Newspaper route

So my brother has a paper route. He is still finishing up getting his driver's license so we all take turns driving on occasion. This afternoon it was my turn.

My brother has Asperger syndrome. That's funny, spell check tries to correct Asperger. I'm surprised it's not in Google's dictionary; boiled down, it's a form of autism. Anyways, my brother is a genius at certain things... but like a lot of people diagnosed with Asperger's, he doesn't inherently understand a lot of non-verbal and "social" cues. A lot of people I've known with Asperger's tend to be very outgoing and will talk for hours if they can. However, for my brother, the opposite has happened over the years - he has slowly become more introverted and withdrawn from public circles and conversations. There are a few people he has learned to feel comfortable around if they continue to step forward and care about him and initiate relationship, but those people are relatively few and far between.

Anyways, so today I was driving Ben on the paper route. I have started noticing a pattern. As we get closer and closer to a house that has a dog he knows, Ben will become more and more contented and happy. It makes his day when the dog barks at him from inside the house, or (when they're outside) get excited when Ben is coming. Ben will take on an almost paternal air with the dog. He loves greeting them. It's really precious, actually, to see my giant of a little brother talking to and petting these dogs in our neighborhood. He is so excited when he learns one of their names. In fact, the entire route seems to center on the dogs.

I think, for him, it's a form of relationship he can trust. The dog will always treat him the same way, they will never show indifference or even ignore him. Because they initiate and are 100% consistent, Ben learns to respond with love and care. I love watching this; it touches my heart and makes for a very enjoyable afternoon.

So, even though the route is a bear, especially on the week-ends (2:30am arrival on Sundays!), I've really enjoyed watching Ben develop relationships with these creatures, and seeing him look forward to their brief interaction. It may not seem like much, but for a brother who doesn't have many friends, I think it may be the highlight of his average day... which makes it even more wonderful and precious to me as well.

Just a snippet into my life, today...

Spring!

Trumpet swans with silver notes
Moving through the zephyr's coat
Flies the glowing honeybee
Launching dandelion's glee

Gone the winter's grey and steel
Breaks the ground, comes grass and leal
Roses peeking through the brae
Reaching for sunshine's day

Through the clearing come they all
Frolic to the forest's hall
Dashing piper's gossamer wings
Carried to the new year's feast

Nighthawk sings through doe and faun
Red fox trots 'round golden pond
Purple sage decks laurel's queen
Dancing through the woods of green.

HAIL! Spring and season's time
Whirling through the days come nigh
Hasten not our side to leave
'Til comes to all Midsummer's Eve!

River Bank Run = Step 1

So... I've done it. What, exactly, is "it" though?

I signed up to run a 5K - the River Bank Run, to be more exact. It's on May 8. In preparation for this illustrious venture, I am working through the "Couch to 5K" training program. Me and my buddy Christy are tackling this together... and neither of us have ever run a 5K before. I'm supposed to start week 5 of the program this week, hopefully I'll kick this sinus infection/cough/virus business quickly.

Now, I've never been a serious runner. EVER. However, as I'm working through this training program (this will be my 2nd time completing it) I'm realizing that I don't actually hate running. I might actually be enjoying the pushing for new goals. It probably didn't help that the first time I completed the training program, it was on a treadmill... in a closed garage (hint, no A/C)... in Miami, Florida... in the dead of summer. I probably sweated more during those nine weeks than I've done the rest of my life combined. Needless to say, running outside in March has still been heat-inducing but MUCH more bearable and much more lovely on the scenery side as well.

All that being said, I'll let you in on a secret... I'm actually planning to train and complete GR's half marathon on October 17. Yes - Elizabeth, who has never run further than 3 miles in her life is deciding she will try and tackle 13.1 miles in about 7 months. An old friend asked Sarah Grace and I about running with her and her parents and possibly a few more friends... so hey, it's a good goal to have with some good friends and maybe I'll turn into a life-long runner (maybe...).

In the meantime, I'm thinking my regular skuzzy sneakers are no longer going to cut it for the whole running any kind of distances anymore. I need to go and buy running shoes. This is slightly terrifying to me... :) Possibly because I KNOW that I don't know what I'm doing. I'm thinking I'll find a friend that's bought them before and bribe them to come along. Haha...

So there you are. A new goal, one running step after another. Now, bring on the River Bank Run!

In other news, I saw this today and it REALLY made me want to play my ukelele well, instead of just dink around... Sara Watkins is one of my musical heroes!

Weeks like this...

... going into an incredibly busy week of shows, rehearsals, leading classes for other leaders who are working on other shows... long hours, little sanity, lots of details to remember, many children clamoring for attention, family desiring more than "hi... good night", expectations everywhere, little space for any thought, preparation and processings on a personal level. :)

In weeks like this, it's easy to try and grab hold of anything that make me feel like *I'm* the one in control, if *I* just work hard enough, everything will be fine, *I* need to make sure *I* do everything right...

