Crew Two

Goodness! It looks like we live in a rainforest!
Crew's checking out Grandpa's 'stache:-)
A precious family!
A Crew Sandwich!!
Jody's first trip to Chattanooga wouldn't be complete without a stop at Sticky Fingers for some of the best BBQ in the South!!
I sure do love my DILS!!
Awww........
Crew loved the Bolthouse Farms juice - compliments of Jody who works for them!!
Wish I could freeze frame this moment!
I LOVE THIS PICTURE!!!!!

Walking the Bridge
Oh, the grief I take for making them line up for these group shots but someday they'll thank me! (that's what I always tell them:-)
My first time ever to wear Crew and I loved it!!
Crew loves his uncle Joe!
Bath time - rub a dub dub - one Crew in the tub!

It is a gift to be able to be together for a weekend like this and the addition of Jody to the mix made it even more fun! It is a lot of love and I am grateful!

The Mark, Tara, Crew, Jody visit

Apologies for the delay in blogging our very wonderful Memorial Day weekend with Mark, Tara, Crew, and Jody, our nephew from Canada! My computer has been majorly messed up but thanks to Dan (who's here for a visit this weekend) I'm back in blogging business!!

We had such a good time last weekend with the kids and Joe and Bailey were here a good bit of the time too. Here's a few pictures from our time together and I'll upload a few more on another post! Crew & his ball collection - he loves balls!!
Helping Grandma make pancakes for breakfast
A breakfast picnic on the deck
Playing with Uncle Joe at Coolidge Park
Mark, Tara, Crew & Bailey on the carousel

Dan & Company!!

Dan spent most of last week at SharpTop for work week with some of his high school friends from St. Francisville and they came up to Chattanooga for a quick visit Thursday night. It was great to see Dan and host these wonderful kids - Katie, Tyler & Bradley!! It was a short visit but sweet and we're so glad they came! The Lord has blessed the ministry of Young Life at West Feliciana High School!!

God Verbs vs. Mari Verbs

Something I love to do when I'm looking at a Psalm is list all the "God verbs" - the things He promises to do and then I list the "Mari verbs" - the things He calls me to do. His list always far outnumbers mine - yay!!! Recently I did this with Psalm 18 - what another sweet reminder of all He does and is and always will be! Read it and do it! And take a look at the amazing "God nouns" in this Psalm - the things He calls Himself - very wonderful!

My part in life, my role, is so simple, Lord....
To believe and rest in You.
You have all the hard parts, the tricky roles.
Why do I try and do Your job
Instead of gladly giving you the script?
The God verbs always outnumber
the Mari verbs
And this fact always brings me back to this truth:
You are God and You are Good
I am Mari and I am a Mess
A mess that you love, but still a mess!
Help me to realize that You've created
the perfect bit part for me
And that you will direct me every day,
every line, every entrance and exit,
as the story of my life plays out.
Let me live with my ear close to your heart
so I never miss a cue.

Theophany of the Day

I'll often have a word or a phrase that rattles around inside my head, comes up in conversation, leads me to journal.....lately that phrase has been "riding the waves" as I've reflected on the ups, downs and arounds of life....how we just hang on, confident in God's plan and love even when it feels like we're going under for the last time!

Today I had 15 minutes for a quick visit to McKays (all in the name of gas conservation since I had another errand out that way, but why should I need to justify a visit to my fav place in Chattanooga?!) Anyway, I digress.....

I wasn't looking for anything in particular but had the feeling that a gift was waiting. And then I noticed a book by Gayle Roper.......entitled......drum roll....."Riding the Waves - Contented Living in a Chaotic World." It now resides in the trusty book bag resting alongside the blue recliner in the GTCA. That's just so God!! Wow!! I love it when He does stuff like that!!

Happy Birthday Daniel Jon!

Thought I'd include myself on this picture of Dan's birthday blog post since as someone pointed out earlier today he wouldn't be here without me! Dan is 26 years old today! (And also married for one year as of this past Monday!) What fun its been having Dan for a son! He hates it when I say this but....he's the closest thing I ever had to having a daughter. When he was growing up, of all three boys, he was the one who was always up for a shopping trip and baking. One time I really pushed the limits of this theory by bringing him to "The Nutcracker", something which he has yet to forgive me:-)

He has brought much laughter into our lives with his quick wit. He has alot of character traits of my dad...the good ones and the frustrating ones, so much so that we often refer to him as "Little Sid", which he chooses to take as a compliment. Underneath the tough guy act that he can put on is a tender heart and a sensitive soul - something that Bre has been patient enough to discover. Tears come to his eyes more easily than he cares to admit. The words "I love you" don't come easily from him but he shows it in so many ways from riding his bike down to Dutton General Store for a Mother's Day present when he was little to faithfully calling during the crazy days of chemo. He is so good with little kids and it will be fun to see him in the role of daddy some day.

I love that we have the connection of both being involved in Young Life! We'll call each other often with hallelujahs and complaints about this ministry that has called our names. I'm so proud of the challenge he's taken on by being a very young area director in a part of the country very far from where he came from. Only the Lord could move a hard headed Dutch guy to the Deep South! We're so thankful that He also blessed Dan with Brea as a partner for life and ministry!

Happy Birthday, Pard! I love you very much and I'm so very thankful for your presence in my life these past 26 years!!

