March 30, 2011 · 11:21 am

Closed Doors, Open Hearts


Yesterday, my husband and I found ourselves staring at yet another closed door in a season that has been full of them.

As followers of Christ, what do we do with those moments when He allows doors to close…and there is no sign that an open door is in the future anytime soon?

1) Allow yourself to feel the feelings that rise to the surface: disappointment, sadness, confusion, fear, even anger. Our feelings are powerful and it is pointless to deny them. So don’t try. Pour out your heart to your God who is always listening. (Psalm 62:8)

2) Remember that you don’t have allow your feelings to be in the driver’s seat. After acknowledging them, relegate them to the place they belong: in the background, not in the forefront.

It has taken me years to learn this. I used to live in a very reactive way; I allowed my feelings to dictate what my day would look like.

The result was a rollercoaster ride and that’s only fun for a few wild moments at an amusement park. It’s no way to live a life.

Then Jesus  taught me how to live by the truth of His Word…NOT by my circumstances, which could change on a dime.

It’s the difference between standing on solid rock and standing on quicksand.

I have become proactive in that I now prioritize His Word over my feelings.

For example, after getting that news yesterday, my feelings rose up and LOUDLY said, “I can’t do this anymore. It’s too hard. I’m exhausted. When will this end?”

And through the gift of  His Word, Jesus spoke truth and comfort to my heart:

“Susan, you have strength for all things through Me. I empower you. You are ready for anything and equal to anything through Me. I infuse inner strength into You…My grace is enough for you (sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble)…My strength and power are made perfect and show themselves most effective in your weakness…Remember, you are waiting for ME: not an event…expect Me. Hope in Me. Live close to Me and I will renew your strength so that you will run and not be weary…Your times are in MY hands… I am guiding you along these unfamiliar paths. I will  turn the darkness into light and I will make the rough places smooth. I will not forsake you…I will NEVER stop doing good to you.” (Philippians 4:13; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Isaiah 40:31; Psalm 31:15; Isaiah 42:16; Jeremiah 32:40).

3) Preach the Gospel–the Good News– to yourself every single day..especially when dealing with disappointment.

Our pastor in Florida taught us this and it is the KEY to living a victorious, peaceful, and incredibly joyful life, even in the midst of pain.

As a result of the Fall, I am sinner, saved by grace alone. Jesus absorbed the righteous wrath of the Father against sin on my behalf so that I might be forgiven and free.

I don’t ever want to get over that!

As Pastor Tullian so rightly declares, “Once God rescues sinners, His plan isn’t to steer them beyond the gospel but to move them more deeply into it.”

One way to do this is to read books on the subject of Christ’s radical sacrifice on our behalf. One of my favorites is  A Violent Grace by Michael Card. I read it prior to Easter every year and every single time, I am driven to my knees in worship to my beautiful Savior. Just mediate on  the following statements from this slim volume for a little while as a way to put whatever your current situation may be into perspective:

He was born to die so I could be born to new life.

He suffered temptation so I could experience victory.

He was betrayed that I might know His faithfulness.

He was arrested and bound so I could be rescued from bondage.

He stood trial alone that I might have an advocate.

He was wounded so I could be healed.

He endured mockery so I could know dignity and joy.

He was condemned so the truth could set me free.

He was crowned with thorns so I might crown Him with praise.

He was nailed to the cross so I might escape judgment.

He was stretched out between thieves so I could know the reach of Love.

He suffered thirst so I can drink Living Water.

He said, “It is finished” so I could begin my walk of faith.

He was God’s Lamb slain so I could claim His sacrifice as my own.

He was forsaken by the Father so I would never be rejected.

He chose the shame of weakness so I could know the hope of glory.

He shed His blood so I could be white as snow.

His heart was pierced so mine could be made whole.

He died and was buried so the grave could not hold me.

He rose again so I might experience eternal life.

He is known by His scars so I will take up my cross and follow Him.   —-Michael Card

I can trust a Savior like this with every closed door.

He has already opened the most important door of all for me: the door into His glorious Presence for all eternity. (John 3:16; John 1:12).

So, I will dry my tears.

I will move on from this closed door, knowing that no season lasts forever and that one day, the right door WILL open wide.

Until then, I will keep moving forward. I will trust Him with what I cannot understand. I will praise Him. I will celebrate His never-ending goodness to me.  I will thank Him for His many gifts. I will stay in His Word.

And I will hope.

“God is too good to be unkind and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart.”—Spurgeon


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March 29, 2011 · 5:56 am

46 Years


I turned 46 years old yesterday.

