Griffin's Texting Birthday

I’ll never forget that day. 

It was a Friday

And my sister was in labor with her first child. 

I was in divinity school at the time and

I had become good friends with someone who texted a lot. 

Until that point in my life, I had texted no one. 

On that day, though,  

19 years ago, 

At the hospital, waiting for Griffin to fly into the world,

I sent my first text to my text-loving friend,

And I haven’t looked back since! 

 

In those early days,

Text messages had a 130-character limit.

You paid to send and receive text messages

And so texting could be rather expensive. 

But I didn’t care.

It was new. 

And it was fun. 

And it allowed me to keep in touch with people without talking on the phone!

 

Now, I can’t imagine my life without it!

 

It’s amazing what a simple text can do.

An out of the blue thinking of you, 

A conversation easier to write than to say,

A joke,

A prayer,

A meme,

A picture,

From upstairs,

From across the country or world,

A text can literally change the course of someone’s day. 

A text can literally save someone’s life.

And a text is not hard to send.

 

No more 130 character limits.

No more tapping on the number 2 three times to get the letter C .

No more pay as you go. 

Just a qwerty keyboard for most

And an opportunity to influence someone’s life for the better for all.

 

I know.

Texts can be harmful too.

Cyber bullying is real and harmful and must be watched. 

But today, 

On my Griffin’s 19th birthday,

On this day that dramatically changed my life, 

I want to extol the goodness of texting 

And encourage you to use it for good. 

 

God—

You have given humankind the ability to think of cool things like texting. 

It blows my mind that written 

Words can invisibly fly through the air 

And make it to somewhere else

In a moment’s time. 

Thank you. 

Now, let us use those moments and texts for good. 

Amen. 

 

My Sister's Birthday

 

Today is my sister‘s birthday.

A few weeks ago,

I posted a note about quotes that have made an impact on me.

My brother got two quotes, but Dana did not get any.

She joked with me about that,

And I felt bad about not including her, 

But then I started thinking about it, 

And I realized that when I think of Dana,

I don’t think so much about specific words,

Rather, I think about a life lived to the fullest.

 

Dana is happy soul.

She loves to entertain and throw a good party.

She and her husband open their home many times a year for gatherings and get togethers 

That bring together people from across all walks of life.

There is always food, fellowship, and laughter 

And a sense of community that comes only from someone like Dana who genuinely cares for and sees the best in people.  

 

On one hand,

Dana lives spontaneously,

Always remaining open to the moment and 

To seeing what goodness can be pulled from it. 

On the other hand, 

Dana is the party planner mentioned above,

A webpage designer and administrator,

And a communications guru for topics from education to politics to the Raleigh Recorder Society. 

Yes, recorders.

The little instruments that you most often think of as torturing music teachers and elementary parents across the country.

My sister is a recorder expert,

And she makes the instrument enjoyable to hear. 

 

Dana is also a proud beekeeper and honey producer

Who will talk about bees with and provide a honey tasting for anyone interested.

One of my favorite images of Dana is of her being late for a family function because bees were swarming. 

I don’t remember the details of the story. 

All I know is that it captures my sister perfectly: 

Living in the moment with a fluid sense of time

While passionately caring for others, 

Or in this case, bees! 

 

So join me in wishing my sister, Dana,

Whose very life encourages me 

Even when a specific quote does not, 

A very Happy Birthday! 

 

Dana: You are loved!

And seen. 

And valued.

Today and every day. 

Happy birthday!

Modify and Adapt

 

Today is my 47th birthday.

And on this 47th birthday,

I want to share a little piece of wisdom that I received from Barb My First Art Teacher at the end of my 47th year:

 

We must modify and adapt.

 

When Barb and I first began our teaching careers,

We went to the local Walmart and each bought little tool kits.

The whole set of tools was only $4.98, and they were magnetic!

I can’t tell you how many times B and I have used our tools over the years.

Through all our schools,

All our classrooms,

And all our years,

Our tools have been with us,

Offering their help and assistance.

 

While my tools have remained in tact,

My toolbox itself has broken.

It’s a little blue box with a broken handle and latch,

But I kept it because it reminds me of B.

 

Well, I was at Lidl a couple weeks ago,

I saw a new black toolbox that I knew would hold my tools perfectly.

Not wanting to betray Barb,

I wrote and asked if she still had her little blue toolbox.

She responded that she still had the tools but that but she wasn’t sure where the box was.

I shared my sentimental dilemma.

She responded,

“You have to modify and adapt.”

 

And that was that.

 

I bought the black toolbox.

 

It’s no secret that I attach feelings to objects.

It’s no secret that I have trouble getting rid of things because of this attachment.

But maybe this year, little by little,

I will be able to modify and adapt,

To let go and move on.

 

God: Thank you for life, and thank you for another year of lessons learned and lessons yet to learn. Help me, God, as I continue to learn to modify and adapt, to let go and move on. Help me to use my time and resources in ways that honor life, for you are the Life-Giver who makes all things possible. Amen.