Hold on, there. Grace, Miss *I*. Rest in His strength, because *I* will never be enough. It's alright to word hard, to press on and press for excellence... and it's definitely not ok to just throw up your hands and let things run without order or reason. At the same time, (it seems especially) in weeks like these I have to remind myself to *just breathe* and remember *I* am not the one that's ultimately spinning the Universe. Haha. What a funny thought. Yet how often do my actions make me look like I believe that? I pray this week will see a minimum of those occurrences... and the greatest amount of time will be spent resting in the Lord's strength and grace to press forward.

Be still, my soul; the Lord is on thy side
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain
Leave to thy God to order and provide
In every change He faithful will remain
Be still, my soul; thy best, thy heavenly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end

In other news...



Have a wonder-full week!

Art, Beauty

I feel like life is SO busy right now. I'm doing many wonderful things. My students have quite quickly become a HUGE part of my life. Every day I'm teaching one place or another. There's days that it gets stressful... but I feel so blessed to have work - and not just any old work, but work that I love. Work where I get to help others discover how to use their God-given creative spirits to the fullest potential!

I get really passionate when I think about art, creativity and our Creator. I came across an article by T.M. Moore not too long ago and have included below a short excerpt from "Why Art Matters".

Why does God consider art so important that He made such varied use of it for communicating His will to His people?

Many reasons come to mind: art’s ability to appeal to the imagination and engage the affections; its value as an aid to memory; the balance between form and freedom inherent in the arts, suggesting both parameters and liberties for our lives; the experience of delight and pleasure art can provide; the universal appeal of art; and so forth. Far from being a mere frill, art has always played a central role in human society. Their souls are impoverished, as is their experience of life, for whom art has little importance.

But by far the greatest value of the arts to the Christian is their ability to nurture the sense of beauty and, thus, to train our hearts and minds to know, enjoy, and relate better to Him who is the Perfection of Beauty. Modern and postmodern artists have so relativized the concept of beauty that even to discuss its role in the arts is to risk appearing passé or uninformed. But this is a strictly recent phenomenon. The history of art is replete with discussions of beauty and its importance in the arts, and, where Christians have entered those discussions, they have argued for the role of art in nurturing our sense of beauty and helping us to know and worship God.

This is exactly why I love art and creativity in all its forms. True art has the ability to slice through barriers to bring us directly to the brilliance and beauty of our Lord. By revealing the Truth (and exposing the opposite for what it really is) we are able to revel and thrive in His gracious love... and beauty. This, to me, is what makes any art worth doing and working and being. I love it. Michael Card, Madeleine L'Engle and Calvin Seerveld have also written some amazing things on this topic. I may quote them in later posts. Suffice it to say I get so excited reading, conversing, discussing, doing... and teaching about these very things.

Thank you, Lord, for giving us the spark of the imagination and creative vision!!!

Ode to a Parking Lot Attendant (October 2008)

I know not, sir, quite how much time you might have on your hands
With such an illustrious job you execute on Thursday's stands
What joy you have in granting entrance to eligible beings
What power lies in your position, fulfilling and so freeing!

I know you are quite busy, keeping faithful watch each moment
You might not have much time to read this poor attempt at sonnet
I openly admit I'm not a poet or magician
Especially when writing for illustrious personage

Forgive me then, most honored sir, when feelings took the dive
As I was pulling in last week to teach my class of five
I work quite hard, get little thanks and even smaller earnings
And now I'm pegged quite negatively as a child's help for learning?

What made you think, if I may ask, I teach for my profession?
Was it the color of my eyes, or perhaps my clothing choices?
Surely you couldn't help but notice my less-than-athlete's figure
I admit I don't run twenty miles to give me verve and vigor.

But! I'm proud to be a teacher - love my students through and through
Providing them with tools to brighten home and life - who knew?!
Music, such a treasured gift to share with those around
So why, then, was I mortified from your pronouncement loud?

Quite the knowing tone of voice, the looking down your nose
As you proclaimed my fate, forever pegged as one of "those"
I couldn't help but wonder how many others you have slighted
Categorized and boxed away, because you are short-sighted

I beg you not to make this same mistake through all your days
For teachers change the lives of those whose minds they set ablaze
The spark of knowledge mixed with passion - oh, the combination
Can forever steer one's course in life - a precious education.

I'm sorry if you had a horrid time in school and such
I can't pretend all educators have students' best at heart
But next time you decide a person looks to be a teacher
Your gentler realization would be much appreciated.

Losing my religion?

What is church?

What is it? What should it be? Should church have a "should be" tag attached?

"Losing our religion"... if religion is defined as "a set of beliefs which characterizes how one lives"... how Jesus lived was just as beautiful as how he died... and resurrected. How we live DOES matter to God. I don't want to "lose my religion". That doesn't even make sense. It might sound cool to some... but that someone is not me.