It was the sweetest of days…a celebration of the beautiful God who gave me this life,  family, friends, laughter, quiet moments, and simple joys:

*receiving lavender roses (my very favorite!) from my beloved husband

*beginning the day in prayer for our precious children at the weekly Moms In Touch meeting

*lingering over a cup of coffee with a dear friend, sharing hearts and faith and laughter

*hearing my aunt and two uncles sing “Happy Birthday” to me over the phone from Pennsylvania, as they have done every year of my life

*smiling at the sight of one of my all-time favorite birthday presents from Ida Mae: my laughing moose:

With a simple turn of a switch, he  emits huge belly laughs  while rolling all around. It is perfectly fitting since laughter defines our relationship.

*catching a glimpse of my sweet girl from the window as she stood outside on the deck, drenched in the spring sunshine, strawberry-blonde hair blowing freely in the wind, smiling for the camera as she took a self-portrait

*picking my son up from track practice; face flushed from a good workout, chatting excitedly about all he is learning from his coaches and looking forward to the upcoming season

“How long do I really have to figure out how to live full of grace, full of joy…before these beautiful children fly the coop and my mothering days fold up quiet?”–Ann Voskamp

*a fresh new journal from my dear friend-who-is-like-a-sister, Destiny…a place to record treasured moments from my life…as well as the myriad of ways that Jesus makes Himself known and visible to me every single day

*having a sweet conversation with the wonderful woman who gave birth to me all those years ago and found herself suddenly cast as the parent to one of the strongest-willed children ever to walk this earth…and has the gray hairs and battle scars to prove it! 🙂

*enjoyed a delicious dinner with Doug (who happily served as cook!), the kids, and my brother Jeff

*and speaking of Jeff, he wins the Best Brother of the Year award because he gave me one of these as a birthday gift:

For a bookaholic like me, this is a perfect gift! I initially resisted because I love the feel of a solid book in my hands but I am told that I will love this new technology. I can’t wait to download my first book! Any suggestions?

I am a blessed woman who is rich in all the ways that truly matter.

Life is good. 🙂

“Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.”–Kafka

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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March 28, 2011 · 5:26 am

Smile on Aisle Five


In light of this post and of course, this one, I no longer see any day as “ordinary.”

I have discovered that when I live a life of gratitude for even the smallest things, the world around me comes alive with a joy that shimmers…and dances…and celebrates…and beckons me to take one step further…because there is always more.

Joy can be found even at a Marshalls store on a Saturday afternoon.

My daughter was on a hunt for the perfect pair of jeans.

Two trips to two stores on Friday afternoon with me had yielded no results, so hopes were high on the ride to  the local Marshalls.

The ride itself is a beautiful one, courtesy of the majestic mountain views. I took it all in as the four of us joked, laughed, and discussed current events while eighties music played in the background.

Doug, Josh, and I finished our shopping well before Julia did, so we all met up in the ladies department. She had found the jeans fairly early so now the search was on for some cute tops.

I did not offer to help because when I had tried to do so the previous day, holding up what I thought was darling for her approval, I was met with such comments as:

“That is hideous!”

“NO!”

“You’re kidding, right?”

(All of these comments were made with copious eye rolling, followed by a plea to be allowed to shop in peace).

So, it was with great interest that I watched Doug walk over to Julia, stand beside her, and begin to go through the racks.

I called out, “What are you doing?”

Smiling, he looked over at me and said simply, “I’m helping.”

Julia’s face registered initial surprise, followed by a big smile as she allowed her dad to offer assistance.

I was so touched by that moment.

It was so small…but so significant.

I whispered a prayer of thanks to God for the gift that my husband is to our children. But especially for the gift that he was giving to our daughter in that moment.

I love that he cares…not just about the big things, but the little ones too.

I love that he– a soon-to-be 48 year old man who knows nothing of teenage fashion–was willing to try simply because if it was important to our daughter, it was important to him.

A tiny smile continued to play on Julia’s face as she and her dad searched side by side.

It was an endearing sight.

Eventually the perfect top was added to the perfect jeans, birthday money was spent…and a sweet memory was made.

Never underestimate the power of a small gesture…sometimes that speaks louder than a grand one.

(By the way, I did feel slightly better that nothing Doug chose made the cut either.) 🙂

“Do not disdain the small. The whole of life…is made up of the minute parts, and if I miss the infinitesimals, I miss the whole.”–Ann Voskamp

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March 26, 2011 · 7:21 am

Weekend Moment: Happy Anniversary!