Mom - In Her Own Words

For the last few days I've been thinking about what I would write about my mom and the thoughts were myriad. She was my best friend, my mentor, my kindred spirit, and I miss her so much. The picture above was taken on her last visit to Chattanooga on Mother's Day 2004. Just a few months later Dad would be diagnosed with multiple myeloma and a month later she would be diagnosed with acute leukemia and by January of 2006 they would both be gone from this earth.

In 1997 I gave mom a book, "Reflections from a Mother's Heart - Your Life Story in Your Own Words". It asks a variety of questions ranging from your earliest memories to what advice you'd like to leave for the generations after you. I can't tell you how glad I am that she not only filled in this book but asked all the same questions of dad and typed out all of his answers for us too.

I would highly recommend this type of book to anyone whose parents would be willing to do this. It is PURE GOLD as far as I'm concerned! Just seeing her handwriting is precious, let alone the stories, humor, wisdom and history that's contained in those pages.

I always brag on my mom and those of you who knew her know how wonderful she was. I try to describe her to new friends but words fail me. So I thought I would share some of her own words from this memory journal to give you a picture of Clarissa Elizabeth Cnossen.

"What word best describes your life?"

Steadfast. Webster defines steadfast as "unyieldingly firm in purpose, faith or attachment, loyal". Looking back over my life I would like to think that the word describes who I was. I was there when the kids needed someone to share their joys and disappointments with, when my mom needed a shoulder to lean on when dad died, when Sid needed to lighten up. I was there because I loved you all so much and my happiness and joy came from making your lives happier. The strength to stay steadfast came from faith in the One who is the Solid Rock, ever faithful,never changing, always caring, loving Friend.

"What advice about life do you want others to remember?"

1. God never sends us an experience that is wasted.

2. Praise loudly; Blame softly.

3. A humble talent that is used is worth far more than genius that is idle.

4. Look beyond your immediate circumstances and remember that God has an ultimate good purpose. (Romans 8:28)

5. When praying remember - God may not give you the answer you want but He always gives the grace we need.

6. Trials are the soil in which faith grows. God's discipline is not cruel but corrective.

7. In God's eyes, life is not measured by its duration but its donations.

"The beauty of the written word is that it can be held close to the heart and read over and over again" writes Florence Littauer.

Happy Mother's Day, my mom! I'll love you forever.

Full Circle

Dale & Eddie were our work crew bosses - so grateful they gave up a Saturday of fishing for us!
Best poundcake in the world is on left lower corner - I mean it's the BEST!!
Had to use the faithful Dodge to straighten out the fence!
Eddie Salter, Bryan Holland, Ms. JoAnn, me & Dale

Red Bank YL kids and their leader Brian Spillman

Ten years ago we came to Chattanooga on our first of three mission's trips to work with New City and Hope for Chattanooga. One of the work projects on that first trip was to paint a house for a sweet and sassy lady named JoAnn. She and I became instant friends and communicated throughout the years - she even mailed us a few of her famous most delicous poundcakes:-) She was one of the first people to say out loud, "You love it here so much - when are you going to move down here?"

Today we were back at Ms. JoAnn's with some friends from our church small group painting, working in the yard, washing windows and of course, eating poundcake! And here's a way cool part - Young Life was having a work day for kids who need to earn money towards summer camp and some of them and their leader from Red Bank YL came to help too!

You know I love it when my worlds of Young Life and New City collide - soooo cool and fun!!! Alot has happened in the last 10 years - hard stuff and wonderful stuff! What a journey it's been. And how thankful I am for the adventure! I wouldn't have missed it for the world!

Loose Ends

I hate them. They make me feel unfinished vulnerable incomplete. That cancer thing was one huge loose end that I couldn't tie up with a phone call a note an email. I couldn't cross it off the TO DO list. I had to wait and trust and believe that the Father would in His time in His way settle it resolve it. It was a hyper ventilating scary release as He pried my fingers from a sense of control and held me gasping to His chest. To close my eyes and rest there was minute by minute surrender. My frightened heart would cry "Really?!" He would answer "Yes." I'd like to think it was a one time lesson But that would be a lie I can't see in writing. So I'll rest my restless self in the mystery of His ability and His willingness to do it all over again today, tomorrow today, tomorrow today, tomorrow.

Mirror

It is a lot to embrace and treat with kindness each wrinkle age spot and raised vein. To accept the gray hair the soft extended belly the calloused feet. To be all right with the fact I will never be thin grow lovely fingernails or gorgeous hair. To be thankful for the chance to earn these marks of time. To smile with gratitude at the aging of my heart my once tumultuous heart that now delights in silence more than sound. A mind that reads beyond my comprehension eyes that fill with tears often without embarrassment or excuse. To have turned some invisible corner toward peace contentment perspective and dare I write wisdom. To ride out the remaining years with grace and wonder and hilarity. It is a lot to embrace.

"Married to Amazement"

I love this quote from the poet Mary Oliver...."She has spent her life married to amazement."

Every time I'm in the presence of my friend Kris this quote comes to mind. She is one of the most delightful people I know. She lives her life like a kid in a candy shop - finding wonder and happiness in everything! She is uninhibited and claps and sings and dances when the spirit moves her without much thought to what others might think! I love being around her! She brings out the child in me and her joy is contagious! She lives her life like it's one giant theophany which it really is but too often we're too blind to see it or too scared to believe it.

I want to worry less and dance more. I want to oohhh and aahh instead of analyze a situation to death! I want to live like I truly believe that God is good ALL the time.

If you know Kris I think you will agree with all I've written about her - if you don't know her I hope the Lord brings someone like her into your life soon!