Favorite Things

Yes, I am copying cousin Katie's idea here. I'm not a big picture taker though, so unlike her blog, I will not be including photos (if you know me at all you know most of the pictures I have were taken by mom, or Becky, or one of my girls...). Too, many of these "favorites" are not really photographic.

Perhaps one of my most favorite things right now is the (cp)pss meetin' a couple of girlfriends and I hold one of our front porches. (there are annoying dogs in the back yards...) We gather in jammies after kid drop-off and drink coffee and solve the world's problems. Or at least commiserate with one another. It always leaves me with something to contemplate as my friends are wise and funny women. Too, we sometimes have society meetings with Molly and Hanny and their pals in the evening. This adds a whole new level of fun and insight to the group.

Another great pleasure for me is talking to my sister Becky on the cell phone while we do chores "together". Laundry, dishes, floors, dusting... it all seems to fly by when I get the chance to visit with my best friend and laugh and (sometimes)curse, and plan, and reminisce...

I like drinking coffee with Chris in the morning and praying together before he leaves for work each day. The time with the Lord is powerful, because even if for one reason or another we're crossways with each other, there is a safety in the presence of eternal love that enables us to remember we're on the same team. I also like playing backgammon with my hubby - although to be honest, he usually wins!

And, can I just say, I really like my kids this year?? Okay, sounds weird, but the truth is there are some stages of their development that I'm so glaaad are finished! Right now, they are five of the most interesting, sweet, funny, and encouraging people I know. There are rare occasions when all seven of us (and only the seven of us) gather round the table to break bread. And I love it. Usually this happens on an odd school night or Sunday morning brunch... (we try for it at least three times a week - but usually someone or the other of their friends joins us.)

And that's another thing. I really "dig" their friends. (How's that word for a blast from the past??) I like that they're comfortable to drop by for coffee, or pop, or supper, or a movie, or hot tub night... I like that they're each unique and on a quest to discover who they want to be. I am humbled and honored to get to share a small part of the journeys of these amazing individuals.

As I glance back over this list I see that almost every paragraph has something in common - my simple pleasures have a lot to do with conversation. The word in the Bible for this kind of connection is fellowship. And that happens at church, right? So, does that make our home a sanctuary? I do hope so.