 

On Turning 50

I don’t remember jokes very well.

And I don’t usually remember exact quotes either.

But many years ago,

My brother said something I’ll never forget:

“There’s nothing much less useful than a cold French fry.”

😊

 

I’ve always looked up to my brother.

So many of my childhood memories have him in it,

And, oddly enough, a lot of those memories involve sports!

One of my favorite memories is playing football.

My brother drew out the plays on his hand,

With x’s and arrows.

We were very serious about the execution of those plans,

And to this day, I live by his subconscious advice:

“Make a plan, and execute it well!”

 

Other memories involve band.

My brother was a trombone player,

And he once told me,

“If you’re going to play an instrument, play it well.”

So I listened.

I was asked to start high school marching band in 7^th grade.

That meant three years marching with my brother.

I always thought that was neat.

 

I also think it’s neat that

It’s because of my brother that

I am now an avid art collector.

Daniel once told me that if I had the money to afford a piece of art

That spoke to me,

Then I should buy it.

(That was in the beginning.

Now I must ask if I have the money AND the wall space :-p).

 

It’s also because of him that I see so many musical and theatre performances.

He says that we put our money where our values are—

That if I value musicals and theatre performances,

Then I should go see them.

So I do.

 

And he also once said that

When given a choice to do something that you really want to do vs. sleep,

Choose the thing you want to do.

He said, “You will likely remember the event or activity—

But you won’t likely remember that nap.”

Now. I like sleeping. I’m a nap taker.

But sometimes people and events are more important than even naps.

And Daniel’s words help me remember that.

 

Daniel’s 50^th birthday is today.

So today I am especially grateful for the boy that he was,

The man that he is,

And the person he is still becoming.

 

May we all influence others’ lives for the better…

Especially in our passing words and wisdom.

May we eat fries when they are warm,

Make good plans,

Enjoy good art,

See meaningful shows,

And make lasting memories with those we love.

 

Amen.

Jack

 

Twenty-two years ago today,

My world changed.

Early that the morning,

We received a phone call saying that my sister-in-law, Gretchen, was in labor.

Having only seen labor and delivery on TV,

I thought this phone call meant that my nephew’s entrance into the world was imminent.

I immediately got up and advocated for Mom, Dad, and myself to go to the hospital.

We did.

And then we waited a long time…

Until my Jack was born.

Come to think of it,

I don’t think we knew beforehand if he was going to be a girl or a boy!

But he was the cutest thing I’d ever seen.

I remember holding him,

As I did all my nephews and niece,

And my friends’ babies as well,

Telling him how much he was already loved

And praying blessings over his life.

 

I remember going back to school and pulling up pictures of him on the classroom computer in my mentor’s room and showing him off to my colleague friends.

My mentor was Marion K. Hudson.

She taught Kindergarten.

I used to walk through her classroom to get into the building.

She had a computer in her classroom.

I did not.

Computers were just becoming the rage.

Now, I can’t imagine my life without them.

Just like I can’t imagine my life without Jack.

 

A lot has changed in 22 years.

But my Jack is still the same

Smart, kind, easy-going, hair-twirling-when-he’s-not-thinking boy

That he’s always been,

Getting ready to graduate from college and enter the “real world”

Where his pre-frontal cortex will continue to develop and

He will continue to grow into the man we are so thankful he is and will be.

 

Jack is much taller than me now,

Handsome,

Muscular,

But if I could hold him in my arms again today,

Then I would whisper again just how much he is loved and

I would pray blessings over his life

Again and again and again.

Amen.

10 and 60

 

 

Last Saturday was one of my friends’ kids’ birthdays.

He turned 10.

Throughout the day, in honor of his birthday,

He asked for simple wishes:

Can I wear sweatpants instead of jeans?

Can I play an internet game in the car?

Can I have a Snickers bar?

His wishes were granted.

 

As he and his big brother were preparing for bed,

Big brother, suddenly wanted a cheese stick.

My friend was hesitant because of Big Brother’s habit of doing this.

But then Birthday Boy said:

Can I have one more wish for my birthday?

My friend asked what it was.

Birthday Boy asked if his brother could have a cheese stick to close out the day.

 

Needless to say, Big Brother got a cheese stick,

And Birthday Boy went to bed happy.

 

Today is my parents’ 60^th Anniversary.

I dare say that this birthday story explains how they’ve stayed together so long:

It’s give and take,

It’s push and pull,

It’s asking and receiving,

It’s looking after self and others,

It’s celebrating small victories,

It’s smiling,

It’s changing ones’ mind,

And it’s honoring one another.

 

Today, I am thankful for my 10-year-old friend and all that he teaches me.

And I am thankful for my 60-year-married parents and everything that they are.

 

Amen.

 

PS. My mom and I often quote our 10-year-old friend when doing puzzles. He was over at the house many months ago, working on a puzzle, when he said to me: “Do you know how I found that piece?” I said, “How?” He said, “I saw this tiny little detail.” From that point forward, my mom and I began using “the tiny little detail” philosophy to help us with our puzzles 😊.