Look Up

During a fun day in the classroom, I kept thinking to myself, "Was it just a dream that I was in the cool, colorful, beautiful mountains of Colorado just yesterday?"  The miracle of flight completely astounds me!  (I could write a whole post on the experience and luxury of air travel, including early morning/late night hours spent people watching in the terminal where thousands of heads are bowed down to cellular devices.)  After an uneventful arrival last night, one of my sweet students greeted me this morning with a question that melted me: "Mrs. Oliphint, what did you see in Colorado?"  When I mentioned the colorful leaves, the mountains, a waterfall, and the valley she followed up with additional interest beyond her 5 years, "Did you see any rivers?"  I love my job!!! 

This lovely weekend included three of my very favorite things in life: my Mom, Crested Butte and hiking.  I am SO very thankful for the blessing of time together while also enjoying the beauty of golden hiking trails in Crested Butte.  To keep from stumbling along the mountain path, I spent a good bit of time with my eyes tuned into the uneven rocky soil, often missing the glorious beauty surrounding me.  I kept reminding myself to pause, look up and take a photo in the midst the (sometimes exhausting) trail.  Some of the most beautiful images were  directly above my head.

At the end of our first day together and after a delicious meal with a friend, Mom and I walked her dogs after dark.  Once again, the desire to look up was overwhelming.  A crisp fall night in the mountains included a display of stars unlike any other.  Millions of stars shined brightly in the blackest of black skies.  I was stunned with thanksgiving to God for his greatness and majesty as I considered the vastness of his creation and the smallness of creatures like me.   These reminders to look up are symbolic of the lessons I am learning throughout life.   In the midst of uneven and challenging circumstances, I have to remind myself to look up  and to trust in the Lord in the daily details of life.  Similar to the glorious beauty above my head while surrounded by an aspen grove or a starlit sky, the greatness, goodness and glory of the Lord is there to behold when I raise my gaze to him.  Similar to the hiking trail, my tendency is to keep my focus on things below and to navigate this world with careful steps.  However, I'm confident that joy and peace in Christ comes only from looking  up to him and to his kingdom.

"Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.  See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you.  Nations will come to your light and kings to the brightness of your dawn.  Lift up your eyes and look about you."  Isaiah 60:1-4

Savoring the Insantiy

With 3 school weeks under our belt, our family has settled into a season of organized chaos.  Just last week, after a full day in kindergarten, I barely made it to a middle school volleyball game in time when my oldest called from her tennis match and asked me to take her to get her car, so that she could make the first home football game.  By the time I got to the tennis courts (at another high school), she had finished her match and was already in route to the game with friends (due to a communication break down) with her car left in the school parking lot.  Naturally, her Dad and I picked up her car.  After dropping Kyle at the high school, I drove through the take out line at Golden Chick on my way home.  Having left the house at 6:30 in the morning, I found myself sitting in a long drive through line behind assorted pick-up trucks at 7:30 p.m.  As I considered the lifestyle of a modern day family with two parents working outside the home, I found myself amused, while also exhausted.  Many days, it's just not pretty, but from the world's perspective, we are living the life!  This typical Thursday is not an unusual scenario for our family, let alone a great number of families in the midst of a teenage season of life.   Now that we have a third driver, strangely, there are evenings when I have no idea of the whereabouts of our oldest daughter.  From school to sports to babysitting to social outings, her presence in our home has become a treasure! 

Several years ago, I was a stay-at-home mother with little girls constantly underfoot.  I tended to nag and complain about too many hours of TV and too little family activity.  Often, I bemoaned a mundane lifestyle where I put less than 5,000 miles on my car annually; we just stayed home.  We didn't send our girls to "Mother's Day Out" or preschool, so we were always together.  An exciting family event was pizza/movie night.  Now, with the girls constantly scattered here and there, I find myself savoring the times when everyone is gathered around the television.  While I can count on one hand, the number of date nights Kyle and I shared during the first 5 years of parenting, the teenage years include an abundance of time with just the two of us together.  This Friday night was one of those occasions and we chose a busy, family friendly taco place.  We were entertained by the adorable chaos surrounding us.  A chatty 3 year old charmed us with friendly words and her sweet smile.  A curly headed baby in a plaid button up, maybe 10 months old, sat behind us and screamed/babbled through the family dinner.  A sweet 4 year old girl (with bright eyes, neon pink tennis shoes, jean mini-skirt and blond ponytail of curls on top of her head) captured our attention as she followed her Dad to their table-- straw in her mouth and purse on the arm.  I'm guessing those parents were not quite as enamored with their adorable little ones during their busy family dinners. I certainly found eating out with our little girls to be a beating! 

The following morning, (Saturday) included a baby shower to welcome two little babies to our church family.  There were mothers from all seasons of life in the room: empty nesters/grandmothers, new mothers, ladies homeschooling and women who consider being mothers.  I was caught off guard and brought to tears as I stumbled onto a conversation.  "Women tend to read in blogs things like: .... I would not worry about the dishes; I would play with the kids more."   While I mentioned I don't regret keeping a home where comfort included well ordered surroundings, I strongly relate with the sentiment of looking back and realizing I didn't treasure various seasons, chaos and all.  With two girls in high school, this moment caused the tears to flow unexpectedly.  Thankfully, in the midst of this crazy busy season for our family, I'm savoring the insanity of it all.  Lately, my prayers include thanksgiving to the Lord for lifting my eyes to him and for the peace, joy and heavenly perspective that come through his presence and by his spirit, no matter the season or schedule of life. 

Remembering to be Grateful

After the first week in kindergarten, I am grateful for a job I love SO very much and especially for my adorable new friends.  I'm thankful for the extra rest of a holiday weekend after the first days of school.  The first week in the classroom is characterized by continual movement and constant conversation.  Many of us are stretched to the point of satisfying exhaustion (teachers and students) as we adjust to the ways of the "big" elementary school. 

After a holiday weekend, we resume a dizzying pace for our family.  So, I want to remember the overwhelming sense of thankfulness (& peace) that I felt during the summer months.  Often in the midst of the fall and winter season, I tend to keep my eyes down, focused on tasks and duties in front of me and I tend to forget God's gracious, loving kindness in the daily moments of life.   Even this weekend, when my tendency is to be anxious as I consider increasing work and home responsibilities, I'm remembering to thank the Lord for His goodness.  May the joy and peace of Christ abound as I give thanks in all circumstances and as I seek to remember His steadfast love in the days ahead.  Life is short.  Christ promises joy and peace through Him.  We are called to a life of gratitude and nothing less. 

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all.  The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:4-7