The kids love the rope swing Balin set up in the front yard. They go for 3 or 4 swings and then finish it off with a super twist, which is a twisting of the rope with a super push. I'm surprised no one has gotten sick yet. Sam has gotten hurt though, flesh wounds thankfully but dang if Balin doesn't push it a bit. Sam ran into one of the trees twice and fell off after Balin super twisted him. Yeah not so good. Again, the kids are beggin' for more so I guess it can't be that bad.
Life is continuing on normally. Balin has been home for quite a while as he has no work. Thankfully requests for proposals have been coming in so hopefully work will soon follow. I find myself both thankful he is home, which hasn't been the case for the past three years and yet I am also a little stressed having him home. Funny. I'm trying to take my cues from him as to how to view this whole thing and he's totally not stressed. In fact I think he's enjoying it greatly. That's good. One positive of his lack of work has been being able to express to friends that he doesn't have work. Weird I know, but it kind of gives something of solidarity when people realize that the economy is effecting everyone. I feel so blessed in my life that I almost enjoy having dips in the road...strange I know.
I went to a birthday party this afternoon and while chatting with another mom and after her finding out I had childcare 2x's a week she asked me if I worked. I said no. She then asked, "what do you do all day?". That got me thinking, what do I do all day? I muse. I read. I garden. I start projects and sometimes I finish them. Sometimes people will ask me what I do, meaning what is my work, and for some odd reason I'm hesitant to say I'm a stay at home mom. Don't get me wrong I love staying home and being with Sam and Perrin, but I don't think I'm okay with getting all my identity from them. Which got me thinking. I'm reading this great book called, "This beautiful mess" by this guy who started a church in Portland. He talked about the Kingdom of God being here on earth, I guess he was reiterating what Jesus already talked about, and that as people who are part of the Kingdom of God we are responsible for spreading that good news. Interesting though is that when we think about spreading the good news in evengelical circles we usually assume that's converting people to following Christ. The more and more I learn and become a disciple of Christ the more I believe that conversion of faith is only part of the story. Another part of the story is reconstructing/repairing/restoring creation.
Restoring creation. That speaks to me. I love to restore or make something that is ho-hum into something beautiful. It could be a home, garden, public space or a person. I fully acknowledge that I do not "re-make" people, God does that. I do though get a chance to help restore their soul by walking along side them, taking interest in them, loving them. It's amazing what happens to people when we take the time to love them. They really do become restored. They really are beautiful.
Loving people. The greatest commandment Jesus gave was two fold: love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. Jesus followed that up later with, "If you love me then keep my commandments." Often I hear the question asked, what is God's will for my life? I can't help but think of the greatest commandment. God's will is that we love Him and love people. People who are like us and people who are totally unlike us. Annoying people, people who are our neighbors or who live on another continent. I have to confess - confession is good for my soul - I have a really hard time loving people. I would like to think that I am able to walk along side them, love them, restore them, but on my own effort I can't do it. People annoy me sometimes. Sometimes/some people are really easy to love, sometimes/some people are really difficult to love. I don't think when Jesus gave these commandments to love people he gave me a choice on who I get to love. Dang it. But one thing I know, that I am totally confident in is that Jesus didn't leave me abandoned to try to love his children on my own. I can't. Just ask Balin. I know that the only way I can love his children is through him, that Jesus is actually loving people through me. How cool is that, that He asks me to love people and then he does it through me.
So as I was musing over what to say when people ask what I do for work I think I'm going to tell them I'm in the restoration buisness. Restoring places, things and people to their intended beauty. I want to be part of spreading the good news that Jesus talked about. I'm looking forward to starting my new business. I think I'll start tonight.
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