Time

Having a little baby has made me more aware of time passing. It seems like just yesterday we were welcoming our sweet boy into our family. Now he's nearly 7 months old and changing every day. At night, before he goes to sleep, I hold him and look at his little hands and little face. I know I'll miss these days when they are gone. 

Time is so interesting. Without it there would be no progression, no growth, no change. At the same time, the passing of time often causes regret, sentimentality, and sadness of things that have passed by. Time also creates opportunity for renewal, refocusing, and recommitting to do better, be better, and serve more. 

I am really into Mindy Gledhill's music. 

Lately, I especially love this song:

Lovely

My friend Aaron was one of the dancers in this video.

 I've never seen anything quite like it. 

It's absolutely lovely. 

Thought of You from Ryan Woodward on Vimeo.

A Memory or Two

Do you ever get a feeling or a memory that you wish you could explain, but no amount of explanation would ever do it justice? A memory that makes you get a little twinge of sentimentality?

I had one of those today.

As I looked at this photo today, courtesy of Coastal Living, I had a flood of memories come into my mind. Memories of the beach, my childhood, and my family.

When I look at this photo I am 9 years old again. I can smell the ocean wind coming through the screen door. I can feel the sticky humidity on my skin as I walk outside, and the cool, dry blast of air conditioning as I come in. I can hear my family all around me, and I can see my brothers already running out to the beach to see who can jump in the water first. I can hear the North Carolina accents of my grandparents. I can see Grandaddy Roger sitting on the porch rocking chair, reading, thinking, looking and being.

I see the starfish in the window and I think of a sand dollar; they look similar you know. I remember the time I accidentally bit into a sand dollar that I spent hours trying to find. Sand dollars were the treasure of every summer. I remember crying about it because I was embarrassed, and because they are very hard to find.

When I look at the basket hanging on the door I think of the lunches GranBonnie used to pack for our days at the beach. She always made pimento cheese sandwiches--and none of the children ever ate them. I remember the smell perfectly. There were always Goldfish crackers in that basket. Grandaddy Roger always bought us a great big carton full of them.

When I see the mug on the table I think of the smell of coffee in the morning. I always knew that it wasn't good for me to drink, but I sure did love that smell.

For a moment, when I see the rock on the table I think of another memory from another place; I was with my dad along a river bank. I found a beautiful rock that I kept with me to always remind me of that special time I could spend with him; just the two of us. 

I'm grateful today to be able to remember wonderful times with people that I love so much. These memories are such a treasure to me.

November

It's cold today.
It's dark and windy and wet.
My baby is sleeping.
I want to hold him so I can be warmer.
He's a good personal heater.
Travel sized.
The heat isn't working.

Time to call the landlord.