Aunt Dot and Uncle Ted

My Aunt Dot and Uncle Ted will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary on March 31st.

 

This photo was taken last Saturday at a party to celebrate this milestone. My aunt (who is my dad’s older sister) is wearing the hat she wore on her wedding day in 1946.

They met when they were both 16 years old at a Halloween party.  Upon walking into the party, my aunt was handed a number and told that the game “Post Office” was being played. (Not being familiar with this game, I had to ask the rules. Turns out it’s very simple. Each person has a number and when someone calls your number you have to kiss them). My uncle had immediately noticed the lovely petite redhead, managed to discover her number and called it as soon as he could. Within minutes of arriving at the party, she found herself kissing my Uncle Ted.

He was instantly smitten and asked her out that night.

She refused, but Ted was undeterred.

Every single day, when he knew Dot was home, he walked by her house with a different girl in a blatant attempt to make her jealous.

Eventually, she agreed to go on a date… and finally accepted one of his many marriage proposals… six years later!

They married in Jacksonville, Florida at a Methodist church across the street from the USO. Ted had served in the Navy during WWII (he was an electrician, first class) and one of his Navy buddies and his wife were going to be their witnesses. However, the wife was sick, which meant they needed another witness. Ted ran across the street to the USO to ask if anyone would mind serving as a witness. The woman who agreed spent the entire time trying to talk them out of  getting married! She was going through a divorce and didn’t understand why anyone would want to get married in the first place.

Clearly, they ignored her advice. 🙂

Prior to her marriage Dot was working as a receptionist for the National Steel company. She was told she must vacate the job once she was married because a woman’s place was in the home!

Choosing to go against the cultural grain, she simply found another job and worked for several years until my cousin Missy entered the picture.

Ted retired in 1981, which allowed the couple to travel around the world. Dot’s favorite place was the Canadian Rockies, while Ted loved the beaches of Hawaii.

In 1984, their granddaughter Sarah was born and she (and her mom Missy) continue to be the light of their lives.

When asked what advice they would have for other married couples, they both said:

1)  Always be honest with each other

2)  Never go to bed angry (given that my aunt is a fiery redhead, she admitted that there have been some very late nights!) 🙂

Interestingly, my aunt added one more piece of advice for the women and that was to “be a career lady.” She told me that when she served as a nurses’ aide for the Red Cross at Charleroi hospital during WWII, she loved assisting in the operating room and dreamed of one day becoming a surgical nurse.

Dot and Ted have lived in the same house for 55 years. I love to visit each time I go home to Pennsylvania, as happy memories of family gatherings fill my mind and the heavenly smells of my aunt’s cooking greet me the second I walk through the door.

Please join me in wishing the happy couple well as they celebrate this amazing milestone!  Happy 65th anniversary Dot and Ted…we love you! 🙂

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March 25, 2011 · 8:38 am

A Sacred Vocation


Josh and Julia

“Co-laboring over the sculpting of souls is a sacred vocation, a humbling privilege.”–Ann Voskamp

I have become one of those moms.

The kind who finds herself staring longingly at babies and toddlers with a sweet rush of nostalgia…followed by an urge to admonish the mother to cherish this precious time because it ends all too soon, like sand rushing through an hourglass.

That is exactly what earnest older moms would tell me when Josh and Julia were little.

I would smile politely, not believing a word of it.

But, oh how true those well-meaning words were.

I did catch glimpses of it. I distinctly remember one afternoon pulling into the parking lot at McDonalds in our small Rhode Island town. Each Tuesday, my friends and I would take the kids to McDonald’s for craft time. The kids were taught fun crafts while the moms had the chance to enjoy some coffee and adult conversation. Then we would all walk across the parking lot to the bookstore at the mall for “Storytime with Miss Lisa.” One golden spring morning, I held their small hands as we walked into the restaurant, listening to their excited chatter  and thought to myself, “Treasure these days. They won’t come again.”

Now that my children are teenagers, it would be easy to romanticize those days of diapers,  long nights and early mornings, sippy cups, spilled milk, sticky hands, boo-boos, car seats, high chairs, and play dates. To some extent, time does blur those memories. However, I know several young women who are in that stage right now and I easily recognize the exhaustion, the tired smiles, the  seemingly never-ending attempt to juggle so many roles with some degree of success.

During Bible study this week at my church, several precious young moms honestly shared the common struggles of young motherhood…particularly in a culture that tends to downplay and even deride the choice of those who choose to stay at home to raise their children.

