Meaningful Conversation

(a November morning in our backyard, two years ago)

Just came in from dropping the boys off to school.

The grass is tipped in white.

Your breath floats visible in front of you out there.

And when I jumped out to walk the boys up to their teachers and ran back to the car, I felt like I'd been flash frozen.

It's cold.

I was running on Monday and thinking about a conversation I'd had with one of my dear, dear friends on Sunday night.  

I had sent her a message telling her how smokin she looks (she's gone through an incredible journey the past couple of years and lost a lot of weight), and it started an exchange that ended up going back and forth.

So then I said, "And here we are discussing only skin beauty here...I KNOW you've got a beautiful soul."

(And here's where I'm essentially going to give you the play by play leading up to the exclamation point of the conversation and where my mind's been since.)

She texted back and said, "You've got a smokin hot soul."

So then I responded and said, "There are parts that are ugly and stenchy and need the Savior for sure, but I guess that goes for all of us, right?"
"Absolutely.  We all do."

"Ya I guess that's the good thing."

"Yep. We're all in desperate need of His grace (loved that line).  I'm just thankful He offers it so freely."

I responded and said, "I want to understand that more.  How do I access it more freely?  How can I see the way He sees?  How do I really change the things that desperately need changing?

She said, "Yes, I wish I understood better too.  To me it involves staying humble and very close to Him.  It means asking for it with real intent, having firm faith that it will come.  I've been thinking about that a lot lately."

And then she said something that hit me so deeply.  I've been thinking about it ever since.  It needs to go up on my fridge.

"Do we truly know that is His mission and purpose, His work, and that He has every intention of getting us there?"

That question hasn't left me alone the past few days.  

Its truth seems to be ricocheting inside of me.  

My favorite part?

Do we believe that "...He has every intention of getting us there?"  

I'll be feasting on, and pondering this, for days.

Recognizing What He Does

(Scott, at mile 26 of his 50-miler in 2008)

Yesterday morning I was busy getting the boys
shuffled off to school.
Breakfast.
Drop off.
Clean up.
Errands.

We had a sick girlie the night before, and it had been a long night.
Poor thing had thrown up three times.
She was in and out of our bed sleeping, and consequently, neither of us slept very well, either.

At 9:42 am I got a text from Scott.
"Wow. What a night. How is she?"
And I said, "Hasn't thrown up but has a fever and runny nose. Looks a bit flushed."
He said, "How are u?"
I responded, "Tired. But tryin to look cute and peppy."
And then he said,
"Well that can't be too hard. You looked that way while sleeping this morning."

And then Mia and I ran some errands last night before Scott's meeting. When I came home, he had both boys in their pjs, toothpaste on all toothbrushes, Mia's jammies laid out, dinner all cleaned up and most of the dishwasher emptied, and he'd taken the boys on a bike ride.

It made me grateful that after all the years we've been together, and all the ups and downs in those years that he still...
Says sweet things to me.
Calls me beautiful.
Compliments me openly and frequently in front of the children.
Is a great dad (his face literally lights up when he sees the kids at the end of the day).
Largely dedicates Saturday to being with the children.
They know they are important to him.
He also announced at dinner last night that he was working on HUGE surprise for all three of them for Christmas, and he wasn't even going to tell me what it was. He was so excited and it's not even Halloween yet.
He is a committed player,
works so hard,
and is helpful, considerate, and contributing.

I'm grateful for all that he does.