Articles from November 2008

What a thought-provoking piece to consider on (and after) this holiday of thanks!  Happy Thanksgiving!

O God, we thank you for this earth, our home;
For the wide sky and the blessed sun,
For the salt sea and the running water,
For the everlasting hills
And the never-resting winds,
For trees and the common grass underfoot.
We thank you for our senses
By which we hear the songs of birds,
And see the splendor of the summer fields,
And taste of the autumn fruits,
And rejoice in the feel of the snow,
And smell the breath of the spring.
Grant us a heart wide open to all this beauty;
And save our souls from being so blind
That we pass unseeing
When even the common thornbush
Is aflame with your glory,
O God our creator,
Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Amen.

It was raining softly this morning as we all awoke and headed to the cemetery. It was damp and cool, but the weather just felt right—it matched my mood. Somehow, it is harder to cry when the sun is brightly shining. Tears streamed down my face as we walked toward her grave.

Another year has passed.

The pain is still there, but it is a dull distant ache. Six years have made certain things hard to remember. The once very sharp memories are fading. Certainly there are things I will never forget, but certain details of her brief life have left me. I once mourned the loss of these memories. Today I thank God for the gift of passing time.

We all placed flowers on her grave and we prayed. We asked for her intercession and we thanked God for the gifts of our healthy children. I will hug them all very tightly today, praising God for the gift of each precious life. I prayed silently for all mothers who have lost a child, and all families that are experiencing grief during this holiday season.

It is Thanksgiving week and we are all very busy readying our homes for family and other fun celebrations. I always feel a bit guilty to be grieving during this time of year. The end of November is always difficult, as I remember my baby and many emotions of the past come flooding back. Yet I am not alone in my grief.

There are many, many families grieving the loss of loved ones during this time of year. Cards, notes, phone calls, and prayers go a long way in healing their aching hearts. While we all sit around and plan our Thanksgiving, and soon Christmas, dinners let us also take a moment to plan how we can serve someone who is grieving the loss of a loved one. A small note, a dinner invitation, or simply taking the time to pray can go a long way toward healing hearts and building our church communities.

It is the Joy and the Sorrow that makes us Christian mothers. Today I am thanking God for Therese Joy, the baby girl who taught me both.

I’m the head chef this year for the second year in a row. After last year’s very-canned-food-based Thanksgiving, I’m seeking to improve my repertoire.

In light of the recent head lice conversations, I naturally cringed this morning when I noticed H was aggressively scratching her head. Upon close inspection, she is vermin-free but has extremely dry scalp. Any tips as to what to do about this? We are still using Johnson’s All Over Baby Wash on all of our children, but for winter we probably need to do something more moisturizing.

So, there will be a lot to reflect on from our morning in Philly, but here is one part that I am thinking about:

Why is it that when I tell my husband that his soreness and knee pain after long runs would be helped by stretching and moving in a cool down he ignores me and is stiff for days, but when B’s husband gives him the same advice he follows it and is amazed at how much better he feels?

Sometimes men need to hear it from other men, so tonight I pray for good men to come into my husband’s life, the kind of men who can give him counsel, friendship and fellowship in a manly way, to support him and be his companions in the greater race. I also pray that I will have the wisdom to get out of the way from time to time as my boys get older, so that their father can be that kind of man to them.

JURIS MATER

With an impressive time of 34:43!

An 8K is just about 5 miles, so Juris Mater ran sub 7 minute miles for the entire race. She finished 86th (12th overall female) out of 1625 runners. She was amazing–blowing away the competition and living up to her prodigious trash-talking.

As for the rest of us:

* B-Mama and I set out to run under 40 minutes, and we both accomplished our goal. I clocked in at 38:21 and B-Mama finished in 39:50, making her the fastest 3 month post-partum mommy on the course. Way to go B-Mama! As always, I am amazed by your strength.

* MaryAlice finished the race without going into labor! Just in case you all forgot, she is 38 weeks pregnant! Have you ever tried to walk 5 miles when 38 weeks pregnant?

* And last, but possibly most impressive, is Mr. MaryAlice. Mr. MaryAlice ran his first 1/2 marathon. A big congratulations to him for all his hard work and dedication. He has run himself into one fit Daddy.

Overall, the race was a fantastic experience. Despite the 25-degree starting temperatures, we all had a great time, accomplishing our goals, cheering for one another, and enjoying the company of wonderful friends. I’m already looking forward to next year.