I will never forget going out to dinner one evening with one of my husband’s work colleagues and his wife. Neither of them had children and both were enjoying thriving careers. Once they discovered that I was a stay-at-home-mom, their interest in me visibly waned. The conversation turned at one point to previous jobs…but they never even asked me what my backround was. They simply saw me as a mom and that was all…they dismissed me.

It stung.

I wanted to defend my decision…to tell them that I possessed a masters degree, that I had lived 30 years before I had my first child…that I had had a life.

Yet…THIS was LIFE:

a full life:

a joy-filled life:

Julia, Uncle Jeff, Josh, Doug, me

Josh, Doug, Uncle Jeff, Julia, Grandma

It is a life filled with such precious moments that I would not change one second of it…even the most difficult. And it IS difficult…there is no denying that. It is the hardest, most demanding  job most of us will ever do.

I spoke with a young mom last night whose husband is involved in a thriving ministry. Almost daily, he receives voluminous letters and emails thanking him for the amazing ways he has impacted lives. This is good and right, as he has been given an incredible opportunity to pour out his many gifts for the sake of building others up in their faith.

However, no one sends her effusive emails thanking her for the many hours she spends driving, cooking, wiping runny noses, helping with homework, mediating sibling disputes, doing mountains of laundry, teaching, reading, giving baths…all the many roles involved in being a mom.

Yet…and most importantly…there is One who sees:

*the daily choice to die to self

*the opportunities to lovingly pour out all one has and is for the sake of another’s developing eternal soul

*the many joys along the way…as well as the many tears

And…

He applauds.

He esteems.

He rejoices.

He rewards.

He sees you today, young mom. Treasure these moments…because I promise you, when these  hard and joyous days are over and live on only in your memory, you will miss them. So, fully enter the moment, experience it all and give thanks for the gift of your children.

“Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven.”–Henry Ward Beecher

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March 23, 2011 · 5:48 am

Simple Joys


I am going be honest and admit that when I woke up this morning–which happens to be the second day of spring–and discovered that five inches of snow had fallen overnight, my first reaction was not happiness.

I was slightly irritated.

This has been a long winter.

Lately, spring has seemed so close, tantalizing us with lots of sunshine, warm temperatures, and gentle breezes…only to disappear entirely this morning, leaving us with another day of gray skies, snow, and cold.

As I turned from the window to start my day, this verse immediately came to mind: “I have set before you today life…” (Deuteronomy 30:15)

Life is a precious gift to be treasured.

This is the day that the Lord has made and I am commanded to rejoice in it (Psalm 118:24).

Was I really going to complain about the weather???

A few minutes later, I read what my friend Margaret had posted on Facebook. While most of the status reports were filled with complaints about the snow, her status was a like a breath of fresh air: “I’m enjoying possibly our last glimpse of winter wonderland before spring fully arrives. Beautiful white flakes coating the trees. What a gift!”

Rather than enduring a gray day, she was enjoying it.

Instead of just seeing snow, she observed a winter wonderland.

She was fully embracing reality…rather than wishing for what might have been.

I decided to follow her example and spend the day looking for all the simple joys I could find.

Among other things, I reveled in the following:

* snow coating the trees all along the roads, creating a canopy of dazzling white

*having a bowl of Lucky Charms for breakfast that made me feel like a kid again

*laughing with friends at lunch

*the sun breaking through the clouds, chasing away the gray

*patches of  bright blue sky that hint of summer

*the sound of melting snow, reminding me that spring really is here and winter’s tight grip is loosening

*the sprinkle of freckles across my son’s face

*embracing my husband in the middle of the kitchen and asking him to dance with me

*the clear, sweet sound of my daughter playing her flute

*the delightful taste of a chocolate chip cookie

*reading such a beautifully written  blog post that it moved me to tears

*having a long talk on the phone with my mom

*finishing a chapter of a good book

*singing praises to my beautiful God while listening to Third Day’s new album

*being grateful that I have eyes that see, ears that hear, and limbs that work

*getting an upbeat email from a dear friend who wrote to tell me that she loves me and is praying for me

My day was transformed by searching for the simple joys.

There are treasures everywhere.

Look for and celebrate the simple joys in your life this day…I would love to hear about them. 🙂

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March 22, 2011 · 6:27 am

Fresh Hope


The cracks were beginning to show.

As the week wore on, I exhibited impatience, irritation, and was often dangerously close to tears.

