'm proud to be your wife!!!

Incessant Knocking

As I got Jacob up from his nap and set him in front of Elmo so that I could shower, I heard the knocking. I knew it wasn't at our house, so I figured it was across the street. We hear the knocking, usually several times a night and early morning. It's a $5 a night hotel, catch my drift? It's across the street from our bedroom window, so we often wake up from the car doors slamming and then the loud knocking and sometimes shouting.

Well, it's mid-morning and the knocking went on for at least 10 minutes. I peeked out my blinds, the nosy neighbor. I saw two white men on the porch, then I saw the big white letters P-O-L-I-C-E and the bulk at the waist. I felt like I was watching Law and Order. I saw one of the guys go around through the back. The front door was wide open now, so I could see him draw his gun as he walked down the hallway to the first door.

Then I closed my blinds and continued about my morning getting dressed and brushing my hair, playing with Jacob, writing this post. What struck me is that we're living in the middle of this, but our children don't know it. Their life is safe and loving. Those that are being hunted and some of the children we minister to experience this every day. A lot of them do not close their blinds to a peaceful loving home. Their life is chaos. The dealers and users the police are looking for probably grew up in a home like that. Breaking it down to that level gives me compassion and love for the dealers and users. I am reminded by the Lord that they were knit together, by God, in their mother's womb. He loves them just as much as He loves me, a do-gooder. He came and died for them, too. They deserve His love just as much as I do.

Now the incessant knocking is not as much of an annoyance, but rather a reminder. A reminder of God's love for what we would call, the "least of these." But in His eyes they are not, they are potential heirs in His glorious kingdom!

More Wisdom From a Four-Year-Old

I went to pick up Eliza from Sunday school this past week. As I walked into the room one of the teachers said, "Eliza said the most precious, insightful thing today." I braced myself for the tears. They were talking about Zacheus and how he climbed the tree to see Jesus and Jesus approached him to tell him that he was coming to Zacheus's house to eat. The teachers asked the children what they would do to prepare for Jesus coming to their house. Some answered they would clean up, others that they would make some food. Then my sweet, sweet child quietly raised her hand and said, "I would fall on my knees."

I don't think I need to say anything else!

"...In Sickness and in Health..."

Six loads of laundry, baths in the middle of the night, four moppings, a pack of clorox wipes, a roll of paper towels and many tears later, I decided that parents should have to make vows before their midwives or doctor as soon as that little one is pushed out. How else could you be prepared for the "sickness" part of the vows. In the most glorious moment of your life, as you hold that slimy, warm, sweet newborn baby to your chest, you're not thinking down the road several months or several years later when you'll kill your back bending down to clean up throw-up all over the house. But maybe stating some sort of vows like you do in your wedding would at least prepare you that it's for sure coming!! It's not like I won't take care of my kids when their sick, but just a clue of what it could be like and the knowledge that my life is changing forever would have been nice to have known!

The point is that we would promise to love them in sickness and in health. Even as hard and sometimes as aggravating and gross as it sometimes, I love each them even more than the first moment I saw them. I rejoice in the fact that I can clean up their throw-up because they are a precious gift to me and I'm very blessed to be able to do so.

An Answer to My Very Own Question...

In my last blog I wrote about a terrible day we had several weeks ago. At the end I stated this, "So, obviously, I cannot get away from these sad moments, many of them live around me. Therefore, if I can't escape them or ignore them, what DO I do with them?" As Marshall and I reflected on that day we talked about a line from my favorite Christmas song, "Fall on your knees..." In our sadness about the life situations of our neighbors and their families, Marshall highlighted this phrase of the song, "...the thrill of hope, a weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn'..." The Israelites were an oppressed people, so the coming of a Messiah which was promised to them through the prophets hundreds of years before was a glorious and long-awaited event. And of course, just like God always does on His terms rather than ours (because He knows best), Christ did not come like they had imagined. I'm sure they thought he would come in a kingly fashion to swoop in and rescue his people through battle. Instead he came through a virgin, in a stinky, uncomfortable, cold stable. He came as a baby. The key in all of this and answer to my question of what do I do with all the sadness I encounter and see out my window every day, is simply love.

All of this He did out of unexplainable, unconditional, unmeasurable, perfect love. The fact that Christ was born into poverty shows God love for the poor and His purpose to use them for His honor and glory. Only His love, only His love, only His love overcomes all hopelessness. So, what do I do with the despair I feel when I see my friends walking and dealing the streets? Now when I start to feel despair or hopelessness, I fall on my knees if I can and I start to sing this song, "the thrill of hope, a weary world rejoices..." and I envision all the people of Glenwood raising their hands in freedom and praise to my glorious Savior who came out of love to bring hope into this weary world. He is still bringing hope to my weary neighborhood by putting us here to love them, through His love. THAT is the thrill of hope and THAT is my calling.