His still small voice  was calling to me…to pay attention…that something in my soul wasn’t right and He needed to tend to it.

I was weary.

Thankful, grateful, trusting…yet still weary.

It has been a long road, these past two years, as my family and I have wrestled with a prolonged trial that tests our faith every day…that stretches us to our limits…then teaches us how to go beyond…only to discover:

*more of Him

*the fact that true Joy is possible even in the midst of pain and tears

*that He is always willing to fill us with His unlimited strength…and in our weakness, we are miraculously made strong

*life does not consist in the abundance of our possessions

*wonders truly do unfold everywhere to those with eyes to see.

Yet there are days when the grind feels relentless and that is what Saturday felt like for me.

I heard Him whisper, “Come to Me…” (Matthew 11:28).

So I slipped away, closed the door, and poured my heart out to Him…all the mixed feelings, weariness, sadness, fear…it all came out like a flood as He listened…

and felt what I felt (Hebrews 4:15)

…collected all my tears in His bottle (Psalm 56:8 )

…whispered His forgiveness that mercifully covers all the ugly (Psalm 103:12)

…reminded me of His promises of unfailing love and deep kindness and good plans… (Romans 8:28; Romans 8:38-39; Jeremiah 29:11)

My mind then flashed back to Pastor Steve’s message at church last week. He spoke on Proverbs 13:12: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when dreams come true at last, there is life and joy.” (Living Bible). He explained that the word for “deferred” in the original language refers to the Enemy’s ploy to try to take us captive, to entice us away from Christ in an attempt to cruelly steal our hope and leave us weak, weary, and worn out…feeling that we have no place to turn other than the paltry and empty coping  mechanisms of the world system.

Anger rose up within me. The Enemy cannot have my Hope!

He is a loser and a liar and I will not give him the satisfaction of falling for his pathetic ploys.

My God IS my Hope. He never changes. He is FOR me. He is ALWAYS victorious. He is in FULL control. He WILL rescue me.

He is guiding and leading me along this hard path, continually showing me His faithfulness and kindness, offering me His strength and His joy in the midst.

I just need to remember.

As if on cue, my eyes fell on a Sheila Walsh book that I have had for a year and just recently picked up again. It is called Beautiful Things Happen When A Woman Trusts God. I felt led to open to where I had left off reading and these are the words I saw:

“You are not forgotten. God sees you. In His perfect time, you will see Him do what only He can do.”

Peace and joy flooded my heart as tears spilled from my eyes.

One of the many things I love about Jesus is the fact that He so often reaches into my days in such tender unexpected ways, breathing fresh hope into my heart just when I need it the most.

Come To Me

When you are hurting, come to Me

and I will bind your wounds.

When you need to be assured, come to Me

and I will give you My embrace.

When you can no longer go on, come to Me

and I will carry you.

When you need comfort, come to Me

and I will wipe your tears.

When you are uncertain of My love, come to Me

And I will speak My heart to you. —Unknown

May the God of your hope so fill you with peace and joy in believing…that by the power of the Holy Spirit, you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope.–Romans 15:13


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March 21, 2011 · 5:31 am

Julia’s Zoo Review


My daughter Julia has always loved any and all animals.

She dreamed of being a veterinarian for a long time and was thrilled when our local vet in Florida sponsored the “Veterinarian For A Day” program. Here she is prior to  entering the “operating room”:

Her daddy was able to observe her technique with the scalpel. The kids were actually extracting Hershey Kisses from a pocket of a stuffed animal:

Surgery was followed by a trip to the vet ER, where she learned to bandage up the injured:

Eventually, Julia decided that she couldn’t bear to operate on an animal, so she began to explore other career options. However, her love of all animals has continued unabated.

Even those without fur:

This snake belonged to my friend Madora’s son:

Everyone at the table pretty much cleared out when Trenton brought his snake into the dining room.

Except Julia. That snake slithered all over her arms and she did not flinch once.

A few weeks later, a bunch of us ladies met at Madora’s  home for Bible study. Afterward, Madora casually mentioned that this same snake had escaped earlier that day and was still MIA.

You have never seen six ladies move so fast to vacate a home in your entire life.

Clearly, none of us shared Julia’s love for snakes.

Lizards don’t faze her either:

She even gravitates to animal statues:

A trip to Butterfly Word in Florida introduced her to the beauty of tropical birds:

When we visited my cousin Missy and her husband Mark in DC, their dog Ma-Ling did NOT like children and would growl every time the kids came near her. Josh kept a distance but Julia refused to take no for an answer. She had yet to meet an animal that didn’t love her. When Ma-Ling would growl, Julia would say, “Oh, don’t be like that!” and held out her hand for Ma-Ling to sniff time and time again. Eventually, Ma-Ling gave in and agreed to be friends. Notice Julia’s smile of triumph:

The following year, Julia’s dream came true when we added a Bichon Frise puppy named Buddy to our family:

Once we left Florida and moved to the Northeast, Julia began to take riding lessons:

But dogs will always be her first love:

I love the look on her face here as she poses next to my friend Rob’s chocolate lab Colby:

This is Julia with her Auntie Leslie’s dog Calvin. You probably notice the fact that Calvin does not look thrilled. That is because Julia spent a lot of time trying to get him to lie down with his little head on a pillow covered with a blanket:

Here she is with my friend Kathy’s boxer Tara: (note that Julia had just had a blue Slushie prior to this photo being taken!)

And with The Elaine’s Shih-Tzu puppy Andy:

After owning assorted fish and a hamster( all of whom met untimely ends), Julia decided she needed a chinchilla that she purchased with her own money. Prior to receiving our permission, she and her brother put together a presentation on the merits of chinchilla ownership:

The presentation was a success.  Meet Gladys:

If it were possible for Julia to add several more animals to her menagerie, she certainly would. However, Bichons have a life expectancy of 19 years and chinchillas can live to be 20. Doug and I foolishly used to think that once the kids left for college that it would be just the two of us. Now, we are looking at spending our latter years with Buddy and Gladys. Not exactly how we envisioned our future! 🙂

Someone once said, “Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.”

Julia would agree with that.

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March 19, 2011 · 7:50 am

Weekend Moment: A History Lesson


Our family was in Washington DC for a wedding back in 2004 and we were able to spend two days touring the city. Josh was 8 and Julia was 7.

Julia has always enjoyed history and her favorite president is Abraham Lincoln.

She ran ahead of us when we reached the Lincoln Memorial and stood for a long time staring up at the statue:

Then she walked over to the wall where the entire Gettysburg speech is engraved.

And she sat down to read it.

Completely oblivious to the other tourists roaming around, she sat cross-legged, her camera case around her neck, solemn and focused.

When she had finished reading the entire address, Doug went over and sat down beside her  to discover her thoughts.

I captured the moment as they spoke of American history and our tremendous  16th  president.

My girl is still interested in politics. During the 2008 presidential campaign she watched every debate with us and already has her favorites for 2012.

Who knows? Maybe she’ll be on the ticket one day! 🙂

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March 18, 2011 · 8:37 am

High School Musical


Last night, my family and I headed to the local high school for the annual Lip Sync contest.

Each grade picks a theme, chooses songs and props, then performs several numbers. Tickets are availiable to the community and it sells out every year.

Each grade entered the auditorium shouting rhyming cheers to wild, enthusiastic applause before taking their seats to wait their turn to perform.

Our son Josh is a freshman and the freshmen theme this year was “The Sky’s The Limit.”

The curtain parted and the energy exploding from that stage filled with ninth graders was massive.

Some observations from the evening:

*I am old.

Despite the promise I made to myself as a teenager that I would be the cool mom who kept up on all the current music my teens were listening to, I continually had to lean over and ask my daughter, “What song is this?”

You can imagine her delight at spending the entire evening addressing her mother’s woeful knowledge of popular culture.

I also could not understand the words to most of the music.

However…when songs from the 80s were used, I was all over that. I clapped and sang along with abandon, reliving my youth.

My daughter seemed to disappear into her seat. I have no idea why.

*My son played the part of Paul McCartney during the Beatles portion of the show because he plays the bass:

The spitting image of a young Paul, no? 🙂

*An incredibly touching moment occurred during the freshman’s performance. At one point, a young lady with Down’s Syndrome appeared alone on the stage, bathed in the spotlight as she danced. There was an absolute roar of applause and cheers from the audience. The huge smile that broke across her face was beautiful to see.

*I was so impressed with the goodwill and team spirit among the students. They genuinely cheered each other on. It was a wonderful way to build  school spirit.

*The winners of the contest will be announced today during school. As much as I was pulling for the freshman, I think the juniors have it in the bag. 🙂

*With all the heartache and uncertainty going on in the world right now, it was a delight to spend a couple of hours in a high school auditorium surrounded by upbeat music, laughter, and the energy and optimism of  youth.

Now if I could only get Don’t Stop Believin’ to quit playing on a continual loop in my head!  🙂

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